Health

The Best Fruit for Weight Loss

July 6, 2024

by pehlehealth with One Comment fitness Health Weight loss

A common misconception among most people is that there’s a “best” fruit for fat loss. This is simply not true. Fruits are among the lowest calorie foods on the planet, primarily because they contain a high amount of water.

If I were to estimate, 100 grams of any fruit provides roughly 30 to 100 calories—except for avocados. From watermelon to muskmelon, the calorie count varies, with some fruits like bananas and sapota (chikoo) on the higher end, as you can see in the table below.

Understanding Fruit Calorie Content

Here’s a quick glance at the calorie content per 100 grams of various fruits, arranged from low to high:

Fruit	Calories per 100g
Watermelon	30 kcal
Muskmelon	34 kcal
Strawberry	34 kcal
Papaya	40 kcal
Blackberry	48 kcal
Plum	49 kcal
Orange	50 kcal
Apple	50 kcal
Pineapple	50 kcal
Raspberry	50 kcal
Mango	66 kcal
Kiwi	66 kcal
Lychee & Grapes	74 kcal
Guava	74 kcal
Pomegranate	85 kcal
Chikoo	85 kcal
Banana	90 kcal
Avocado	160 kcal

Key Insights for Fat Loss

To truly benefit from fruits in a weight loss plan, it’s essential to maintain a calorie deficit throughout the day. For instance, if your daily maintenance calorie level is 1700 calories, and you plan for fat loss by targeting 1400 calories, incorporating fruits smartly can still leave you with plenty of room for other nutritious foods.

Example:

Including two bananas (approximately 180 calories total) in your 1400 calorie plan would leave about 1220 calories for other meals. This demonstrates that all fruits can be effective for fat loss as long as you maintain a daily caloric deficit.

Tips for Choosing Fruits for Weight Loss

Preference for Low-Calorie Fruits: If you enjoy eating larger volumes of fruits, opt for those with lower calorie content like watermelon or strawberries. These allow you to eat more while controlling calorie intake.
Mix and Match: Don’t hesitate to mix high and low-calorie fruits to keep your meals exciting and nutritionally balanced.

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Conclusion

All fruits can be a healthy part of a weight loss diet, provided you keep an eye on overall calorie intake. There is no single “best” fruit for fat loss. Each fruit offers unique nutritional benefits and can fit into a balanced diet. Remember, the key to weight loss is maintaining a calorie deficit, not eliminating specific foods or food groups.

Still confused about how to incorporate fruits into your diet for weight loss? Feel free to contact us for a personalized transformation plan. Revise, refresh, and relish your fruit choices wisely!

This structured approach provides clear, practical information, supported by a visual table, and guides readers on how to effectively include fruits in a weight-loss diet.

Should You Worry About High Glycemic Index Foods?

June 21, 2024

by pehlehealth with No Comment Health

Evaluating foods solely based on their Glycemic Index (GI) can be misleading and does not provide a complete picture of their health impact.

Here’s a more nuanced look at why this is the case and how to better evaluate foods for a healthy diet and we will help you understand this concept using coke and watermelon as examples.

Understanding Glycemic Index (GI)

The Glycemic Index measures how quickly a carbohydrate-containing food raises blood glucose levels. Foods are rated on a scale from 0 to 100, with higher values indicating a faster increase in blood glucose.

While the GI can be useful for understanding how different foods affect blood sugar levels, it is only one part of the picture.

It is grouped as high, medium and low glycemic index foods –
1. Low GI Foods – 1 to 55
2. Medium/moderate GI Foods – 55 to 69
3. High GI Foods – 70 and higher

Factors to Consider Beyond GI

Glycemic Load (GL):
- Glycemic Load takes into account the quantity of carbohydrates in a serving of food, providing a more accurate representation of its impact on blood sugar. GL is calculated by multiplying the GI by the carbohydrate content per serving and then dividing by 100.

Coke vs. Watermelon: A Comparison

GI Values:
- Coke: GI of 63
- Watermelon: GI of 72
Carbohydrate Content:
- 250 ml of Coke contains about 27g of carbs.
- 250g of watermelon contains about 20g of carbs.
Glycemic Load:
- coke – (63 x 27)/100 = 17
- watermelon – (72 x 20)/100 = 14

low GL – 10 or less
medium GL – 11-19
high GL – 20 or more

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Given this information:

Despite watermelon having a higher GI, the actual impact on blood glucose (glycemic load) might be lower due to its lower carbohydrate content compared to Coke when similar serving is compared.

Nutrient Density:
- Nutrient density refers to the amount of vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial nutrients per calorie of food. Watermelon, despite its higher GI, has some b vitamins, some minerals, antioxidants, and hydration due to its high water content. Coke, on the other hand, only has sugar.
Overall Macronutrient Balance:
- Evaluating the balance of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in a meal is crucial. A high-GI food can have a different impact on blood sugar when consumed with protein, fat, or fiber, which can slow down the absorption of glucose and moderate blood sugar spikes. Meaning, say if you combine 2 whole eggs with both, which is a source of protein and fat, the release of glucose in the blood might be slower. In other words, the impact of high-GI foods can be mitigated by consuming them as part of a balanced meal that includes fiber, protein, and healthy fats, which can lower the overall glycemic response.
Portion Size:
- The quantity of food consumed significantly affects its impact on blood sugar. Even high-GI foods can be consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
Individual Variation:
- People’s responses to carbohydrates can vary widely based on factors such as age, activity level, health status, and individual insulin sensitivity.

