Knowing the best time to eat fruits to lose weight will help boost your weight loss and give you a healthy variety of nutrients. Many people think fruits are too high in carbohydrates and should be avoided. Actually, your body needs them. Fruits contain high levels of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to give your body what it needs during weight loss. 

While you wouldn’t want to eat all your fruit in one sitting, or one meal, there are specific ways to use them for your best advantage. This article will help you understand how to use fruits on a diet plan, and give you some ideas of fruits that are good to help you meet your weight loss goals.

What is the Best Time to Eat Fruits for Weight Loss?

Breakfast! Yes, eating a meal of fruits with a glass of water for breakfast is one of the best times to eat fruits on a weight loss program. Make sure you don’t eat anything first, just fruit and water. This will help your body maximize the nutrients in the fruit. Plus, you will burn off the carbohydrates throughout the day. It will also give you an energy boost to get through the morning hours.

It is important to be aware of the best time to eat fruits to lose weight; here are some other times to add in fruit during the day:

• Snack: The next best time to incorporate fruits into your weight loss regime is using them for between meal snacks. They make a very good low calorie snack, and they give you more vitamins and minerals than common snacks. Next time you reach for a granola bar, try an apple instead. You may not even be hungry yet, but you need to wait at least 30 minutes after you eat a meal before you have a snack of fruit. Dieticians want diabetics to give it at least 2 hours after a meal before eating fruit. This is so your body doesn’t become overloaded with carbohydrates that can cause blood sugar to spike.
• Exercise: If you are using exercise with your weight loss plan, have a piece of fruit prior to your workout. Finish up with a post-exercise piece of fruit to help you replace lost nutrients.
• Pre-Meal: You can also start off your meal with a piece of fruit. This will help ward off excessive eating and activate digestive enzymes to help you get the most nutrition from your meal. You can use this as a carbohydrate exchange. Instead of a slice of bread, add an apple.

When Not to Eat Fruits or Use Caution

Eating fruits at the wrong time can actually impede weight loss, or complicate other health conditions. Here are some tips:

Avoid fruits just prior to bedtime. This can lead to tooth decay, slowed digestion, and interrupt restful sleep. Your body will be busy trying to digest the sugar, and not get proper rest. Also, the resulting sugar spike may even keep you awake at night. Make sure you eat your last piece of fruit at least 2 to 3 hours before bed.

If you do choose to use fruit prior to meals to ward off excess eating, make sure you don’t get too full and neglect your plate. You need to pay attention to things you need at mealtimes like; protein foods, vegetables, and whole grains.

If you are diabetic, it helps to pair fruits with a protein to prevent blood sugar spikes. If you are eating an apple, try a little peanut butter on the side. Grapes paired with cheese is also a delicious way to get fruit without the high spikes in blood sugar.

Good Fruits for Weight Loss

Did you know along with the best time to eat fruits to lose weight, there are certain fruits that increase weight loss? Studies show the following fruits may increase your body’s ability to burn more calories. 

• Watermelon

As you can tell by its name, watermelon is high in water content. This can help you meet your daily fluid intake needs. Researchers have also found enzymes in the watermelon that can help reduce fat cell accumulation, and lower cholesterol. Drinking the juice of a watermelon after a workout may help to relieve sore muscles and replace valuable electrolytes.

• Grapefruit

While you don’t necessarily need to go on the grapefruit diet, this amazing fruit can have powerful effects on abdominal fat tissue. Eating just one-half a grapefruit daily may help you lose inches off your midsection. Grapefruit is high in antioxidants, and loaded with

vitamin C.

• Apples

Apples are a high fiber fruit, and shown to have fat burning capabilities. They are also high in flavanoids, vitamins, minerals, and immune boosting chemicals. Not only can they help you with your weight loss plan, they hold true to the saying “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.”

• Stone Fruits (Plums, Peaches, Nectarines, Apricots)

Stone fruits have high levels of phenols. These help stimulate genes in the fat cells that increases fat burning. Pit type fruits like these are also very low in fructose. They have a short growing season in the summer, but freeze well for use in the “off seasons.” 

• Blueberries and Strawberries

Studies are showing the polyphenols in berries may help reduce the formation of fat cells. Just three servings of berries a day may lower fat cell formation by over 70 percent. Eat a variety of different berry colors to get the most antioxidants and nutrients.

• Cherries

Cherries are very high in antioxidants. They have been found to reduce inflammation, lower belly fat, and help increase the rate of fat burn. Cherries are also very low on the glycemic index. This means you can actually “fill-up” on them without guilt.

Now that you know the best time to eat fruits to lose weight, as well we what fruits to eat, you are surely going to shed off that extra pound!