Struck by sugar cravings? These fruits could be your saviour

Having a sweet tooth does more harm to you than good. Here are healthy fruit options that can pamper your sugar craving while taking care of your health.

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Written By: Editorial Team | Updated : December 16, 2019 11:40 AM IST

Sugar is an essential ingredient for numerous physiological functions. It is the all-important source of energy for your brain, muscles and other organs. They all need glucose to carry on their work. Most importantly, it is needed for maintaining blood glucose levels. According to the daily dietary recommendations of The American Heart Association, women can have 24g (6 teaspoons) and 36g (9 teaspoons) of sugar. However, sugar craving makes isn't healthy for you.

When you crave for sugar, over consumption is the logical outcome. When you go overboard on sugar, your body stores them in fat cells, leading to weight gain. Overconsumption of sugar can be the culprit behind many health conditions including diabetes, high cholesterol levels, so on and so forth.

Fortunately, dieticians and food scientists have provided us with a list of fruits that have a lower concentration of sugar than those energy bars and other fruits that are packed with sugar. These fruits do contain sugar, but they also provide other nutrients like fibre, vitamins and minerals for added benefits. They help you deal with your sugar craving.

foods that curb sugar cravings Foods that curb sugar cravings.

Oranges

Experts recommend eating one whole fruit instead of drinking a glass of freshly squeezed juice because a glass will contain the juice of two to three oranges, thus increasing the sugar content. An orange may have nearly 12 grams of sugar and enough vitamin C to cover your daily requirement.

Grapefruits

One half of a grapefruit contains about 8 grams of sugar and can make a good-sized snack. It may also provide diuretic properties.

Plums

With only 7 grams of sugar and 30 calories each, these deep coloured fruits can make a perfect mid-afternoon snack to satisfy your sugar cravings. They provide antioxidants, support blood sugar levels and aid digestion.

Avocados

Yes, avocados are fruits and they can be the perfect snack as they have good fats to support heart health and cholesterol levels. Average-sized avocados have almost negligible amounts of sugar, with just over 1 gram per fruit.

Watermelons

You can indulge in 1 cup of diced watermelon without feeling too guilty because it has only 10 grams of sugar, lots of iron and diuretic properties to reduce water retention.

Plums

With only 7 grams of sugar and 30 calories each, these deep coloured fruits can make a perfect mid-afternoon snack. They provide antioxidants, support blood sugar levels and aid digestion.

Avocados

Yes, avocados are fruits and they can be the perfect snack as they have good fats to support heart health and cholesterol levels. Average-sized avocados have almost negligible amounts of sugar, with just over 1 gram per fruit.

Watermelons

You can indulge in 1 cup of diced watermelon without feeling too guilty because it has only 10 grams of sugar, lots of iron and diuretic properties to reduce water retention. These will satisfy your sugar cravings.

Kiwi

These little fruits are rich in vitamin C and can pack a punch with their sweet and tart flavours. Available almost all throughout the year, one kiwi has approximately 6 grams of sugar.

Peaches

With about 13 grams of sugar per peach, these soft, fuzzy fruits make wonderful sweet treats for adults and children.

Apples

Based on the same idea that whole fruit has less sugar than a glass of fruit juice, opt for one medium-sized apple that contains approximately 19 grams of sugar and loads of fibre too.

Berries

Berries tend to have lower sugar content than many other fruits and their size makes them easy to snack on, for kids too. A cup of blackberries has 7 grams of sugar and 8 grams of fibre, along with ample antioxidants. And, a cup of raspberries clocks in with just 5 grams of sugar and an impressive 8 grams of fibre. A cup of strawberries has 7 grams of sugar and almost an entire day's worth of vitamin C.

Text sourced from zliving.com

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