Choosing the right summer fruits and veggies, and how that affects your waistline!

With Summer waning, there’s still time to enjoy healthy seasonal fruits and veggies that support weight loss!

Photo by Jørgen Håland on Unsplash

What could be more luscious than fresh farm-to-table, sweet summertime fruits, and full-flavored colorful vegetables? Delicious and healthy right? So why do we here at BonVie pay attention to making wise choices in choosing the best ones for your waistline? It's all about the sugar content.

High Glycemic Fruit and Veggies

Now if you are at your desired weight this summer then absolutely enjoy summer’s bounty. If however, you want to drop some excess weight we want you to reserve the high glycemic fruits and veggies for when you get to maintenance. Why? Some fruits and Veggies can be loaded with hidden sugars and carbs that cause our blood sugar levels to spike with a resultant increased release of insulin and a signal to the body to store fat. I discovered this for myself when I first did the Ideal Protein weight loss program. I was a healthy eater (I thought) with lots of colorful veggies like beets, peas, beans, carrots, potatoes, and red peppers from my garden, the Portland Farmer's Market at PSU, and store-bought fruit and colorful veggies like winter squash. I was overeating these and undereating protein making it impossible to lose that belly roll. Once I understood the science of the pancreas I realized that for weight loss, I needed to switch that around.

Which ones to choose?

Now let’s take a look at some of our favorite freshh produce here at BonVie with the highest and lowest carb counts and Glycemic Index. http://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes/low-glycemic-fruits-for-diabetes#1The glycemic index (GI) tells you how quickly foods containing carbohydrates affect your blood sugar level when eaten by themselves. The lower the GI score, the more slowly the rise in blood sugar, which can help the body better manage post-meal changes.

Most whole fruits are on the moderate-to-low end of the GI and many fruits are also packed with vitamins A and C, as well as fiber. Berries in particular have the most antioxidants of all types of fruit, and strawberries specifically are only about 50 calories per cup. Almost all berries have a low glycemic index and are loaded with antioxidants – so enjoy!

Fruits

• Raspberries - 1 cup: 15 gr Carb

  GI score 32: Raspberries are an excellent source of vitamin C, manganese and dietary fiber, and a very good source of vitamin K, pantothenic acid, biotin,vitamin E, magnesium, folate, omegas3 fatty acids and potassium.
  

• Cherries - 1 cup: 19 grams Carb

  GI Score: 20: Cherries are FULL of great nutrients for our bodies. On top of being a high-fiber food and loaded with Vitamin C, cherries are low on the glycemic index so the carbs in this fruit won’t cause your blood sugar levels to spike crazy amounts (and cause unnecessary cravings). Cherries are also packed with antioxidants, such as in anthocyanins, which is a compound we create in our bodies,which will give your immune system a boost, and are high in potassium, Because cherries have a short growing season, it can be tough to get them fresh. However, canned tart cherries, which have a GI score of 41, are a fine substitute, as long as they are not packed in sugar.

• Strawberries 1 cup: 11 gr Carb

  GI Score: 41: On top of being great for our skin and wrinkle prevention, strawberries are completely jam-packed (pun intended) with healthy antioxidants. These beautiful red berries carry zero grams of fat in those 50 calories and carry more than enough vitamin C for the day.

  Fun fact: Strawberries are so high in fiber, eating them can get rid of coffee stains on your teeth! There are many varieties of strawberries that you can grow yourself in the warmer months. Enjoy them raw for a healthy serving of vitamin C.

• 4. Peaches 1 medium: 14 gr Carb

  GI Score: 42: The average peach contains just 68 calories, and is packed with 10 different vitamins, including A and C.

• 5. Nectarines – 1 medium: 15 gr Carb;

  GI: 40: Peaches older sibling, nectarines do not get the love or attention that they deserve. However, one of the main and only differences is that peaches have fuzz, and nectarines do not. Their skin is loaded with fiber, which helps satisfy and fill us up. Their insides are super sweet and super satisfying, considering they only carry about 60 calories each.

• 6. Grapefruit ½: 13 gr Carbs

  GI Score: 25: The mighty grapefruit packs in well over 100 percent of the recommended daily intake of vitamin C. Something to watch out for: Grapefruit affects how a number of prescription drugs work. Check with your doctor about eating grapefruit if you’re taking prescription medicines

Veggies

Now, how about some favorite summertime Vegetables? Surprisingly some of the most colorful veggies with the highest beneficial anti-oxidants also contain the highest level of sugars. Think beets, tomatoes, potatoes, corn, peas, and beans. These are considered “occasional” vegetables during an effective weight loss program.

Here are a few which are all very low carb and enjoyed in quantity on the BonVie weight loss plan.

• Cucumbers – Glycemic Index: 15
  Similar to watermelon, cucumbers are high in fiber and loaded with water. This means they’ll start to fill you up before fatty-foods can, and with much better nutrients. What’s even better? You can eat an entire cup of cubed “cukes” for only about 16 calories.

• Asparagus – Glycemic Index: 15
  Another water-rich food, asparagus is also a great source of fiber. Considered a somewhat leafy green, we reap so many health benefits from this unlikely vegetable. Asparagus is prominent in vitamin A, C, and has a mineral that helps transport glucose out of the bloodstream, and into the cells where it’s needed. It also serves as a natural diuretic, helping the body flush itself with excess salts and chemicals.

• Zucchini – Glycemic Index: 15
  An outstanding source of manganese and vitamin C, zucchini is a fabulous source of dietary fiber also containing vitamin A, copper, folate, potassium, and phosphorous.

Want to see where your favorite produce stacks up? Check out the Glycemic Index here