What Are the Best Fruits to Eat While Dieting?

What are the best fruits to eat while dieting? The answer will depend on whether you are counting calories or carbs. If you are counting neither, fresh fruits are better than canned or processed which have added sugar and other preservatives. Whether you're trying to lose weight or maintain a healthy balanced diet, US Dietary Guidelines recommend two to four servings of fruit each day.

Cherries make a sweet healthy snack and are only 25 calories for about 15 cherries. They are also a rich source of antioxidants and very low-carb at 10.9 carbs for ten cherries.

Lemons, limes and cranberries are also low in calorie and can be juiced for a refreshing low-cal drink. Just add water and sweeten with Truvia or another low-cal option.

Menu options expand quite a bit when you consider fruits that are 50 calories or less per serving. Among them is grapefruit which is lower in sugar than most citrus fruits; that is of course as long as you don't sprinkle it with sugar before you eat it!

• 1/2 grapefruit - 35 calories
• Medium plum - 36 calories
• Medium tangerine - 37 calories
• 1 cup strawberries - 45 calories

If you're ready to boost your fruit calories from less than 50 to less than 60 calories per serving, the following are some of the best fruit options:

• 1 cup watermelon - 51 calories
• 1/2 medium pomegranate - 52 calories
• 1 cup cantaloupe - 56 calories
• 1 cup grapes - 58 calories (try them frozen for a special treat)
• 1/2 medium papaya - 59 calories
• 1 cup raspberries - 60 calories

For fruit snacks over 60 calories and still less than 100 calories per serving you can enjoy sweet, juicy choices such as:

• 1 medium orange - 62 calories
• 1/2 of a medium mango - 67 calories
• 1 cup of blackberries - 75 calories
• 1 cup pineapple - 76 calories
• 1 cup blueberries - 81 calories
• 1 medium apple - 81 calories
• 1 medium pear - 98 calories

If you are following a low carb diet, the best fruits to choose, for those trying to lose weight, will rank low on the glycemic index (GI). The GI measures the quality of carbs found in different foods, and how quickly 50 grams of the carbohydrate raises blood glucose levels. Three of the lowest GI fruits are:

• Watermelon which has 5.5g of carbs for a ½ cup diced.
• Strawberries which has 6.5g of carbs in ½ cup sliced
• Cantaloupe which has 6.5g of carbs in ½ cup diced

For more low carb fruit options consider adding the following to your diet.

• Honeydew - 8g of carbs in ½ cup diced
• Peaches - 14.5 g of carbs in one medium
• Blackberries - 7g of carbs in ½ cup
• Grapefruit - 10.5g of carbs in one medium
• Orange - 15.5g of carbs in one medium

While some dieters avoid fruit because of its natural sugar content, fruit actually is a great diet snack because it offers sweetness, fiber and is packed with vitamins and minerals. It should be part of a healthy diet. Learn to substitute unhealthy snacks and desserts with fruit and you'll see that unwanted weight start to melt away.

Even bananas are less calories than most candy bars and satisfy for much longer. Frozen, they make a great base for a thick fruit smoothie. For more information:

• How Many Carbs in a Banana
• Calories Per One Banana