When summer heat intensifies, few things can replace a cold slice of watermelon or a bowl of plums. Although fruits are the healthiest cooling tools nature offers us, they can sometimes turn into more than just an "innocent" snack due to the fruit sugar (fructose) they contain. So, is it possible to both freshen up and maintain the numbers on the scale? Our answer: Yes, but with a small distinction!
The Most Delicious Form of Water: Watermelon and Melon
As symbols of summer, these fruits help maintain the body's moisture balance with their high water content while providing a feeling of fullness. However, uncontrolled portions have the property of raising blood sugar quickly. If your goal is weight control, it is best to see watermelon not as an "unlimited" option, but as an accompaniment to main meals or a limited treat of one or two triangle slices in the afternoon.
Secret Heroes of Weight Control: Berries
Fruits such as strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries are actually the most loyal friends of diets. They are quite low in calories but high in fiber. If you want to experience that refreshing effect of summer while supporting your metabolism, a bowl of strawberries is one of the lightest options to satisfy both your eyes and your stomach.
Friends of Digestion: Plums and Peaches
Firm and sour green plums meet the need for "snacking" in the healthiest way with their low sugar content. Peaches and nectarines, on the other hand, help you deal with edema problems in summer by stimulating the digestive system with their dense fiber structures. One medium peach is a sufficient and satisfying choice on its own for a snack.
Managing Portions is Maintaining Form
The most practical way to prevent sugar from fruits from turning into fat in the body is to combine them with a protein source. Adding a few spoons of yogurt or 2-3 walnuts next to your fruit plate will slow down the rate of sugar entering the blood and keep you full for much longer. Additionally, consuming fruits in the middle of the day when metabolism is fast, rather than late at night, is the key to maintaining your shape.
Medical Review and Approval:
Dietitian Dila ABDİK
We wish you healthy days.
