After turning 50, your body no longer burns energy as quickly as before, gaining weight becomes easier while losing weight becomes a challenge. Many people believe that eating lots of fruit is good for your health and helps you lose weight, but that’s not entirely true. Not all fruits are beneficial for maintaining a healthy weight.
Fruits to Eat and Avoid After 50
It’s important to know which fruits to eat and which to avoid to ensure nutrition and control the amount of sugar and calories you take in. The right fruits can help you feel full longer, provide vitamins and antioxidants, and aid digestion. On the contrary, fruits high in sugar can increase calories and hinder your weight loss goals.
Here are the fruits you should pay attention to:
1. Fruits to eat when losing weight
To optimize the weight loss process, focus on fruits that are rich in fiber, low in calories, and have a long-lasting effect. They not only provide nutrients but also help control food intake during the day.
Including the following 6 types:
- Apples: Contain a lot of soluble fiber, which helps prolong the feeling of fullness and prevent snacking. A crunchy apple bite in the morning or afternoon not only helps you control your weight but also provides vitamin C and antioxidants that are good for the immune system. In particular, the amount of calories in apples is quite low, so you can eat them regularly without worrying about excess fat accumulation.
- Grapefruit: Grapefruit has long been considered an effective fruit for weight loss thanks to its high vitamin C content and ability to promote metabolism. Eating a few grapefruit segments before meals can help you feel full faster, thereby reducing the amount of food intake. At the same time, the light sour and refreshing taste of grapefruit also helps the body cool down, supporting the digestive system to function better.
- Pear: A pear contains twice as much fiber as many other fruits, very suitable for people who want to control their weight. When eating pears, you will feel cool and comfortable, and the digestive system is also supported by an abundant source of water. For older people who often have constipation problems, pears are a great choice to help both lighten the stomach and maintain weight.
- Blueberries: Plump purple blueberries contain very few calories but are rich in the antioxidant anthocyanin, which has the effect of protecting the heart and improving memory at the age of 50. When combining blueberries in your diet, you can both satisfy your natural sweet craving and limit the risk of weight gain. This is also a fruit that is very easy to add to breakfast with oatmeal or yogurt.
- Papaya: Ripe papaya is not only sweet and easy to eat, but also contains the enzyme papain, which helps digest protein effectively. For the elderly, eating papaya also helps prevent bloating and indigestion after a high-protein meal. The amount of fiber in papaya also helps keep you feeling full for a long time, reduces snacking, thereby supporting weight control.
- Watermelon: This fruit has a naturally sweet taste and contains a lot of water, so it helps the body quench thirst and reduce hunger. It is worth noting that this fruit has a low energy density, meaning you can eat a large amount while still consuming low calories. However, eat watermelon in moderation, avoid eating too much at night to avoid putting pressure on the kidneys.
2. Types of fruit to limit at age 50
Although fruit is very good, some types contain a lot of natural sugar and calories, so they should be limited to avoid weight gain.
Including the following 5 types:
- Grapes: Although grapes are rich in antioxidants, they have a high natural sugar content, which can easily cause weight gain if eaten in large quantities. Especially for people who are controlling their blood sugar or are at risk of diabetes, eating too many grapes will cause blood sugar levels to fluctuate unfavorably.
- Durian: This fruit is famous for its rich, aromatic flavor, but it also comes with a high amount of calories and fat. Just a few durian segments can be equivalent to a small meal. Therefore, if you want to lose weight, you should consider durian as a rare treat, instead of regularly supplementing it.
- Ripe mango: This is a familiar fruit, rich in vitamins A and C. However, ripe mangoes contain a high amount of sugar, and when eaten in large quantities, can quickly exceed the daily calorie allowance. People who want to lose weight should prioritize green mangoes in salads or eat a small amount of ripe mangoes to both enjoy and maintain a stable weight.
- Ripe bananas: Bananas are a quick source of energy for the body, but for people who are losing weight, especially ripe bananas, the amount of starch and sugar is quite high. Eating a lot of ripe bananas can easily cause the body to accumulate excess calories. However, a green banana or a ripe banana can be a good choice before exercise, helping to replenish energy without worrying about gaining too much weight.
- Persimmons: With eye-catching colors and a sweet taste, persimmons are often loved by many people. However, ripe persimmons contain a high sugar content, eating a lot will increase the amount of calories consumed, which is detrimental to the weight loss process. It is best to only eat occasionally and choose crispy persimmons instead of soft ripe persimmons to limit sugar intake.
