Looking for healthy snack ideas that won’t pack on the pounds? These 12 best dried fruits for weight loss may be just what you need to help burn off that excess fat and keep hunger at bay!
You may be thinking “aren’t dried fruits high in sugar”? While some dried fruits are high in sugar and calories, they are also highly nutritious and packed with vitamins and minerals.
They contain healthy fiber that keeps you feeling full and satisfied for a longer period of time.
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Where to shop for dried fruits and other healthy snacks?
I do most of my perishable grocery shopping at my local supermarkets, but for dried fruits and other non-perishable healthy snacks, I rely on Thrive Market and Amazon Subscribe & Save.
Not only does it save a ton of time and energy to be able to shop at home in the comfort of my pajamas and have these food items delivered directly to my door, but these online vendors also allow me to buy these healthy snacks on a recurring basis base on my need so that I can basically ”set it and forget it”, and not have to worry about running out of healthy snack options when I’m “hangry”!
I’ve found Thrive Market prices to be at a fairly consistent lower-cost, wholesale price, whereas prices on Amazon can sometimes vary greatly month over month.
Thrive Market is very much like Costco (grocery at wholesale prices with membership) except it’s online and sells organic and clean non-perishable groceries like this almond milk with ONLY 4 real food ingredients and MCT oil derived from coconuts, conveniently delivered to your door.
If you would like to shop smart and save money, time, and energy to stock up on your healthy pantry snacks, you can get a Thrive Membership risk-free for 30 days with this link and choose a FREE gift, up to $22 in value (1-month membership or 1-year membership at 50% discount).
As you can probably tell, I like doing my grocery shopping at Thrive Market. And when I’m not shopping there, I’m over at Amazon Subscribe & Save where I can save at least 15% off the list price.
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12 Best Dried Fruits for Weight Loss
Dried Apricot
Dried apricots are low-calorie at 200 kcal per 100-gram serving. They are also a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Apricots are traditionally considered as an excellent remedy for improving digestion, vision, and skin health.
This healthy sweet snack is a good source of fiber. Given that fiber takes longer to break down and digest, you feel full for a longer time. If you feel satiated, you are less likely to binge on other unhealthy foods.
Eating dried apricots can fill you up for up to 5 hours, keeping your cravings in check.
Dates
Dates will provide you with the longest satiety. It’s also rich with vitamin B5 that will increase your endurance. With 282 kcal per every 100 g of the product, it’s a good snack for those who want to prevent overeating and one of the most beneficial dried fruits for weight loss.
The best dried fruit for weight loss is nutritious, fiber-rich and low in calories, and dates fit right in this category.
This sweet fruit contains iron, magnesium, copper, calcium, sodium and essential vitamins.
Eating dates may help you to feel more energetic as they are rich in vitamin B5 which increases your stamina and endurance.
Dates are an excellent source of protein. Consuming more protein is one of the most effective ways to lose weight and keep it off for the long term.
Dates are high in unsaturated fatty acids, which are healthy fats that can help to reduce inflammation in the body.
Eat dates in moderation if weight loss is your goal. Have a maximum of 4 to 5 dates per day to satiate your sweet tooth and keep your hunger pangs at bay.
You can add chopped dates to your salad or yogurt. You can also add them to your chicken soup to boost its healing benefits and taste.
These Medjool dates are great for naturally sweetening your snack recipes such as energy balls.
Goji Berries
Goji berries are a sweet, low-calorie and high fiber superfood. They have been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years due to its many health benefits including promoting eye and skin health, boosting the immune system, and detoxifying the liver.
The berries are also a good source of chromium, a mineral that helps to regulate blood sugar levels to prevent blood sugar spikes that can increase fat storage. Chromium may also help to preserve lean muscle mass during weight loss.
As always, moderation is key. Consume a maximum of 1 Tablespoon of goji berries per day for weight loss.
You can use goji berries similar to how you use raisins. One way is to sprinkle them on top of your yogurt or salad.
Another one of my favorite snack combinations is dark chocolates with goji berries or this cacao goji power snack. I also add goji berries to my green smoothies and homemade bone broth.
Pistachio
Another dried fruit for weight loss is pistachios as they are low in calories, high in fiber, and a small portion can keep you full for a longer duration.
Pistachios are packed with antioxidants and rich in nutrients. They contain healthy unsaturated fats that are anti-inflammatory and may even curb your hunger.
Pistachios are also high in protein and boast a higher ratio of essential amino acids, the building blocks of protein when compared with other nuts.
A study also found that eating pistachios may increase the levels of beneficial bacteria in the gut (1). In fact, the effect of pistachios on the gut microbiome was much stronger than that of almonds.
