Should you worry about the calories in fruit? At one level, it is not important - most people simply need to eat more fruit, and getting the extra fibre, vitamins and minerals more than offsets the calories in fruits.
However, for those looking to lose weight, it is worth remembering that although they are packed with vitamins and fibre, there are still plenty of calories in fruit!
As with any other foods, you can also affect the calories in fruit by how you cook or prepare them. For example, store bought smoothies may indeed be packed with healthy fruits, but they may also contain loads of added sugar.
Comparing different choices helps you to understand what you get when you chomp your way through your five a day.
- Medium apple - 50 calories (kcal)
- Medium banana - 95 kcal
- Small bunch of grapes (100 grams) - 60 kcal
- Kiwi fruit - 30 kcal
- Medium orange - 60 kcal
- Peach - 35 kcal
- Pear - 90 kcal
- Strawberries (approx 8) - 30 kcal
- Grapefruit (whole) - 25 kcal
- Raisins - 300 kcal per 100g
- Dates (sugared) - 250 calories per 100g
As you can see, the values vary quite widely from one to another. Be aware that some dried fruits have sugar and other chemicals added to them - they are also denser because the water has been removed.
However, compared with other food choices, fruits are still one of the healthiest ways to get your nutrition.
