There Are More Calories In Fruit Than You Might Think

By Darnell Visini


Fruits are widely acknowledged by dietitians to be a healthy food rich with vitamins, minerals and energy. They have a generous amount of vitamins A and C plus potassium. They have low fat. Fruits are also a good source of dietary fiber, aiding digestion and reducing the risk of bowel cancer. Their water content is high (80 percent or more), aiding personal hydration. Some folks seem to think there are zero calories in fruit. Not quite; fruits have some calories but the count is relatively low.

At the low end of the scale, a single blackberry has one calorie, a cherry about two and a grape three. Further up the scale, the highest calorie amounts are present in oranges, apples, grapefruit, bananas and avocados. Dieters might be alarmed at these numbers, but this alarm is unnecessary.

To place the above calorie numbers into perspective, a cup of fresh fruit salad has about 100 calories with 260 in a single scoop of plain vanilla ice cream. The smallest calorie count is present in apricots, kiwifruits, peaches, mangoes, pears and pineapples.

The preceding calorie numbers are trivial compared to the nutrition in fruits. Nutritionists conceded it is appropriate to be aware of the calorie amount in fruits. However they emphasize that eliminating the intake of fruits would be a very poor decision.

Fruits have a multitude of minerals and vitamins vital to a healthy, balanced diet. Nevertheless, some folks are concerned about the fats and sugars they contain. The point to stress here is that fruits are low in fats and carbohydrates (sugars) relative to most other foods. Coconuts and avocados are two noteworthy exceptions; they are both high in fat content, albeit natural unsaturated fats.

Most nutritionists suggest eating at least two and up to four servings of fruits each day. The high fiber in fruits helps people to control their appetite (food intake) by producing a full feeling. As a result, some dieters eat some fruits before they take their normal meal. In this way, the risk of overeating is reduced.

The consumption of fruit juices raise requires some caution. Pure and fresh juices are very popular way but if the pulp of fruits is not consumed with their juice, the dietary fiber in them is largely lost. Another point is that bottled or canned juices are typically high in sugars and therefore have a big calorie count. Hence, pure juices are strongly preferred by dietitians over bottled or canned juices.

The calories in fruits are of little concern relative to the calorie count found in other foods with similar nutrition. Eating vegetables and fruits is widely considered to be a good way to manage weight gain and achieve a balanced healthy diet. Happily, there is an abundance of fruits to liven up a menu plan and avoid a low calorie plan from becoming boring and eroding motivation. Experts agree that eating fruits is a good idea; by all means count their calorie content, but do not stop eating them, especially in preference to candies, cookies and cakes.




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