Practical Considerations for a Healthy Diet

So, instead of worrying about high glycemic index foods, focus on eating sufficient calories (around maintenance), eat sufficient protein (1.2-2 g/kg of bodyweight), staying active and hydrated, exercising regularly, eating mostly whole foods (this will have some fiber along).

Conclusion

While the Glycemic Index can provide useful information about how foods affect blood sugar, it should not be the sole factor in determining the healthiness of a food. Evaluating foods based on their nutrient density, Glycemic Load, macronutrient composition, and portion size offers a more comprehensive approach to healthy eating.

High-GI foods can be included in a balanced diet when consumed in appropriate portions and as part of a meal that includes other macronutrients to balance their effects on blood sugar.

Research References

Jenkins, D. J., Wolever, T. M., Taylor, R. H., et al. (1981). Glycemic index of foods: a physiological basis for carbohydrate exchange. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 34(3), 362-366.
- This foundational study introduced the concept of the glycemic index.
Augustin, L. S., Franceschi, S., Jenkins, D. J., et al. (2002). Glycemic index in chronic disease: a review. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 56(11), 1049-1071.
- This review discusses the role of GI in the context of chronic diseases.
Barclay, A. W., Petocz, P., McMillan-Price, J., et al. (2008). Glycemic index, glycemic load, and chronic disease risk—a meta-analysis of observational studies. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 87(3), 627-637.
- A meta-analysis examining the relationship between GI, GL, and chronic disease risk.
Venn, B. J., & Green, T. J. (2007). Glycemic index and glycemic load: measurement issues and their effect on diet–disease relationships. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 61(S1), S122-S131.
- This paper highlights the challenges and considerations in using GI and GL to assess diet-disease relationships.

Is a Multigrain roti Healthy?

December 7, 2023

by Manish kapoor with One Comment Health Nutrition

Let’s understand this through a small exercise.

In one scenario, you made rotis using 50g of whole wheat flour, and in another scenario, you made rotis using 50g of multigrain flour, which included four different grains, say whole wheat, oats, jowar & chickpea each in roughly equal amounts.

Now, the rotis made from wheat flour will provide you with

6g of protein
35g of carbohydrates
6g of fiber
172 kcal

and a good amount of the following macronutrients.

Wheat micronutrients per 50g expressed as a percentage of the daily requirement for an average individual (approximate values may change depending on harvest, brand etc.) –

b1 – 16%,
b3 – 18%,
b5 – 10%,
b6 – 12%,
iron – 12%
magnesium – 17%,
manganese – 90%,
phos – 20%
Zinc – 14%

On the other hand, the multigrain flour rotis will give you almost the same amount of protein (slightly more, around 7g)

32g of carbohydrates
6g of fiber
180 kcal

And similar micronutrients.

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There might be slight variations in the quantities of specific micronutrients you get, but nutritionally, there isn’t much difference between the two flours – most whole grains are a good source of:

fiber
b vitamins
Iron
manganese
magnesium
Zinc etc.

So, if the reason you’re eating multigrain roti is because of your neighboring aunty, you can ignore her advice right away because even if you eat wheat roti you’re not missing out on much.

So, whether you want soft rotis made from whole wheat flour or hard rotis made from multi grains is a call you need to make but either way, your long-term health will not depend on the type of flour you consume but on what you eat throughout the day will matter the most.

Olive Oil Vs Olive Pomace Oil

December 6, 2023

by pehlehealth with No Comment Health Nutrition

Now, when you press olives without applying heat using a machine, you get virgin or extra virgin olive oil. The process of producing olive oil from olives is longer than this however, the important thing to note is that these olives are neither heat treated nor any chemicals are used to extract oil from them.

Therefore they are sometimes called cold-pressed.

This is quite good for the heart because of the significant amount of unsaturated fat, where monounsaturated fat is predominant.

Approximate nutrition per 100g olive oil

Saturated fat – 15 g
Unsaturated fat – 85 g
Monounsaturated – 75 g
Polyunsaturated fat – 10 g

The cost of virgin olive oil is approximately 1000 rupees per liter or even higher.

Now, after extracting the olive oil, the remaining residue is further refined using solvents to extract any remaining oil, resulting in what is known as refined olive pomace oil. Finally, by adding a bit of virgin olive oil to this refined olive pomace oil, they are ready to be packaged and marketed as olive pomace oil, which is priced around Rs 350-500 rupees per liter.

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Nutritionally, these two oils are the same; the only difference lies in their price and processing. Olive pomace is highly processed but this processing offers one advantage, which is that they become suitable for high-heat cooking.

So, if you want a natural product, go for virgin or extra virgin and if you simply want to create an impression that you use olive oil in front of friends/relatives but don’t have the money, then go for olive pomace oil.

The key point is that both oils are good for the heart. The most crucial aspect about oils/fats is – whatever oil you use whether it’s olive, pomace, mustard or ghee, if you ensure that the quantity is appropriate, and you’re good to go.