The number of overweight and obese people has been increasing over the last two decades. The most common reasons for an increase in weight are overeating, dependence on processed foods, and a sedentary lifestyle.
Alone in the US, the obesity prevalence was 42.4% as of CDC data in 2017-18. The increasing weight makes you feel bad about your body, but it also poses a significant risk to your health. People who are overweight are more likely to develop diabetes, heart problems, fatty liver, blood pressure problems, and bones weakness.
Therefore, it is crucial to improvise healthy eating habits and get rid of the excess pounds that can become your life’s nightmare. Natural ways of losing weight are organic, consistent, and permanent.
You can shift to organic, unprocessed natural fruits, vegetables, nuts, dry fruits, dairy products, etc., and get rid of processed foods. Besides, doing moderate exercise is also very effective.
Today’s article will focus on how to incorporate some of the best dried fruits for weight loss in your diet plan.
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How Dry Fruits Help In Weight Loss?
The main reason why dry fruits help in weight loss is the high content of fiber. Adding nuts to your diet does not associate with weight gain; instead, it can help you lose weight. The results are supported by scientific evidence from across the globe.
The fiber content in nuts makes you fuller and keeps you satiated for longer than other foods. Let’s discover some of the best dried fruits for weight loss to eat in 2022.
Best Dried Fruits For Weight Loss
We have found the 7 best dried fruits for weight loss that you should incorporate into your daily eating routine. Most diet plans ignore the dried fruits but adding to your daily snacks can help you reach your weight goals sooner.
1. Almonds
Native to the middle east, almonds are edible seeds of the almond tree. The USA is the largest producer of almonds in the world. Almond milk, almonds in breakfast cereals, soaked and peeled off almonds, etc., are different ways we consume almonds. But you wouldn’t have known before that the almonds can help you shed those extra pounds you have been trying hard to lose.
Nutritional Value
Let’s talk about the nutritional value of almonds. 28 grams serving of almond consists of:
- Fiber: 3.5 grams
- Fat: 14 grams(9 grams of fats are monosaturated)
- Protein: 6 grams
- Magnesium: 20% of daily recommended dietary intake
- Vitamin E: 37% of daily recommended dietary intake
- Manganese: 32% of daily recommended dietary intake
- Vitamin B12
- Copper
- Phosphorus
The total energy or calories derived from 28 grams of raw almonds equals 161kcal, 8% of daily dietary requirements. It suggests almonds as a great addition to your diet plan as a snack. It is an excellent weight-loss snack as the 28 grams servings contain only 2.5 grams of digestible carbohydrates.
How Does It Help?
Let’s answer the question of how do almonds help in the weight loss process. As discussed earlier, almonds have antioxidants that help prevent inflammation and stomach bloating, and almonds have a large portion of undigestable carbohydrates. Our body does not absorb calories from the undigestable carbohydrates, and it can improve your metabolism.
A research study found 62% higher weight loss in people with 84 grams of almonds in a low-calorie diet. So, you can add this weight-loss supportive high-fat dried fruit to your diet for improved metabolism and faster weight loss.
How Much To Consume?
If you go for a low-calorie diet, you can consume 23 whole almonds per day, equal to 1 ounce. It is the current daily recommended intake of almonds. However, study participants had 1.5 ounces of almonds per day, and it improved their cholesterol levels. It mainly reduces the bad cholesterol(LDL) in the body.
If you have almonds as a snack in your regular diet, most dietitians recommend taking one snack of around 7 to 8 whole almonds in a day. You should ask your dietitian about the exact intake recommendation as every person is different.
Consuming too many almonds can cause toxicity in your body due to hydrocyanic acid. Therefore, you should be careful when adding amounts of nuts to your daily dose.
Where To Get The Best Almonds Online?
Finding good quality raw almonds without any added salt or flavors is a big job to do. We have sorted some sources for you. Check out these almonds for your weight loss journey. You can also try out the Blue Diamond Almond Whole Natural Almonds.
2. Dates
Seven dates a day keeps the doctor away is the equivalent of an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Most of us love dates as these are very nutritious fruit of palm trees. Dates have high fiber and sugar content. Therefore, many people argue about the effectiveness of dates in weight loss. But, you can indeed go for dates on your weight loss journey.
