Such a product as dried fruits is familiar to everyone since childhood. For those who want to have excellent health, good spirits, and a slim figure, doctors recommend including them in their diet. They are rich in vitamins, minerals, organic acids, and store well.
It is more convenient to take them to work in a small bag than fresh fruits, which take up a larger volume. With all the benefits, they contain enough calories. To control their quantity, you need to know how much and what kind of dried fruits you can eat without damaging your figure.
Why should you limit the quantity?
It is possible to eat dried fruits on a diet; we are not even talking about a complete ban. They are healthy, contain many vitamins and minerals, help fight breakdowns, since they most often taste sweet, and many people replace candy or other sweets with them. But there must be moderation in everything.
They do not contain much sugar or glucose, although it is also present. Most of the calories come from fructose, which is also a simple carbohydrate, but has a slightly different effect on the body.
You can eat raisins, dried apples or, for example, prunes. But some types of dried fruits will have a high calorie content due to the large amount of fructose. This is the reason for limiting them in the diet.
However, not everyone can eat a large amount of dried fruits. The point is that they fill you up very quickly, often a few tens of grams bring a feeling of fullness, after which you don’t feel like eating at all for some time.
Effect of fructose
Fructose, roughly speaking, is a type of sugar that has a special effect on the human body. The bottom line is that it is absorbed very slowly by the stomach, but is quickly broken down by the body.
Fructose is sweeter than sugar. Almost half as much substance must be consumed to get the same sensation of sweetness. This is also a definite advantage in choosing fructose versus sugar.
Important! Fructose has a less harmful effect on tooth enamel than sugar and glucose.
Fructose has exactly the same molecular composition as glucose, but has a different structure. This means that it is still a simple carbohydrate that is easily converted into fat.
Using fructose in large quantities has negative effects on the body similar to consuming sugar.
Fructose can be used to somewhat replace sugar, but its amount still needs to be limited in the diet. Unlimited consumption will have many negative consequences.
Fructose does not cause the same insulin release as sugar consumption, so it is allowed in the diet of diabetics. However, they should not consume it unlimitedly, since a large amount also threatens obesity.
Is there any benefit
The benefits of certain products are determined by the content of minerals, vitamins, and other useful compounds in them, as well as the proportion of BJU. Most often, the composition contains the following substances in large quantities:
- magnesium;
- potassium;
- phosphorus;
- iodine;
- sodium;
- vitamins of group B, as well as C, A and P.
The amount of vitamin C will be less than in similar fresh fruits, since it does not tolerate any processing, including drying. But still he is present in the composition.
The benefit of such products lies in their composition rich in vitamins and minerals. This is especially acute in winter, when fresh fruit is not so easy to get.
Now everything is on sale, at any time of the year, but homemade dried fruits will be clearly healthier than chemically treated goods from supermarkets.
It is believed that a certain amount of dried fruits helps fight obesity if they replace the usual sweets, such as chocolate or candy, improves blood pressure, has a positive effect on the digestion process (due to its fiber content), and is also indicated for depression and heart problems.
Calorie content. Lowest calorie dried fruits (table)
When building a diet, it is important to consider which dried fruits are the most high-calorie, how much , for example, dried apricots can be consumed per day so as not to damage your figure. The table shows the least high-calorie dried fruits:
| Dried fruit | Calorie content per 100 grams |
| Dried apricots | 213 Kcal |
| Dried apricots | 215 Kcal |
| Prunes | 231 Kcal |
| Dried apples | 231 Kcal |
| Dried peaches | 254 Kcal |
| Dried figs | 271 Kcal |
Fresh fruits will have less calories per 100 grams, but this is achieved due to the water content. When dried, it goes away, which is why there is such a difference.
Some types of dried fruits will be higher in calories, for example, dried bananas contain almost 400 kcal, dried melon - about 340 kcal.
Raisins are considered relatively high in calories; they can contain up to 300 calories, depending on the grape variety. It is possible to determine which dried fruit can be considered the lowest calorie product based on the content of carbohydrates and fats.
You need to decide individually whether you can eat raisins or not, dried apricots or not, or any other dried fruit on your diet. A certain amount is possible in any case, but if we are talking about a larger volume, then we should proceed from the total calorie content of the diet and the content of carbohydrates in it from other foods.
