Lowering Your Sugar Intake? Satisfy Cravings with Fruit
If you don’t want to completely eliminate fruit from your diet – because, come on, there’s a ton of health benefits – but you’re trying out a low-sugar meal plan, fear not. While all fruit contains sugar, some have far more than others. Whether you’re being weight conscious or just trying to improve your overall health, you can still eat fruit.
Of course, any low-sugar diet is going to exclude other sugary, bad-for-you options like chocolate, concentrated fruit juice, candy and soda. Greatly reducing the amount of sugar you’re consuming can mean setting yourself up for some intense cravings. Knowing which fruits can curb your cravings can mean you stick to your plan longer and start to feel better. Here are some options that still have the green light.
Strawberries. These delicious red berries contain high amounts of fiber and vitamin C and very little sugar. In fact, you can have a hearty handful with just a few grams, each containing only one each.
Blackberries. Weighing in at about 4 grams of sugar each, the berries will hit your sweet tooth without hitting your waistline.
Peaches. While they’re super sweet, peaches are one of the lowest sugar-containing fruits at 13 grams each. They’re packed full of antioxidants and may reduce your risk of heart disease. Because they’ll easily curb your cravings, they’re a great addition to any health improvement plan.
Honeydew Melon. Dense and filling, this melon contains only 11 grams of easily digestible sugar. The sweet and colorful fruit is also chalked full of vitamin C, potassium and iron.
Lemons and Limes. While rarely reached for to munch on alone, these citrusy fruits come with many health benefits, including a healthy dose of vitamin C and antioxidants as well as only 2 grams of sugar each. Add a few slices to your water for flavor or squeeze the juice onto a salad for a low-sugar dressing.
Oranges. A medium-sized orange contains a ton of vitamin C and only around 14 g of sugar. They’re super sweet and will help nip cravings in the bud before you binge on something less nutritious.
Avocados. Avocados are almost entirely sugar-free with just trace amounts. They are also a good source of healthy fat which will keep blood sugar levels even and cholesterol levels low.
Just because you’re trying to reduce sugar doesn’t mean you have to give up fruit. A low-sugar diet can still contain many guilt-free, super yummy options.
