Is Tru Fru Good For Weight Loss?

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A package of Tru Fru Nature's Strawberries immersed in dark chocolate with a speech bubble asking "Is Tru Fru Good For Weight Loss?"

Tru Fru is good for weight loss, as long as you’re careful with how much you eat.

Take, for instance, one serving size of Tru Fru Hyper-chilled, which is about 4-5 pieces or 28 grams, adding up to 90 calories.

If you can stick to this amount, it’s okay to include it in your diet for losing weight.

But, from my experience as a nutritionist, I’ve seen a common challenge among people when it comes to eating sweet treats is to moderate their intake.

The idea of eating them in moderation may seem simple, but it’s often harder than it looks.

This difficulty can depend on how you’re feeling at the time and whether you have a strong liking for sweets, which might make it tough not to eat more than your planned portion for the day.

If you’re a fan of Tru Fru and are thinking about whether it can fit into your weight loss diet, let me walk you through both the potential benefits and the downsides.

It’s important to understand these before you decide to add this chocolate to your weight loss diet.

Nutritional Value Of Tru Fru

In case you didn’t know, Tru Fru is available in two different kinds: one is called hyper-chilled, and the other is known as hyper-dried. I’m going to explain the reasons behind these unique names, but before I do that, let me share with you the nutritional value of these two variations.

NutrientsTru Fru Hyper-chilled Strawberry Flavor [1]
1 oz (28 g)
Tru Fru Hyper-dried Strawberry Flavor [2]
1 oz (28 g)
Calories90150
Carbs10 g19 g
Protein1 g2 g
Fat5 g9 g
Sugar9 g16 g
Fiber0 g2 g
Sodium15 mg10 mg

Difference Between Tru Fru Hyper-Chilled Vs Tru Fru Hyper-Dried

Here are the differences between these two variants:

Tru Fru Hyper-Chilled

  • Process: Hyper-Chilled products involve quickly freezing fresh fruits to lock in their freshness, nutrients, and flavor. This process is done soon after the fruits are harvested to ensure they retain their natural taste and nutritional value.

  • Texture: The fruits maintain a close-to-fresh texture, being soft and juicy inside, often with a chocolate coating on the outside that adds a delightful contrast.

  • Flavor: Because the fruits are frozen shortly after harvesting, they keep their original flavor profile, offering a taste that’s very similar to fresh fruit.

  • Uses: Hyper-Chilled fruits are often enjoyed as a refreshing snack or dessert, perfect for hot summer days or as a healthier alternative to traditional frozen treats.

Tru Fru Hyper-Dried

  • Process: Hyper-Dried products undergo a process that removes moisture from the fruit under specific temperature and pressure conditions. This drying process concentrates the fruit’s natural sugars, making them sweeter and giving them a longer shelf life.

  • Texture: The result is a chewier, dense texture than fresh or frozen fruit, with a slight crunch. Like the Hyper-Chilled variety, these too can be coated in chocolate, offering a satisfying texture contrast.

  • Flavor: Hyper-drying enhances the sweetness of the fruit, resulting in a more intense flavor. The dehydration process also means these snacks can be enjoyed without the mess of juicy fruits.

  • Uses: Hyper-dried fruits are versatile, perfect for on-the-go snacking, as a topping on cereals and salads, or as a sweet addition to baking recipes.

Which Tru Fru is Better For Weight Loss?

For losing weight, Tru Fru Hyper-Chilled is better because it has fewer calories and less sugar than Tru Fru Hyper-Dried.

As I said before the Hyper-Chilled process preserves the fruit in its nearly natural state, retaining the original water content which makes the fruit filling yet lower in calories.

On the other hand, the Hyper-Dried process removes water, concentrating the fruit’s natural sugars and increasing its calorie density.

Potential Benefits Of Tru Fru For Weight Loss

So the potential benefits I am going to talk about are primarily in reference to tru fru hyper-chilled and not hyper-dried.

They Are Low in Calories

When it comes to weight loss, the first thing I look at as a nutritionist is how many calories a food has.

Because, at the end of the day, losing weight mainly comes down to being in a caloric deficit.

You need to eat fewer calories than your body uses every day. Doing this over a long time is how you lose weight.

Considering that a serving of Tru Fru Hyper-Chilled averages about 90 calories, I think that’s pretty okay.

It doesn’t really mess up your efforts to lose weight.

For instance, if you compare this to a serving of Ferrero Rocher, which has around 230 calories, you can see the difference.

That’s not ideal for someone trying to lose weight.

I always suggest choosing foods that are full of nutrients but low in calories. This way, you get a lot of good stuff without spending too many calories.

