When it comes to weight loss and overall health, counting calories is an effective strategy for many people. However, with so many different foods to choose from, it can get confusing trying to figure out which foods to count and which ones to leave out of your daily calorie totals. One area that seems to cause a lot of confusion is whether or not you need to count calories from fruits and vegetables when tracking your intake.
Should You Count Fruit and Veggie Calories?
The short answer is yes, you do need to count the calories that come from fruits and vegetables if you are tracking your total calorie intake. While fruits and veggies are incredibly nutrient-dense and tend to be lower in calories than many other foods, they do still contain calories that contribute to your daily calorie load. Here are some key points on why it’s important to count all calories, including those that come from fruits and vegetables:
– All foods, including fruits and veggies, contain calories that fuel your body. If weight loss is your goal, creating a calorie deficit is key, so no calories should be left unaccounted for.
– Fruits and vegetables can vary significantly in calorie content. For example, an avocado may have 230 calories while a cup of spinach only has 7 calories. Leaving these foods out could skew your actual intake.
– Produce calories do “count” just as much as calories from other foods. Your body processes calories from fruits, veggies, grains, proteins and fats in the same way.
– You’ll get a more accurate big picture of your diet by tracking all foods. Seeing where extra calories may be “hiding” from produce can help identify areas to cut back if needed.
– Comprehensive tracking ensures you get enough fruits and veggies while staying within your target calorie range for weight goals.
So in summary, yes, calories from all foods including fruits and vegetables should be included in your calorie tracking and counting if you are aiming to lose weight or meet specific calorie goals.
Tips for Counting Fruit and Vegetable Calories
Knowing you should count produce calories is just the first step. Actually tracking these foods accurately can pose a challenge. Here are some tips to make it easier:
– Weigh produce on a food scale when possible for the most accuracy. Cup measurements can vary greatly.
– Use calorie counts from raw fruits and vegetables. The calorie content changes when produce is cooked.
– Choose standard entries in calorie tracking apps for generic foods like “medium apple” versus entering every nutrient. Standard produce entries in apps are usually accurate enough.
– Look up calorie values online for less common produce like guava or figs to build your food database. The USDA FoodData Central is a great resource.
– Separate high-calorie fruits like bananas and grapes from lower-calorie foods like berries and track them individually.
– Estimate a little high if you have to guess portions. It’s better to overestimate than underestimate your intake.
– Pick high volume, low calorie produce like spinach, kale and berries to maximize food for calorie “bang.”
– Focus on getting a variety of veggie colors like red, orange, green to ensure you get lots of nutrients.
Putting in the extra effort to count fruit and vegetable calories leads to a clearer picture of your total calorie intake for the day. This helps ensure your calorie tracking is working optimally to support your weight loss or fitness goals.
Should You Completely Avoid Higher Calorie Fruits and Veggies When Dieting?
Now that you know it’s important to count all produce calories, you may be wondering if you should avoid higher calorie options completely when trying to lose weight. The answer is not necessarily. Here’s a closer look at whether higher calorie fruits and vegetables should be off limits when dieting:
Potential Benefits of Including Some Higher Calorie Produce
– Provide more nutrients and fiber than very low calorie options. For example, a banana has over 3 grams fiber vs. just over 1 gram in strawberries.
– Offer satiety from fiber, protein, fat and carbs that supports appetite control. An avocado is very satisfying.
– Taste better to some palates, making a diet more sustainable long term. Enjoyment helps with adherence.
– Add variety to the diet which aids nutrition. Restricting too much leads to boredom and potential deficiencies.
– Can fit into calorie targets in moderation. A serving may “cost” 100 calories but be worth it.
So allowing some higher calorie options makes sense for nutrient density, enjoyment and diet sustainability. The key is balancing these choices within your calorie budget.
Tips for Fitness Them into Your Diet Plan
If you want to include some higher calorie produce options during a diet, here are some tips:
– Focus on whole food sources. Dried fruit, fruit juice and frozen produce with added sugar should be limited.
– Measure portions carefully using a food scale. It’s easy to overeat foods like avocado and grapes.
– Swap out other foods to “make room” in your calorie target for them. For example, have berries instead of juice.
– Pair with protein like nuts or yogurt to increase satisfaction. Fat and protein balance blood sugar.
– Choose the higher calorie option only once per day or a few times a week at most. Variety is key.
– Time it for when you are the most active. Your body can burn the calories better earlier in the day.
– Stay hydrated and fill up on lower calorie fruits and veggies first. You may need less of the higher calorie ones to feel satisfied.
With smart portioning and a balanced approach, you can still include some higher calorie produce as part of a healthy weight loss diet plan. Moderation and tracking are key to reap the benefits while sticking to your calorie goals.