Nutritional Value
The most famous type of date consumed around the globe is Medjool dates. The nutritional value of 3.5 ounces or 100 grams serving of dates is:
- Protein: 2.5 grams
- Carbohydrates: 75 grams
- Sugar: 64 grams
- Fiber: 8 grams
- Potassium: 14% of the daily recommended intake
- Selenium: 6% of the daily recommended intake
- Folate: 6% of the daily recommended intake
- Magnesium: 10% of the daily recommended intake
- Vitamin B6: 10% of the daily recommended intake
- Iron: 6% of the daily recommended intake
The mineral-rich, high-carb serving of 100 grams dates gives you energy equal to 282 kcal or calories.
How Does It Help?
Many dietitians might drop eating a lot of dates from your weight-loss plan. However, the high dietary fiber content in dates keeps you fuller for longer times. Therefore, it acts as an appetite suppressant. Besides, the high amounts of protein do not easily absorb in our body and contribute to controlling the appetite.
The unsaturated fatty acids present in dates reduce the risk of inflammation, a major cause of stomach bloating, increased insulin resistance, and weight gain. The sweet natural taste of dates signifies the higher sugar content in them. However, the natural sugars of dates can fill your sweet tooth cravings and help you avoid processed foods.
How Much To Consume?
Some clinical trials tested the consumption of three dates per day, and results suggested that the serving does not increase body mass index. Many other research studies have also supported the effectiveness of dates in the weight loss process.
People with fructose intolerance should avoid adding too many dates to their diet. Besides, dates are rich in sorbitol, sugar alcohol, which can worsen your diarrhea. Therefore, avoid dates when you are experiencing diarrhea.
Where To Get The Best Dates Online?
You can order the fresh Medjool dates from Terrasoul Superfoods Organic Dates. There are many other options for Non-GMO and Organic Dates.
3. Prunes
It is either plum or a prune; the fruit is intensely delicious, as its color richness. Prunes are dried plums and undoubtedly one of the best-dried fruits for weight loss that also offers numerous benefits to health. It also improves bowel movements and is a rich source of iron. Prune juice is very popular, and it is a perfect way to keep yourself hydrated. Most dietitians recommend having prunes, plums, or prune juice as a snack in your diet plan.
Nutritional Value
The standard 1 ounce or 28 grams serving of prunes contains the following nutrients:
Fiber: 2 grams
Sugar: 11 grams
Carbohydrates: 18 grams
Vitamin K: 21% of recommended daily intake(RDI)
Vitamin B6: 3% of RDI
Potassium: 6% of RDI
Vitamin B2: 3% of RDI
Vitamin A: 4% of RDI
Vitamin B3: 3% of RDI
Phosphorus: 2% of RDI
Magnesium: 3% of RDI
Copper: 4% of RDI
Manganese: 4% of RDI
How Does It Help?
The high fiber content in prunes prevents constipation which is a very irritable and painful experience. Besides, many research studies on prune have supported that these effectively reduce the risk of diabetes by controlling blood sugar. The high fiber content in prunes slowly absorbs the body and keeps you satiated for a longer time. Like dates, prune’s have a low glycemic index that signifies the slow increase of blood sugar.
A study conducted at the University of Liverpool found that prunes are good for weight loss. The study focused on adding prunes as a snack in a low fiber diet of obese people. The results showed that those who had prunes in snacks for 3 months lost 0.5 kg more weight and 0.8 cm more waist size than placebo.
How Much To Consume?
The Dr. Shirin Hooshmand of San Diego University recommends 50 grams of prune per day, equal to 5 or 6 prunes. His recommendation is based on the research done so far. However, he recommends 1 to 2 prunes for people having low-fiber intake in their diet. Gradually, you can increase your daily intake. Ideally, prunes can be taken as a snack or incorporated into prune juice to improve your digestion.
Possible side effects of prunes or prune juice can be agitated diarrhea, gas, or bloating. Therefore, always be mindful of the quantity of prune in your diet.
Where To Get The Best Prunes Online?
Organic prunes are better than synthetically dried prunes. You can try Looney Pruney Organic Pitted Dried Prunes or Organic Prunes-Sunny Fruit. Both options are organic and naturally dried prunes.
