Fun with Fruits

Because carbs are in there too.

Fact: Fruits contain carbohydrates. This fact is surprising for most people because everyone assumes that fruits are a great substitute for traditional carbs. For example, instead of getting a bag of chips to accompany your sandwich, some people choose a fruit salad. Depending on which fruits are in the salad, it could all be the same thing.

Carbs are everywhere! Some fruits are considered high in carbohydrates and I am positive that the list will shock and awe some of you. First, a banana has 26.95 grams of carbs. Whenever I put bananas in my cereal I feel like I am balancing my carbs, but in reality I am adding more carbs. WHO KNEW! Another fruit full of carbs is grapes. In fact, one cup of grapes is almost as many carbs as a cup of yellow corn. Tropical fruits like pineapple, mango and kiwi are all loaded with carbs, averaging about 20 grams of carbs per serving. Clearly, all of these fruits are delicious and should be eaten in moderation, but not only because they are high in carbohydrates; these fruits are also very high in sugar. Some fruits that are particularly low in carbohydrates are raspberries, blackberries, cranberries, lemons and limes. Note, these fruits tend to be more tart than those listed above. Think about it this way: the sweeter the fruit, the higher the carb content.

The fruits of our labor. Once you understand and embrace carbs there is no need to fear when they pop up unexpectedly in some foods. Just because some fruits have a higher carb content does not mean you shouldn’t eat them. Fruits are a great way to start off your day or provide a boost with an afternoon pick-me-up. A great fruit recipe is a smoothie. You can add any combination of fruits you like, so don’t be afraid to customized and make it your own. My favorite smoothie is raspberry with orange juice. To make it I first add a large handful of raspberries to the blender, followed by about a container of vanilla low-fat yogurt. I blend until smooth then add a few splashes of orange juice to taste. Pulse the blender a few times to mix, pour contents over ice and enjoy.