So, with Tru Fru, you’re getting your sweet fix without using up too much of your calorie budget.

But, it’s important to keep an eye on how much you eat. I’ll go into more detail about this later in the downsides section.

You Can Use it To Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

When you’re trying to lose weight, it’s important to make your diet healthier. But, this doesn’t mean you have to make yourself miserable all the time.

Your diet for losing weight should be something you can keep doing, and it shouldn’t make you feel like you’re always having to say no, leaving you hungry and wanting more.

That’s why it’s good to have a little bit of everything in your diet, to keep those cravings in check. I don’t suggest giving up all the treats.

My advice is to just eat less of them. For example, with Tru Fru, one serving, which is 4-5 pieces, has about 9 grams of sugar.

This is the same as 2 teaspoons of sugar, and that’s okay for losing weight.

This way, you can still enjoy something sweet without eating too much sugar, which is what we aim for when trying to slim down—having a bit of everything without messing up your diet.

Some people might like a small bowl of blueberries or strawberries, but not everyone likes fruit.

If you prefer chocolate, then it’s better to choose one that has no sugar or less sugar, like Tru Fru Hyper-Chilled, but remember, it’s all about eating it in moderation.

Downsides Of Eating Tru Fru For Weight Loss

Tru does have a couple benefits for weight loss when used correctly in moderation, but when not it can become your barrier to achieving your weight loss goals. Here is how.

They Are Easy To Overeat

Have you ever heard the saying “a blessing and a curse”? That’s exactly what applies to Tru Fru.

Its blessing is how delicious it tastes, but that deliciousness is its curse too, especially when you’re trying to lose weight. The challenge is in eating it in moderation.

By moderation, I mean having just enough to stay within a “low-calorie” diet, which would be no more than one serving a day, about 28 grams or 4-5 pieces.

For some, sticking to this amount is easy, but for others, it’s quite hard. Take a look at this discussion on Reddit.

Many people shared how hard it was for them to limit their Tru Fru intake, often ending up eating a whole bag because it tastes so good.

A screenshot of online comments where users express their struggle with overeating Tru Fru, indicating it's addictively delicious but challenging for weight management.

Even on the Tru Fru official website, some reviews stood out to me. I noticed several people mentioning how much they love this product to the point where they often eat too much of it, as shown in the image below.

Customer reviews online where one claims they could become "morbidly obese" from eating Tru Fru and another stating they could eat the whole bag because it's so tasty.

So, this is an important downside to consider if you’re thinking of adding Tru Fru to your weight loss diet.

Stick around, because later I’ll share some essential tips on how to include Tru Fru in your weight loss diet without overdoing it.

Not Good As Hyperdried For Weight Loss

As I explained at the start of this article, Tru Fru comes in two types: HyperChilled and HyperDried.

The HyperChilled versions can be okay for weight loss, as long as you don’t have too much of it. However, the HyperDried versions don’t fit well with weight loss.

The main reason for this is shown in the image below. One serving of the HyperDried Tru Fru has 150 calories and about 16 grams of sugar. This is double the amount of sugar compared to the HyperChilled version.

The nutritional facts label of Tru Fru dark chocolate covered strawberries, showing a serving size of about 1/4 cup (30g) with 150 calories per serving.

Because of these facts, the HyperDried version isn’t a good choice if you’re trying to lose weight. To add it to your diet, you’d have to limit yourself so much that you’d end up only getting a tiny taste of it.

They are Expensive

If you’re a fan of Tru Fru, you’re well aware that these treats aren’t exactly budget-friendly. A single 4.5 oz packet can set you back about $6.79, which, in my opinion, is quite steep for chocolate.

Therefore, if you’re considering relying solely on these for your sweet cravings, be prepared for a costly habit over time.

This touches on the aspect of sustainability in a weight loss diet I mentioned earlier. It’s crucial for your diet to be both sustainable and cost-effective in the long term.

However, if your diet consistently includes high-priced items that you need to purchase regularly, it could become a financial strain.

This added pressure can make it more challenging to stick to your weight loss plan.

Tips For Adding Tru Fru to a Weight Loss Diet

Here are some things you need to keep in mind while eating tru fru in your weight loss diet:

Choose Hyperchilled Over Hyperdried Varieties

As I’ve mentioned throughout this article, Tru Fru Hyper-Chilled options have less sugar and fewer calories compared to Tru Fru Hyper-Dried, which are higher in sugar and have double the calories in every serving.

Therefore, if you’re thinking about eating Tru Fru, choosing the Hyper-Chilled type is a good idea.