4. Hazelnuts
Hazelnuts indeed deserve to be on the list of best dried fruit for weight loss. The hazelnuts belong to tree nuts and are home in the Eastern half of North America. The nutty toasted flavor of hazelnuts is an eating weakness of many. You can get many health benefits by adding hazelnuts to your diet. One of the benefits of hazelnuts is aiding the process of weight loss.
Nutritional Value
You will get the following nutritional value from hazelnuts serving size of 28 grams:
Total fat: 17 grams
Fiber: 2.7 grams
Protein: 4.2 grams
Carbs: 4.7 grams
Manganese: 87% of the RDI
Vitamin E: 21% of the RDI
Magnesium: 12% of the RDI
Copper: 24% of the RDI
Thiamin: 12% of the RDI
The amount of energy you will get from 28 grams of hazelnuts serving equals 176 kcal or calories. Let’s discover how hazelnuts aid your weight loss process.
How Does It Help?
Most of the nuts are rich in dietary fibers, due to which dietitians recommend adding them in snacks. The hazelnuts are rich in Omega-3 Fatty acid, reducing your body’s bad cholesterol and promoting good cholesterol instead.
At the same time, the dietary fiber content does not absorb in your body and suppresses your cravings by keeping you fuller for more extended periods. The hazelnuts are also packed with enzymes that reduce inflammation. Therefore, it can be a great food to reduce bloatedness and heartburn.
How Much To Consume?
One serving of 28 grams to 30 grams hazelnuts or 20 kernels as your snack per day can help you keep up your weight management and get assistance in fast weight loss.
There are not any reported side effects of hazelnuts except for people who are allergic to the nut. Eating hazelnuts can be life-threatening for such people. Therefore, make sure to check that you’re not allergic to hazelnut before incorporating it into your diet.
Where To Get Them Online?
You can try the Aznut Roasted Non-GMO unsalted hazelnuts or go for Oregon raw unsalted hazelnuts.
5. Dried Figs
The next one on our list of the best-dried fruits for weight loss is figs. Figs, as well as their leaves, offer great health benefits for your overall health. From improving digestion to decreasing heart diseases risk, figs are a blessing. Figs are good for eating and symbolically associated with the Greek goddess of fertility and agriculture in ancient Rome.
Figs are native to the Middle East and the Mediterranean, where the weather is dry and hot most of the year.
Nutritional Value
The nutritional value you can get from 100 grams of dried figs is as follow:
Proteins: 3.3 grams
Fibers: 9.8 grams
Sugar: 47.92 grams
Calcium: 162 mg
Iron: 2.03 mg
Potassium: 680 mg
Vitamin C: 1.2 mg
Phosphorus: 67 mg
Magnesium: 68 mg
The dried figs also contain notable amounts of Vitamin K, Choline, folate, etc.
How Does It Help?
Like most dry fruits, figs also contain high fiber content that improves digestive health and alleviates constipation. The research studies have also shown the effectiveness of figs in controlling blood sugar that reduces the risk of obesity. By consuming dried figs, you can get doses of minerals and dietary fibers that keep you satiated for a longer time. As a result, you have fewer cravings that help in weight management.
The Omega-3 fatty acids present in dried figs help you burn more calories and improve heart health. Instead of artificial sugars, you can satiate your sweet tooth cravings with natural sugars present in fig.
How Much To Consume?
The most suitable way to consume figs as part of your weight loss plan is to eat them on an empty stomach. If you use overnight soaked fig and drink the water in which fig was soaked, it can give you amazing results.
Where To Get The Best Dried Figs Online?
Want some organically dried figs?
Check out these Terrasoul Superfood Organic Turkish figs or Organic Non-GMO Dried Smyrna Figs.
6. Dried Apricots
Apricots are not second to any of the best-dried fruits for weight loss. The golden delight is native to China, where it used to be cultivated for 4000 years. Through the silk route trade, the golden fruit of apricot got popularity across the globe. Now, apricots are grown in central Asia, the Middle East as well as the Mediterranean. Turkey And Iran have the crown of being the world’s largest producers of apricot.
