Fruit: The Good, the Bad, and the Mushy

The best and worst choices in the produce section

Dear Beautyqueen,

I have heard that some fruits are bad for your diet. Is this true?

Thanks,
Wendy

Dear Wendy,

OK, my first thought was there’s no such thing as a bad fruit but then I realized that’s like saying there’s no such thing as a bad boyfriend. And just like boyfriends, there are great fruits, not so great fruits, and fruits that need an extra washing.

That said, what often matters even more than the kind of fruit is the way that you’re eating it — particularly when you are talking about weight loss. Of course you have to remember that whatever fruit you reach for will always be infinitely better than a king size Twix, but check out my fave and not-so-fave fruits below.

Best: Apple
A fab sweet snack on the go, an average apple contains only about 80 calories. Make sure to eat your apple with the skin on — you’ll get 5 grams of fiber that can help reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer.

Worst: Dried Fruit
Although dried fruits are super portable, the water has been taken out, concentrating the sugar and calories. For example, a half cup of fresh grapes contains 30 calories while the same serving of raisins contains about 250 calories.

Best: Grapefruit and other Citrus
Loaded with Vitamin C and tons of other nutrients, citrus fruits are said to help reduce cholesterol and blood pressure. And a half of a grapefruit contains less than 50 calories!

Worst: Coconut
Often covered in chocolate, this high-cal fruit contains 283 calories and 24g of saturated fat per cup. Instead of the caloric fruit itself, why not go for a low-cal but still delicious glass of coconut water instead! (Bonus: it doubles as ahangover cure!)

Best: Melons
Honeydew, cantaloupe, watermelon…they are all healthy and delicious. Melons are low in calories, high in flavor, and are known to prevent kidney disorders, high blood pressure, cataracts, and diabetes.

Worst: Fruit Juice
It seems harmless but many fruit juices are made from concentrate with added refined sugar and calories. Not to mention that you don’t get as much fiber from the juice, which means you don’t get the same kind of fullness that you do with a piece of fruit.


Best: Berries
Berries are amazing! Blueberries are potent health helpers, chock full of antioxidants. Strawberries are high in Vitamin C and folic acid, raspberries are full of fiber, and cranberries can do wonders for a urinary tract infection.

Worst: Canned Fruit
OK, this one seems obvious. Drowning your fruits in sugary syrup isn’t doing anyone’s diet any good! Not to mention, fruit tastes better fresh!

Best: Papaya
Exotic and tasty, papayas are a great choice! Full of vitamins C, B, folate, and fiber, papayas promote cardiovascular health and protect against colon cancer.

Worst: Tomato Sauce and Ketchup
Don’t laugh. In case you didn’t hear, the Department of Agriculture was trying to justify pizza- and French fry-filled school cafeterias by saying tomato sauce is a vegetable (a throwback to the Reagan era, it seems). Crazy, but what’s even crazier…tomato is a fruit!