You may also be interested in: Is it possible to eat candied fruits while losing weight?
Be sure to check out:
Is it possible to eat corn while on a diet: benefits and harms? Get a complete set of proteins, fats and carbohydrates from Doshirak dietary products on a diet: is it possible to eat fast food products? Is it possible to eat soy sauce while on a diet: all the myths and truth
Harm of dried fruits
In everything you need to know when to stop. Despite all the usefulness of this product, there are restrictions on its consumption:
- Due to their high calorie content, in order not to gain excess weight, it is recommended to consume them in small portions.
- To increase sales and attractive appearance, the drying process may be accompanied by the treatment of fruits with dyes and chemicals. Before eating any dried fruits, they must be washed, or better yet, soaked for a short time in water.
- Fresh and dried fruits can cause allergies. They are contraindicated for people with digestive disorders, exacerbation of diseases associated with inflammation of the gastric and intestinal mucosa.
Which ones can you eat?
You can eat almost all dried fruits on your diet, but it is better to give preference to those that are lower in calories. However, each will additionally have some properties that are unique to him.
Prunes
It is considered an excellent antidepressant. It has an average calorie content, about 230 per 100 grams, and contains many vitamins and minerals.
Another positive property that is great for dieting is that it contains a lot of dietary fiber, which has a positive effect on digestion and helps remove toxins from the body.
Raisin
Raisins are allowed during a diet, but in limited quantities. It is quite high in calories, but at the same time very sweet and quickly fills you up.
Before replacing raisins with other products, you need to pay attention to their positive qualities. Consumption will benefit the thyroid gland due to the iodine contained in the composition, and will also have a positive effect on hair and skin.
Dried apples
Dried apples for weight loss are allowed in the same way as fresh ones. They contain many vitamins and minerals, they have a positive effect on digestion and the functioning of the body as a whole.
Apples contain a lot of iron, which is extremely important when dieting, since dietary restrictions can significantly reduce the intake of this mineral in the body. Eating apples will increase hemoglobin and strengthen the immune system.
Dried apricots
Dried apricots are made from apricots and have a pleasant taste. It cannot be said that when losing weight you can eat as much dried apricots as you want; you should still limit yourself somewhat, since it contains more than 200 kilocalories per 100 grams.
Dried apricots have a positive effect on bones and skin, as they contain potassium and calcium. It has a positive effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system, as well as the gastrointestinal tract.
You may also be interested in: Can you eat dates while on a weight loss diet?
Composition of the product
Dried grapes are known to be high in the following vitamins:
- A;
- B1 (thiamine);
- B2 (riboflavin);
- PP (nicotinic acid).
The product also includes a number of elements necessary for the full functioning of the body:
| Element | Quantity |
| Calcium | 28 mg |
| Magnesium | 30 mg |
| Potassium | 825 mg |
| Iron | 2.59 mg |
| Zinc | 0.18 mg |
| Silicon | 12 mg |
| Sodium | 8.9 mg |
| Sulfur | 15 mg |
| Phosphorus | 101 mg |
| Chlorine | 9 mg |
| Aluminum | 514.4 mcg |
| Bor | 625 mcg |
| Vanadium | 25 mcg |
| Iodine | 0.8 mcg |
| Cobalt | 8 mcg |
| Lithium | 6.7 mcg |
| Manganese | 300 mcg |
| Copper | 270 mcg |
| Molybdenum | 14 mcg |
| Arsenic | 3 mcg |
| Nickel | 1.6 mcg |
| Tin | 8.5 mcg |
| Rubidium | 176 mcg |
| Selenium | 0.4 mcg |
| Strontium | 723 mcg |
| Thallium | 0.15 mcg |
| Fluorine | 233.9 mcg |
| Chromium | 6.6 mcg |
| Zirconium | 0.9 mcg |
What to replace if you decide not to use
If someone who is losing weight decides to give up dried fruits completely, for example, due to intolerance to certain components or he simply does not like the taste, they can be replaced with other sweets.
Marmalade, marshmallows, marshmallows, and a little dark chocolate are allowed on a diet.
In any case, it is not recommended to completely deprive yourself of gastronomic joy, as this is fraught with breakdowns and, as a result, consumption of more harmful dishes.