Nutritional Value
100 grams serving of dried apricot halves give you the following nutrients:
- Proteins: 4 grams
- Fats: 5 grams
- Carbohydrates: 63 grams
- Fiber: 3 grams
- Potassium: 1160 mg
- Calcium: 55 mg
- Iron: 3 mg
- Magnesium: 32 mg
- Phosphorus: 71 mg
- Selenium: 2 mcg
- Vitamin A: 180 mcg
- Vitamin C: 1 mg
- Folates: 10 mcg
The total energy you will get from 100 grams of apricot is 241, making it a low-calorie dried fruit ideal for weight loss. You can delightedly satiate your cravings for snacks with a handful of the sweet-sour fusion.
How Does It Help?
Dried apricots are perfect for digestive health and keep you fuller for longer due to the high fiber content in the fruit. High amounts of dietary fiber in your food improve bowel movement and overall digestive health. The calorie count of dried apricots of 100 grams serving equals 30-40 grams servings of other the best-dried fruits for weight loss.
The dried apricots are perfect for blood sugar levels, diabetes management, digestive health, constipation, and metabolism to aid weight loss.
How Much To Consume?
The United States Department of Agriculture recommends consuming ½ cup of dried fruits daily. You can take apricots as your daily snack with a serving of 30 grams equal to 3 or 4 apricots.
Where To Get The BestDried Apricots Online?
Many sellers do not care about packaging and use sulfur for preserving dried fruits. Therefore, be vigilant when shopping. You can try out the Mariani Ultimate Dried Apricots that are Gluten-free and without any added sugar. Otherwise, you can go for Anna and Sarah Dried Turkish Apricots.
7. Pistachio Nuts
Pistachio also belongs to the nut tree family and is loved with or without the goal of weight loss. Pistachios are the most satiating snack and one of the best-dried fruit for weight loss. Pistachios are part of diverse cuisine in different regions. From sweet desserts to nutty dishes, pistachio is used alike.
Nutritional Value
You can get quite good nutritional value from 28 grams of raw pistachios. Here are the stats:
Carbs: 8 grams
Proteins: 6 grams
Fat: 13 grams
Fiber: 3 grams
Vitamin B6: 28% of RDI
Phosphorus: 11% of RDI
Thiamine: 21% of RDI
Copper: 41% of RDI
Potassium: 6% of RDI
Manganese: 15% of RDI
It gives total energy of 159 kcal or calories. 90% of the fat content in pistachios is unsaturated.
How Does It Help?
Pistachios are a low-calorie high protein nut. Among all nuts, pistachio has the lowest calorie count, and it can be very beneficial for your health. Vegan people can fulfill their intake of protein by adding pistachios to their diet. When rated, pistachios can be rated as the most weight-loss-friendly nuts. Many studies have been conducted to study the impact of pistachios intake on the weight loss process.
Most of the studies have highlighted the promising results of pistachios in weight loss due to high fiber and protein content that keeps you satiated for longer times. A research study conducted to see the impact of pistachios as an afternoon snack in a 12-week weight loss program showed terrific results. The people who had pistachios serving of 1.9 ounces lost twice the BMI than the other group.
Pistachios are also great for your digestive health and gut disorders. They promote healthy gut bacteria that notably reduces the digestive disorder risks. The indirect benefits of pistachios in the weight loss process are associated with lowering the cholesterol level and controlling blood sugar levels.
People with low metabolic rates can also add 25 grams of pistachios twice a day to have a better metabolic rate and lower fasting blood sugar. Research studies have verified the results.
How Much To Consume?
Many people have a misconception that eating salted and roasted pistachios is also effective for weight loss. However, the sodium content in salted pistachios can increase stomach bloating and uneasiness. Therefore, eating the raw shelled pistachios is more beneficial.
According to the recommended daily serving, you should not consume more than 1 ounce of pistachios in a day.
Where To Get The Best Pistachio Online?
Most of the options you find are salted or roasted pistachios. You can try raw organic pistachios from Fiddyment Farms or Barga Organic Farms raw in-shell pistachios.
In a Nutshell,
Dry fruits are delicious and loved by most people around the world. Therefore, it sounds like a perfect idea to add dry fruits to your diet and enjoy the benefits of losing some pounds. However, always be mindful of quantities as an excess of everything is bad. It is also essential to understand that raw dry fruits are better than roasted or salted.
