Should I Be Eating Fruit on My Diet?
Fruit contains carbohydrates such as glucose and fructose. So it's important to be aware of the GI (glycaemic index) values of fruit. It's actually hard to gain weight by eating fruit but if you want to lose weight you should choose fruits with a lower GI (preferably below 35). Fortunately, fruit contains soluble fibre known as pectin, which reduces the amount of sugar absorbed by the body.
Should I peel fruit?
Much of the fibre of a fruit is contained in the skin so peeled fruits will always have a higher GI value than those that are left whole. Additionally, much of the vitamin and mineral content of fruit is close under the skin. Just be sure to wash any fruit thoroughly before eating, especially if it's not organic produce.
Fruit Won't Make You Fat
The muscles in the body can easily use the energy derived from fruit. Fruit sugar is converted to Glycogen and stored in the muscles rather than being turned into body fat. Having said that it is best to avoid high GI fruits, high in sugar, if you are trying to lose weight. These include bananas, raisins, sultanas, kiwi fruit, watermelon, melon and grapes.
Recommended Fruit
Apples are one of the best fruits to eat if you are on a diet. They are high in vitamins and fibre and have a very low GI. Other fruits that are recommended are blackberries, cherries, fresh figs, grapefruit, oranges, peaches, pears, plums, prunes, raspberries and strawberries.
Fruit Juices
With the exception of lemon juice, it is best to avoid fruit juice if you are seeking rapid weight loss. Eating fresh whole fruit is your best option as it contains the most fibre. Freshly squeezed juice is the next best thing as it still contains some fibre and vitamin content, but commercially packaged juices, even those claiming to be nothing but fruit juice, should be avoided completely. They are very low in fibre and normally contain high levels of acid.
GI Values of Fruit
Any fruit with a GI higher than 35 should be avoided if you are trying to lose weight.
- Apples (fresh) 30
- Apples (dried) 35
- Apple Juice (fresh) 50
- Apricots (fresh) 30
- Apricots (dried) 35
- Bananas 60
- Blackberries 25
- Cherries 25
- Figs (fresh) 35
- Figs (dried) 40
- Grapefruit 30
- Grapes 45
- Kiwi Fruit 50
- Limes 20
- Melon 60
- Oranges 35
- Orange Juice (freshly squeezed) 45
- Pears 30
- Plums 35
- Prunes 35
- Raisins 65
- Raspberries 25
- Strawberries 25
- Sultanas 65
- Watermelon 75