Fruits, the holy grail of food! From mangoes to peaches, berries to bananas, avocados to oranges, they’re mind meltingly delicious. But with God’s own food as well, there’s plenty of confusion when it comes to consumption. While some people argue that there’s no limit to the amount of fruit you can eat daily, people like those who follow the Keto diet, tend to restrict their fruit intake. There’s also a lot of confusion about the best way to consume fruits.
So what’s the best way out?
Loaded with Nutrients!
The first and foremost fact to consider is, fruits have many health benefits for all of us, irrespective of the diet we are following. They’re rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, natural sugar and many other essential nutrients. Since there are such varied nutrients in all, it’s imperative to include a healthy mixture of fruits and dry fruits in our diet on a daily basis.
Lose weight and keep diseases at bay.
Fruits are low in calories and high in fiber, water content and essential nutrients, making them an ideal snack for someone looking to lose weight or adopt a healthier lifestyle.
There are also numerous studies done worldwide which indicate that people with a diet rich in fruits and dry fruits had a lower risk of heart disease, cancer, kidney stones, and diabetes. In fact, as opposed to popular opinion, doctors recommend a daily fruit intake for all diabetics as well.
So how do you ensure you’re getting your recommended serving of fruits?
The American Heart Association, in fact recommends getting 4 servings of fruits daily in your diet.
- Take a fruit daily with breakfast
Like they say, have breakfast fit for kings! A good way to make your breakfast healthy is to include at least one fruit everyday. Apples, oranges, pineapples, kiwis, berries are a great way to kick start your mornings. - Dry fruits for mid meal snacking
Nuts and dry fruits like almonds, cashews, peanuts are a rich source of essential nutrients and make for great mid day snacks. - Evening smoothies or whole foods
Instead of binging on cookies and chips, aim for delicious smoothies or whole foods in the evenings. Banana berry smoothies, avocado smoothies, peach smoothies are all delicious and filling meals.
Things to keep in mind
- While fruits are important, a diet comprising of nothing but just fruits, is not recommended since they lack in many vital nutrients like zinc, iron, calcium etc. It’s important to take a complete diet of fruits, vegetables, and dairy.
- Whole fruits, NOT juices! We all love our sugary juices but they’re a big no when it comes to your health. When you juice your fruits, you leave out most of the fiber and antioxidants, and are left with mostly sugar. Having juices instead of fruits could actually invite trouble.
- Going overboard with fruits can also lead to gas, bloating, heartburn, and acid reflux. While it’s not a bad idea to detox with fruits once in a while, on a general basis, you should limit to 4-5 servings of fruits daily.
- People with diabetes should also keep in mind the kind of fruits they’re consuming. There are certain fruits like mangoes and grapes that are high in natural sugars, and thus are not recommended for people with high blood sugar.
Concerned about your fruit intake while on a Keto diet?
Ketogenic diets generally limit the amount of carbs you consume on a daily basis, and an average fruit contains 20-30 grams of carbs, which makes it difficult to consume a fruit while on a Keto diet.
Having said that, berries like strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and goji berries are high in nutrients and the lowest in carbs. So if you’re following a Keto diet, you should include berries and dry fruits in your diet.
A good snacking option for a Keto Diet which is delicious, can be found here, Antioxidant bar.
