Sugary Fruits To Avoid For Diabetes, Weight Loss And General Health

When one goes on a diet, the first usual step that new weight watchers make is to decide to eat just fruits and vegetables. But, while we have always blamed weight gain on fat, it is actually the sugar that poses a higher risk for obesity.

In fact, studies show that it’s not really about whether you’re eating fat or sugar to succeed in your weight loss journey. It has a lot to do about your foods’ calorie content. According to the National Institutes of Health, both fat and sugar should be consumed in very low amounts. Added sugars and solid fats, for instance, have empty calories, which means they do not provide any nutritional value to the body apart from bringing you closer to diabetes and affecting your overall wellness.

Although natural, there is a LOT of sugar in some of the most popular fruits we love. Here are examples of some fruit favorites that are actually not good if you want to lose weight.

1. Cherries

You don’t usually stop eating cherries after just a handful, which is why most people often experience spikes in their blood sugar levels when they consume more than the recommended serving. One cherry contains a gram of carbohydrates, so it’s not something that you can snack on when you are trying to lose weight.

2. Mangoes

Mangoes typically contain about 26 grams of sugar and 30 grams of carbs per piece. Make sure to limit your consumption to half a mango and try to eat it when it’s just about to go ripe—not when it is soft, when its sugar content increases.

3. Grapes

One grape is equivalent to a gram of carbs and 15 pieces make up for one serving. Chances are, grape lovers will be eating more than 15 in one sitting. To stay within your serving limits but still enjoy your favorite, it's recommended to count them and place in a bowl so you know just how much you need to consume without getting tempted to pick more of the bunch. The same goes for strawberries, where 1-1/4 cup has roughly the same sugar content as a serving of grapes.

4. Bananas

The banana is often the most mistakenly consumed food by dieters when, in fact, one medium size piece contains twice the amount of carbs as two servings of other types of sweet fruit. The recommended amount of banana is just one-half.

5. Pineapples

Because of its high fiber content, most people think it’s okay to binge on pineapples when they’re trying to lose weight. They cannot be any more wrong. Pineapples, especially those that are ripe, are classified as high glycemic food. If you can’t help but munch on this delicious fruit, limit it to half a cup and try to do so alongside a protein-rich snack or meal.

6. Avocados

Avocado is a high-calorie fruit, where 100 grams is equivalent to around 160 calories. True that avocado is rich in healthy fats, but when consumed in high amounts, it will not support your weight loss goals.

7. Fruit juices

Fruit juices, even those that are 100 percent, should be avoided when you are a diabetic and if you are trying to get rid of excess weight. When in doubt over the merits of fruit juice for your diet, just think of how many mangoes it takes it to product just one glass of juice. That’s a LOT of sugar.

8. Dried fruits

Some people think that because dried fruits are fruits, they can binge snack on them whenever they want. Dried fruit contains a large amount of carbs and sugar for a small portion. It’s better to eat fruits raw than to snack on their preserved versions.