Choose fresh low-calorie fruits like blackberries, cranberries, apricots, and watermelon. Some fresh fruits like apricots, strawberries, grapefruit, apples, blackberries, and watermelon have less than 30 calories per serving. Canned fruits are often high in calories due to sugary syrups. Dried fruits are also high in calories due to the concentration of sugar. Portion control is important when considering low-calorie fruits.
Choosing low-calorie fruit starts with selecting fresh produce. Canned fruits are often packaged in sugary syrups, significantly increasing their calorie content. Nuts pack a lot of sugar into a small space, making them a low-calorie option. Selecting sensible servings of fresh, low-calorie fruits such as blackberries, cranberries, apricots, and watermelon will help keep your calorie count in check.
When looking for low-calorie fruits, some fresh fruits are better than others. Apricots, strawberries, grapefruit, apples, blackberries and watermelon each have less than 30 calories per serving. Even the highest-calorie fresh fruits, such as bananas, oranges, pineapples and cherries, contain fewer than 70 calories per serving.
Many people find that all fruits are low in calories, and it’s true that choosing fruit is a healthier option than other sweet snacks and desserts. This, however, has more to do with nutritional value than calorie content. For example, a half-cup (about 120 mL) serving of raisins contains 217 calories, similar to the amount found in many candy bars.
All dried fruits suffer from this problem to some extent. Water provides much of the mass found in fresh fruit, meaning it takes a lot more fruit to make one serving. That 217-calorie serving of grapes has the same volume as a half cup (about 120 mL) of grapes, which contains just 31 calories. The calorie content of each grape hasn’t changed, but the first cup contains seven raisins for each grape. Fresh produce will always be the best option for low calorie fruit selection.
Canned fruits, with their easy storage and long shelf life, are an attractive option, allowing you to enjoy out-of-season fruits, but they are rarely low-calorie fruits. Many fruits are packed in high fructose corn syrup, bumping up your calorie count. Juice-packed fruits might also be significantly higher in calories, due to the juice concentrate typically used. When considering canned fruit, look closely at the label and calorie count listed.
It’s also important to remember portion control when considering low-calorie fruits. Watermelon and cantaloupe are low-calorie fruits, but that doesn’t mean you can eat whole melons and expect to lose weight. In general, one serving is about half a cup (about 120 mL). A single medium-sized fruit, such as an apple or orange, is a single serving.
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