Low Calorie Fruits and Vegetables
To maximize nutrition and stay within calorie limits, focus on incorporating lots of lower calorie fruits and vegetables into your diet. Here is a long list of nutritious produce options under 100 calories per serving:
Fruits Under 100 Calories Per Serving
| Fruit | Serving Size | Calories |
| Apple | 1 medium | 95 |
| Applesauce | 1 cup | 100 |
| Apricots | 4 whole | 17 |
| Blackberries | 1 cup | 62 |
| Blueberries | 1 cup | 84 |
| Cantaloupe | 1 cup cubed | 54 |
| Cherries | 1 cup whole | 97 |
| Clementine | 1 medium | 35 |
| Grapefruit | 1/2 medium | 52 |
| Grapes | 1 cup | 100 |
| Honeydew | 1 cup cubed | 64 |
| Kiwi | 2 small | 90 |
| Mandarin orange | 1 medium | 45 |
| Mango | 1 cup sliced | 100 |
| Nectarine | 1 medium | 62 |
| Orange | 1 medium | 69 |
| Peach | 1 medium | 59 |
| Pear | 1 medium | 96 |
| Pineapple | 1 cup chunks | 82 |
| Plum | 2 small | 60 |
| Raspberries | 1 cup | 64 |
| Strawberries | 1 1/4 cup whole | 49 |
| Tangerine | 1 medium | 40 |
| Watermelon | 1 cup diced | 50 |
Vegetables Under 100 Calories Per Serving
| Vegetable | Serving Size | Calories |
| Asparagus | 6 large spears | 20 |
| Beets | 1 cup sliced, cooked | 74 |
| Broccoli | 1 cup chopped, cooked | 31 |
| Brussels sprouts | 1 cup cooked, chopped | 56 |
| Cabbage | 1 cup cooked, chopped | 33 |
| Carrots | 1 cup sliced, cooked | 52 |
| Cauliflower | 1 cup chopped, cooked | 27 |
| Celery | 1 cup chopped | 16 |
| Cucumber | 1 cup sliced | 16 |
| Eggplant | 1 cup cubed, cooked | 35 |
| Green beans | 1 cup cooked | 44 |
| Greens (collard, mustard, turnip) | 1 cup cooked, chopped | 49 |
| Kale | 1 cup chopped, cooked | 36 |
| Mushrooms | 1 cup raw, sliced | 26 |
| Onions | 1 cup sliced | 64 |
| Peppers | 1 cup raw, sliced | 25 |
| Radishes | 1 cup sliced | 19 |
| Spinach | 1 cup raw | 7 |
| Squash | 1 cup cooked, cubed | 40 |
| Tomatoes | 1 cup chopped | 32 |
| Zucchini | 1 cup sliced, cooked | 35 |
As you can see, most fruits and vegetables are relatively low in calories while being packed with vital nutrients. Focus on options under 100 calories per serving as the foundation of your diet for weight loss. Then add in moderate amounts of higher calorie produce in a balanced diet.
Higher Calorie Fruits and Vegetables
While fruits and vegetables are typically on the lower end of the calorie spectrum, some options are higher. Here are some examples of higher calorie produce over 100 calories per serving:
Fruits Over 100 Calories Per Serving
| Fruit | Serving Size | Calories |
| Avocado | 1/5 medium | 117 |
| Banana | 1 medium | 105 |
| Craisins | 2 Tbsp | 130 |
| Dates | 2 whole | 108 |
| Dried apricots | 10 halves | 130 |
| Dried figs | 2 figs | 110 |
| Dried mango | 2 slices | 130 |
| Grapes | 1 cup | 104 |
| Guava | 1 fruit | 112 |
| Pomegranate seeds | 1/2 cup | 120 |
| Raisins | 2 Tbsp | 123 |
Vegetables Over 100 Calories Per Serving
| Vegetable | Serving Size | Calories |
| Avocado | 1/5 medium | 117 |
| Corn | 1 large ear | 127 |
| Mixed vegetables (frozen) | 1 cup | 110 |
| Peas, green | 1 cup | 125 |
| Plantains | 1/3 cup mashed | 180 |
| Potato, baked | 1 medium | 161 |
| Potato, mashed | 1 cup | 200 |
| Squash, winter (acorn, butternut) | 1 cup | 115 |
| Sweet potato/yam | 1 medium | 103 |
These higher calorie produce picks can add lots of nutrition, but portion sizes need attention when tracking calories. Enjoy them in moderation as part of a fruit and veggie focused diet.
The Bottom Line
Tracking your calories accurately is key for achieving weight loss goals. While all produce choices provide important vitamins, minerals and fiber, fruits and vegetables can contribute a wide range of calories. Lower calorie options like berries, greens and broccoli should form the foundation of your diet. Higher calorie produce like bananas and sweet potatoes can be enjoyed at times in moderate portions. Weighing and measuring will help get amounts right. At the end of the day, all fruits and veggies provide nutrients that far outweigh their calorie load, so your diet can’t include too many. Work them generously into your calorie target to reap their many benefits for health and satisfaction.
