Sources of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants, fruits are very healthy food for the body. Since we were little, it’s no wonder we’ve heard that they should be part of the diet every day.
However, when the goal is to lose weight and gain muscle mass, it is necessary to be careful and learn how to use fruits in diet.
But, Can’t You Eat The Fruit All You Want?
As fruits are healthy, some people believe that they can consume them freely in their diet. However, this is not the case. Although they are rich in essential nutrients, they also have a lot of carbohydrates.
Except for avocado and coconut, which are low in carbohydrates and high fat, most fruits such as bananas, apples, papayas, pineapples, watermelon, and peaches, are high in carbohydrates, low in protein, and low in fat.
Does this mean we should exclude fruit? Never, because as we know, they also provide good doses of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants, which the body needs so much. The message here is that fruits should be consumed in moderation, within a balanced diet.
Eating a bunch of bananas, half a watermelon, a whole pineapple, or an excessive amount of any other fruit at once will get in the way of your efforts to stay in good shape.
The Best Way To Eat Fruit To Lose Weight
On the other hand, consuming a serving of fruit accompanied by a source of fiber, good protein, or healthy fat is a much better idea.
For example, you can combine the fruit portion with chia or flax seeds with fiber and healthy fat. Another option is to add some unsweetened plain yogurt that has protein.
These nutrients in the meal make the fruit’s carbohydrate absorption a little slower, lowering its glycemic index. But do you know why this is so important?
Whole foods with a low glycemic index release glucose slowly and steadily, those with a high glycemic index release glucose quickly, causing spikes in blood sugar (glucose).
When carbohydrates from higher glycemic index foods enter the bloodstream too quickly, the brain signals that the blood is high in glucose and that something needs to be done with all that glucose.
Without an activity to use that much glucose for energy, the body secretes enough insulin to store excess blood glucose. Do you know where? Precisely in fat cells, where the body stores energy. That is, there is an accumulation of fat there.
Post-Workout Is Another Story
While you need to be careful with fast-absorbing carbohydrates at other times of the day, post-workout is when they should appear.
Thus, fruit is an excellent alternative to accompany the protein of high biological value in the post-workout meal. Especially those with a higher glycemic index and more carbohydrates, such as bananas, orange juice, or a serving of fruit salad.
If the goal is to lose weight, the rule of thumb is to eat a smaller amount of fruit to avoid consuming more calories than you spent on exercise. On the other hand, if the goal is to gain muscle mass, it is possible to abuse the fruit a little more.
Dried Fruits And Other Recipes With Fruits
When dehydrated (become dry), fruits lose their water content but retain calories and carbohydrates. Result: it has a high concentration of these nutrients.
For example, a serving of 100 grams of raisins can reach 80 grams of carbohydrates, corresponding to more than a large plate of pasta.
Therefore, it is necessary to be very careful and moderate when using dried berries in the diet and combining them with nutrients that lower their glycemic index.
Fruit jellies also require care, including those that do not have added sugar. Even they can have a lot of calories and carbs in just one tablespoon.
Other recipes with fruits that require a lot of care are sweets like jams, guava, pumpkin sweets, and marmalade, among others made with sugar. Without the sugar, the carbohydrate content of these dishes is already concentrated; the addition of the ingredient then only makes it worse.
ALSO READ: IF YOU WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT, YOU SHOULD DRINK A LOT OF WATER