Energy value of dried apricots
So how many calories are in dried apricots? If we evaluate the energy value of dried apricots in general terms, then the number of kilocalories is 215. However, the energy value is determined not only by general numbers. Dried apricots contain (in grams per 100 g):
- proteins - 5.2 g;
- fat - 0.3 g;
- carbohydrates - 51 g.
Thus, most of the energy in dried apricots is in the carbohydrate part. This means that such energy will be quickly consumed rather than stored as fat.
Unloading and losing weight on dried fruits
A diet based on dried fruits alone will not be effective, since they do not contain protein and contain little or no fat. Existing on carbohydrates alone, and in their simple form, is quite harmful to the body.
Some doctors sometimes advise having fasting days, that is, not eating food at all or only a limited set of foods. This is done to cleanse the body.
Attention! It is often not recommended to arrange fasting days, as this will negatively affect the microflora and the general condition of the stomach.
A beginner will not be able to fast all day. During this period, you can drink water and eat some fruits, including dried fruits. They contain fiber, which will only help cleanse. You shouldn’t sit all day, for example, on dried apples. It is best to make a mixture containing different types of such products.
Dates
One of the important advantages of dates is natural drying, which allows you to avoid the aggressive effects of chemicals and maintain a healthy, balanced composition. Dates are used in the following cases:
- to get rid of swelling;
- to maintain skin elasticity, healthy teeth and nails;
- in the prevention of stressful and depressive conditions, including the autumn-winter period;
- in the prevention and treatment of diseases of joints, muscles, ligament injuries (due to the high silicon content).
Dates contain a record sugar content - each fruit consists of about 70% of it. In this regard, it is recommended to use it with caution both for those watching their weight and for people with diabetes.
What will nutritionists say?
Most nutritionists, as well as professional athletes, believe that when dieting for weight loss, it is possible, and sometimes necessary, to consume dried fruits, since they can to some extent replace harmful sweets, contain vitamins, minerals, fiber, and also saturate the body quite quickly.
Lidia Ionova, nutritionist
Nutritionist Lidiya Ionova, who works at the Medical Dietetic Center and is quite well known in society and on the Internet, advises using only homemade dried fruits in the diet, since industrial drying adds many dyes that negatively affect the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and have other negative properties. Sugar is also often added to such products during the soaking process, which is unacceptable on a diet.
Alexey Kovalkov, nutritionist
A professional doctor, Doctor of Science, author of many books and techniques, Alexey Kovalkov believes that you cannot simply replace, for example, chocolate with dried apricots. It is important to understand why someone who is losing weight constantly craves sweets and eliminate the cause, after which losing weight will be much easier.
But in general, he does not deny the benefits of dried fruits and considers them very useful. In his opinion, they can and should be included in the diet, but only if eating them is enjoyable.
Zinaida Rudenko, fitness bikini
The famous athlete, coach and blogger believes that most of the sweets sold in stores are very harmful. If possible, it is better to replace them with healthy products, including dried fruits, which have a number of beneficial properties.
How to choose the right dried fruits
Natural color
High-quality dried fruits, as a rule, have an unattractive appearance. They are dark and wrinkled. If the color is too bright, it means they have most likely been treated with food coloring or sulfur dioxide. The fruit should be free of mold and rot.
Regular taste
When buying dried fruits, smell them well. To increase the speed and volume of production, prunes, dried apricots and raisins are dried in gasoline or gas ovens, after which they develop the taste of gasoline, carcinogens settle on them, and all vitamins and enzymes are destroyed.
Try to buy dates with pits, and raisins and prunes with stems.
Using prunes
This dried fruit is as popular as dried apricots. Moreover, it has no less useful properties.
Prunes have antibacterial properties, which allows them to be used to treat colds. The fruit reduces the growth of pathogenic microflora in the oral cavity.
Prunes are especially valued by people who are on a diet. Thanks to it, proper metabolism is restored, which promotes rapid weight loss. In this case, the amount of prunes eaten should be 3-4 pieces per day.
At the same time, it can increase appetite. This is due to the presence of substances in it that produce gastric juice.
Dried plums are useful to include in the diet of people who want to improve their vision.
