If you are trying to lose weight but feel the need to satisfy your sweet tooth healthily with fruits, choose fruits with the lowest calories and sugar content. Avoid fruit juices, dried fruits and fruits canned in syrup because they either contain a lot of extra sugar or are easy to overeat. Stick to small servings of fiber-packed fruits to help you feel fuller without hindering your weight loss efforts.
Berries
Berries are high in fiber and contain less sugar compared to most fruits. If you want to eat some fruit at night without compromising your weight loss, you can have either 1 cup of strawberries for 46 calories, 2.9 g of fiber and 7 g of sugar; 1 cup of raspberries for 64 calories, 8.0 g of fiber and 5.4 g of sugar; or 1/2 cup of blueberries for 42 calories, 1.8 g of fiber and 7.4 g of sugar. Do not add sugar to your berries. You can also have your berries frozen for a refreshing treat.
Melons
A little bowl of melon makes a great snack at night, whether you are watching TV or catching up on your emails. Melons are refreshing, and because they are packed with water, they contain less calories compared to most fruits and will help you facilitate your weight loss. For example, 1 cup of cantaloupe has 60 calories, 1.6 g of fiber and 13.9 g of sugar; 1 cup of honeydew melon provides 64 calories, 1.4 g of fiber and 14.4 g of sugar; and 1 cup of watermelon contains 46 calories, 0.6 g of fiber and 9.6 g of sugar.
Tropical Fruits
Tropical fruits are flavorful and have a sweet taste. Stick to servings of about 1/2 cup to avoid consuming too many calories and grams of sugar. If you choose pineapple, you will get about 41 calories, 1.2 g of fiber and 8.1 g of sugars, while the same serving of mango contains 50 calories, 1.3 g of fiber and 11.3 g of sugars. If you enjoy bananas, limit yourself to only half of a banana for about 61 calories, 1.8 g of fiber and 8.3 g of sugars.
Go for Small Fruits
When grocery shopping for your fruits, whether it is for your snack during the day or a healthy treat at night, choose the smallest fruits. Many apples, pears, bananas and oranges are large and contain more calories and sugars. Pick the smallest ones. Plums, clementines and kiwifruits are good options because they are naturally small. A serving of either of these small fruits provides between 30 and 42 calories, 0.9 and 2.1 g of fiber and 6.2 and 6.8 g of sugars.
Combine With Protein
To make your healthy fruit treat more satiating, combine your serving of fruit with a small amount of protein-rich foods. By feeling satiated, you will be less tempted to overeat or go off track with your diet. For example, a couple of tablespoon of plain Greek yogurt or cottage cheese mixed with berries make a tasty snack. Add 1 to 2 tbsp. of pistachios or almonds to your tropical fruits or spread your half banana or small apple with 1 tbsp. of peanut or almond butter.
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