You probably know that grapes are a ZeroPoint® food on the WeightWatchers® weight-loss program, but what about raisins? And why does fruit count toward your Points Budget when you blend it into a smoothie? Our nutrition team will point you in the right direction.
Is fruit always a ZeroPoint food?
Not always. Fruit WILL be ZeroPoint food if it is:
- Fresh and frozen fruit without added sugars or fats
- Canned in water
- Canned in sugar-free artificially sweetened syrup
Fruit will NOT be a ZeroPoint food if it is:
Dried
In a smoothies
A juice
Canned in juice or sugar-sweetened syrup
Why do fruits and vegetables count if I drink them in a smoothie, but not if I eat them?
Whole fruit and most vegetables are ZeroPoint foods. But once they become part of a smoothie, the experience of eating them changes.
Research shows that liquids don’t promote the same feeling of fullness as solid foods do.1 When you drink something, it eliminates the act of chewing which may impact the signals between the belly and brain.2 This means that the smoothie or juice you’re drinking will not promote the same amount of fullness between meals as eating the fruit might.
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Why are avocados and coconuts not included in the ZeroPoint list?
Avocados have more calories and fat than many other fruits and guacamole is easy to overeat. Coconuts are also more caloric than many other fruits. For example, 1 cup of raw coconut has 283 calories and 1 cup of sliced avocado has 234 calories, while 1 cup of sliced mixed berries has only 84 calories and significantly less fat.
While healthy, we believe these are foods that can be easily overconsumed and therefore it is important to track them.
Can I eat too much fruit?
Fruits and vegetables aren’t magically calorie-free just because most of them are ZeroPoint foods. But we encourage you to eat fruits and vegetables because they are nutritious, satisfying, and tasty.
If you’re eating more fruits and vegetables than you used to, but you’re using them for healthy snacks, to bulk up your meals, or as a tide-me-over when you’re down to the last few SmartPoints for the day or week, then great! If you’re overeating bananas because they’re “free,” you might want to pull back a bit.
If I use the Barcode Scanner in the WW app on a packaged meal, like a fruit and granola parfait, will it automatically remove the ZeroPoint foods?
Yes. If the nutritional data is in our database, the Points value shown will have the ZeroPoint foods removed.