Your gut health is critical to maintaining a healthy weight and body.
Limit your consumption of pistachios to about ¼ cup per day for weight loss.
Prunes
When we hear of prunes, we generally think of older people eating them to keep their digestive system moving. However, prunes have shown that they can be a great supplement to a weight loss diet.
A study done to assess the effects of prunes on weight and appetite found that participants that consumed prunes lost more weight and trimmed more of their waist circumference (2).
The participants in the prune group also reported increased feelings of fullness, due to its high fiber content.
Although prunes are high in sugar, you can still add them to a weight-loss meal plan if your portion is small. Limit your prune consumption to about ¼ cup per day to lose weight.
Raisins
Raisins are popular dried fruits for weight loss as their sweet taste can help satisfy the cravings for sugar. They are high in fiber, low in salt, and highly nutritious.
A recent study recommends raisin consumption for a healthier lifestyle (3). The raisin eating participants in the study were found to have a higher intake of energy, more dietary fiber, along with increases in potassium, magnesium, vitamin E and vitamin C.
Overall the people who ate raisins had lower body weight, body mass index, and waist circumference. They also had a 54 percent reduced risk of metabolic syndrome, which is a marker for chronic heart disease.
Craisins, or dried cranberries, are not the same as raisins. Cranberries are naturally tart so craisins are loaded with added sugar to improve its taste.
Processed sugar is a major culprit for unhealthy weight gain. Therefore, dried cranberries are not recommended as part of a diet for weight loss.
Almonds
Pre-portioned Almond Snack Packs
Almonds are low in calories and high in nutrients like proteins, monounsaturated fats that help promote weight loss.
These nuts are arguably one of the best nuts for weight loss as they are known not only for helping you lose weight but also to lose belly fat.
A study on participants that ate 1.5 ounces of almonds daily, along with a heart-healthy diet, found it helped them to reduce “bad” cholesterol and belly fat (4).
One quick and easy way to consume almonds is to buy conveniently packaged, pre-portioned almonds. Get the low-sodium variety to prevent fluid retention.
Pine Nuts
If you are a nut lover, you don’t have to just stick to almonds. Pine nuts are low in calories compared to other nuts, and you can enjoy 80 nuts at only 95 calories!
Pine nuts are packed with pinolenic acid, which recent research has found to be an effective appetite suppressant that helps to keep hunger at bay (5).
Pine nuts are also a good source of magnesium that can help boost your energy level. This can help you maintain a more active lifestyle.
Cashew Nuts
Cashew nuts are a good source of protein, which is key to losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight in the long term.
The rich dietary fiber content in cashews boosts your metabolism and keeps you full for a longer period of time.
The magnesium in cashew nuts helps to regulate the metabolism of fat and carbohydrates, which may further help you lose weight.
Cashews provide your body with about 73% of the recommended daily dose of magnesium!
You can simply eat cashew nuts, or make a trail mix of dried fruits and nuts. Cashew butter also tastes great with apples and celery sticks.
This sriracha cashew is one of my favorite snacks in my healthy pantry.
Walnuts
Walnuts are healthy dried fruits that are highly beneficial for your overall health. They are considered an excellent dried fruit for weight loss food due to their rich nutrients like fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and protein.
They also contain high levels of polyunsaturated fats, including alpha-linolenic acid, or ALA. These healthy fats help to maintain a healthy heart and may also stimulate your body to lose weight faster.
Hazelnuts
Hazelnut is another tree nut that is beneficial for weight loss by promoting a healthy metabolism in the body.
These nuts are packed with healthy fats and dietary fibers that can help to curb cravings and manage hunger. They are also a good source of energy to keep you going in between meals.
Brazil Nuts
Brazil nuts are high in protein and fiber, both of which promote weight loss. They are also rich in selenium, magnesium, thiamine and phosphorous, which are all nutrients that can be helpful for losing weight.
These nuts also contain L-arginine, an essential amino acid that is known to be good for fat burning.
As each serving of Brazil nuts contains more than 100% of your recommended daily intake of selenium, it’s recommended that you take no more than 2-3 Brazil nuts per day to avoid selenium toxicity.
While dried fruits may be high in calories, eating a controlled portion daily can actually help you lose weight. Get a variety of nutrients by making a trail mix of all these dried fruits and nuts and eat a handful of them, or about ¼ cup, on a daily basis.
Eating dried fruits at any time of the day works well for most people. Snacking on dried fruits and nuts right before a meal may cause you to eat less of another, higher-calorie food on your plate, and therefore help you lose weight.
Don’t forget to complement these best dried fruits for weight loss with a healthy, clean eating diet plan in order to lose weight effectively.
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