Sources of vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants, fruits are a very healthy food for the body. It’s no wonder that we’ve heard since we were little that they should be part of the diet to Lose Weight in every day.
However, when the objective is to lose weight and/or gain muscle mass, it is necessary to be careful and learn how to use fruits in meals.
Include Fruits in Your Diet to Lose Weight
As fruits are healthy, some people believe that they can consume them freely in their diet, however, this is not the case. That’s because although they are really rich in important nutrients, they also have a lot of carbs.
With the exception of avocados and coconuts, which are low in carbohydrates and high in fat, most fruits such as bananas, apples, papayas, pineapples, watermelon, peaches, among others, are high in carbohydrates, low in protein and low in fat.
Does this mean we should exclude fruit? Never, because as you 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 to Lose Weight .
That is, eating a bunch of bananas, half a watermelon, a whole pineapple or an excessive amount of any other fruit at once will hinder efforts to maintain good shape.
The best way to eat fruit to lose weight
On the other hand, consuming a serving of fruit with a source of fiber, good protein or healthy fat is a much better idea.
The presence of these nutrients in the meal makes the absorption of fruit carbohydrate a little slower, lowering its hypoglycemic index . But, do you know why this is so important?
While foods with a low hypoglycemic index release glucose slowly and steadily, those with a high hypoglycemic index release glucose quickly, generating spikes in blood sugar (glucose).
When carbohydrates from foods with a higher hypoglycemic index enter the bloodstream too quickly, the brain receives a signal that the blood has too much glucose and that something needs to be done with all that glucose.
Also Read: HOW TO DRINK GREEN JUICE THE RIGHT WAY: MISTAKES TO AVOID
Post-workout is another story.
While you need to be careful with fast-absorbing carbohydrates at other times of the day, post-workout is the time when they should appear.
Thus, fruit is a good alternative to accompany the high biological value protein in the post-workout meal. Especially those with a higher glycemic index and more carbohydrates, such as bananas, an orange juice or a portion of fruit salad.
If the goal is to lose weight, the rule is to eat a smaller amount of fruit, so you don’t run the risk of consuming more calories than you spent on exercises. On the other hand, if the goal is to gain muscle mass , it is possible to abuse the fruit a little more.
The avocado
By the way, for people who are struggling to build muscle but have trouble consuming all the calories they need each day, avocados are a great fruit option. It has plenty of fibers and good fats, while being caloric and offering several health benefits .
That is, avocado helps to increase calorie consumption in a healthy way. Fruit nutrients will also help lower the glycemic index of the rest of the meal, especially because of the fibers. Thus, it can be a good option for various times of the day, except for post-workout.
After all, as we saw earlier, the post-workout meal needs carbohydrates that are absorbed quickly, that is, with a high glycemic index.
With its fibers, good fats and potential to lower the glycemic index of dishes, avocado can also be a good option when the goal is to get healthy diet to lose weight. However, as fruit is high in calories, you need to be careful with the amount consumed and moderate portions, so as not to extrapolate the intake of calories in the diet.
Dried fruits and other fruit recipes
When dehydrated (becoming dry), fruits lose their water content, but retain their calories and carbohydrates. Result: she gets a high concentration of these nutrients..
For example, a 100-gram serving of raisins can reach around 80 grams of carbohydrates, which corresponds to more than a large plate of pasta.
Therefore, it is necessary to be very careful and in moderation when using dried fruits in the diet, in addition to combining them with nutrients that lower their hypoglycemic index.
Fruit jellies also require care, including those that do not have added sugar. Even they can pack a lot of calories and carbs into just one tablespoon.
Other fruit recipes that require a lot of care are sweets such as jams, guavas, pumpkin sweets, marmalade, among others that are made with sugar. Without the sugar, the carbohydrate content of these dishes is already concentrated, with the addition of the ingredient then, it only gets worse.
