High-Calorie Fruits to Watch Your Portions With

Understanding Calorie Counts in Fruits

Fruits can be part of a healthy, balanced diet. However, some varieties are higher in natural sugars and calories. When trying to manage your weight, paying attention to calorie counts matter.

Which Fruits are Higher in Calories?

Many tropical fruits and dried fruits contain more calories and sugars per serving compared to citrus fruits and berries. Some examples of high-calorie fruits include:

• Bananas - 105 calories in 1 medium banana
• Grapes - 100 calories in 1 cup
• Mangoes - 135 calories in 1 cup diced
• Pineapple - 82 calories in 1 cup diced
• Raisins - 123 calories in 1 small snack box (1.5 oz)
• Dates - 277 calories in 1 cup pitted
• Dried apricots - 313 calories in 1 cup
• Dried figs - 249 calories in 1 cup

Fruits Lower in Calories

On the other hand, some fruits provide plenty of vitamins and minerals with a lighter calorie load. Here are some low-calorie fruit options per cup:

• Strawberries - 49 calories
• Blueberries - 84 calories
• Raspberries - 64 calories
• Blackberries - 62 calories
• Grapefruit - 97 calories
• Oranges - 85 calories
• Apples - 94 calories

Impact of Fruit Servings on Calorie Intake

Fruits provide fiber, antioxidants, and essential vitamins and minerals. However, excess calories can add up fast if you overdo your fruit servings.

Understanding Fruit Serving Sizes

Many people underestimate what counts as one serving of fruit. For reference, typical serving sizes include:

• 1 medium apple, banana, orange, or pear
• 8 medium strawberries
• 32 seedless grapes
• 1 cup of diced or pureed fruit like pineapple or mango
• 12 cup fresh, frozen, or canned (in juice not syrup) options like peaches, blueberries, etc.

Dried fruits have concentrated sugars and require smaller servings. Stick to 14 cup or 4 tablespoons of raisins, apricots, figs or dates.

Pay Attention to Total Daily Fruit Servings

General fruit intake guidelines recommend getting 1 to 2 total servings per day. But this varies based on factors like:

• Your age
• Gender
• Activity level
• Weight loss goals
• Health issues like diabetes or gut sensitivity

People trying to lose weight do best limiting fruit to 1 serving daily to account for the natural sugars. Then fill up on lower calorie vegetables instead.

Avoid Fruit Juice and Dried Fruit Pitfalls

It can be easy to excessively consume calories from liquid or concentrated sources like:

• Fruit juice
• Dried fruits
• Smoothies
• Frozen fruit bars

Stick to whole fruits in normal serving sizes instead. Or limit high-calorie formats to occasional small treats.

Choosing Low-Calorie Fruits

If youre aiming to control calories or carbs, some fruit options provide fewer numbers to work with. Heres how to get the most nutrition for the lowest sugar and calorie counts.

Berries

Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries deliver fiber, vitamin C, antioxidants, and unique polyphenols. Plus a single serving is under 100 calories.

Citrus Fruits

Oranges, limes, lemons and grapefruit offer filling fiber and fat-soluble vitamin C with less impact on blood sugar levels.

Kiwi

For only 50 calories, kiwis provide over 100% the RDI for vitamin C per fruit! They also deliver potassium, vitamin K and fiber in their edible green skin.

Tomatoes

Technically a fruit, tomatoes offer nutritional perks like vitamin C, potassium and the antioxidant lycopene for minimal calories.

Enjoying Fruit While Controlling Calories

Fruit can absolutely be part of a healthy diet - even when cutting calories. With so many nutrient-packed options low in sugar, you can satisfy sweet cravings and support your bodys needs.

Just pay attention to serving sizes, stick to whole instead of dried or frozen, and balance out your fruit intake with low-calorie vegetables and proteins.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.