The Fruit Fad

  

As usual, I found myself at Kuluwaz’s dining table. In case you didn’t know, she’s the chicken wings Celebrity LOL. Anyway, we settled down to have two prima facie healthy meals: a salad and freshly made fruit juice. Anyway, I gave the juice a “look” and she said “it’s all fresh fruit oh, don’t start with your calorie talk”. LOL. I realllly want to discuss the “salad fad” but I’ll save that for another time.

There are foods, which seem perfectly healthy at the beginning until you start enjoying them a little too much. At that point, do your homework on it. Such is the case of fresh fruit, fruit juice, and smoothies.  Fruit is comprised of sugar (fructose), vitamins, water, and all sorts of good stuff. And no matter how you spin it, you need to watch sugar intake for a healthier lifestyle.

This was my breakfast smoothie after a run this morning. I blended these and got an amazing energy boost. For those who don't fancy green tea, this is a great way to have it without tasting it!

Here’s how to maximize your fruit intake without overdosing on fructose:

·                    Count how much fruit you’re having but don’t be too religious about it:

•   On my WeightWatchers journey, fruit was “free”. Essentially, we were permitted to have unlimited fruit. However, my Leader always said “you didn’t start out with a fruit problem, so don’t end up with one”. She advised to limit our fruit intake to 6 pieces a day. I advise measuring intake of high-sugar fruit such as pineapple, grapes, mangoes and bananas.

·                        Fruit Juices

•          When you have an entire jug of fruit juice, your body doesn’t know the difference between what you’ve just had and a chocolate bar! I know it sounds crazy, but it’s true. It’s just so much sugar that you don’t need. Also, you’ve eliminated the fibre, which your body desperately needs to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I advise that you get used to eating fruit whole, and make fruit juices an occasional treat!

·                      On Smoothies

•      Because smoothies contain the pulp and skin of fruit, it’s a wiser option than fruit juices. However, It’s super easy to blend 600 calories into a smoothie! I advise using your measuring cup to ensure you don’t have more than a half cup of each fruit, depending on how many fruits you’re using. You can bulk up your smoothie with natural sugar free yoghurt or even dry oatmeal. This will help you feel fuller for longer. You can also add green tea to your smoothie – the benefits of green tea are endless!

·                  Bananas, bananas, bananas!

•     You don’t need to run away from bananas, but I advise that you don’t do more than two bananas a day (if you’re on a weight loss journey), and perhaps for good measure, consume in the morning.  My issue with bananas is that they don’t have a lot of fibre and that’s why I always suggest that you add them to your oatmeal in the morning. This way, you eliminate having to use any processed sugar (including honey). Bananas also contain a lot of potassium which helps your organs work properly. A medium sized banana contains about 110 calories (a 25 minute walk, approx).

   Lastly, Up the Amp on Veg!

•     Veggies are brilliant because they are almost calorie-free, and they contain amazing boosts of iron, vitamins, water and countless other benefits. Get accustomed to snacking on carrots, adding spinach to your smoothies, and picking up a carrot or even a tomato (though this is a fruit) when you’re craving an afternoon snack!

All in all, fruit is an essential food to healthy living. However, too much of it can be an impediment to weight loss.

I’d love to know the ways and portions you consume your fruit! Leave a message in the comment section ;)

Till next time,

anu.