If you eat it in moderation, it can help you take care of your sweet cravings while keeping your calorie count to a minimum, at only 90 calories per serving.

Moderate Your Intake

Watching how much Tru Fru you eat is really important for weight loss. Each serving, which is 28 grams or 4-5 pieces, has about 90 calories and 9 grams of sugar.

If you stick to just one serving, you’ll be okay.

However, it can become a problem if you eat too much. This is because, when you’re trying to lose weight, you want to keep the number of calories you eat low.

You might wonder, “What if I eat more than one serving of Tru Fru but eat fewer calories in my other meals?” While you could do that, the type of calories you’re getting matters too.

Tru Fru is full of sugar because it’s chocolate, so it’s best to keep its intake low. Eating too much sugar can quickly raise your blood sugar levels. This makes your body release insulin, a hormone.

When insulin is in your blood, your body won’t burn fat.

So, here’s what happens: you eat a lot of chocolate, your body releases a lot of insulin, and it will take some time for your insulin levels to go back to normal.

Until then, your body is in storage mode, not burning mode.

There’s a lot of biochemistry involved in weight loss, which is why moderating your intake of chocolate, not just because of the calories, is necessary.

Time it Right

As I mentioned before, remember that at its core, Tru Fru is chocolate, and the key thing that makes it sweet is sugar.

Sugar is like fuel for our bodies because it gives us energy that we need to use somehow. It’s smarter to eat your Tru Fru in the morning.

This way, you give your body the whole day to move around and use the sugar you’ve just eaten.

Another good time to eat it is as a snack before you work out, like 30 minutes before you hit the gym or start exercising at home.

This timing is great because you’re about to do a lot of moving, and your body will need energy. This can help make good use of the extra sugar calories.

I am assuming your exercise routine is more than just a brisk walk around the block (because that’s not gonna be enough).

So, what I’m saying is that if you choose the right time to eat your favorite chocolate, it can actually help your body by giving it energy when it needs it the most.

Eat Tru Fru Mindfully To Avoid Overeating

Mindful eating is all about really paying attention to what you’re eating and enjoying every single bite.

As I mentioned in the downsides part, it’s super easy to eat too much tru fru because they’re just so delicious.

When you use mindful eating methods with tru fru, you get to really enjoy it and feel good from eating less of it.

This method is about focusing on the taste, how it feels, and the smell of the chocolate, instead of just eating it without thinking.

By doing this, you’ll likely find you’re happy with a smaller amount, which helps stop you from eating too much.

Also Read: Is Hot Chocolate Good For Weight Loss?

Alternatives To Tru Fru For Weight Loss

When I say alternatives to Tru Fru, I’m referring to choices that can fulfill your desire for something sweet but are also suitable for weight loss. Here are the options:

Fresh Fruits

Nature’s candy, and fresh fruits, offer a sweet escape without the added sugars and calories.

They’re packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, aiding in digestion and keeping you fuller for longer.

Berries, apples, and citrus fruits are particularly great for snacking and can satisfy that sweet craving with their natural sugars.

Also Read: Are Grapes Good For Weight Loss?

Sugar-Free Chocolates

For chocolate lovers, sugar-free chocolates are a fantastic alternative.

Brands like Lily’s Sweets and ChocZero provide a variety of options that indulge your chocolate desires without compromising your dietary goals.

Made with sweeteners like stevia and erythritol, these chocolates deliver the richness you crave, minus the guilt.

Dry Fruits with Nuts

Combining dry fruits with nuts offers a satisfying crunch and a nutritional powerhouse of fibers, proteins, and healthy fats.

This mix not only supports weight management but also boosts energy levels.

Opt for unsweetened dry fruits and raw or roasted nuts to avoid extra oils and sugars.

Almonds, walnuts, and dried apricots make for a hearty, healthy snack.

Dark Chocolate

Rich in antioxidants and low in sugar, dark chocolate (with a cocoa content of 70% or higher) can be a weight-loss-friendly treat.

It satisfies chocolate cravings and offers health benefits, including improved heart health and potential appetite control.

Enjoy it in moderation to keep your snacking both delightful and diet-friendly.

Also Read: Best Time To Eat Dark Chocolate For Weight Loss

Homemade Smoothies

Blend up your fruits with a mix of greens, seeds, or protein powders for a nutrient-packed smoothie.

Homemade smoothies give you full control over ingredients, allowing you to avoid added sugars and preservatives found in store-bought versions.

Experiment with flavors and textures by adding Greek yogurt, avocado, or nut butter for a filling and refreshing snack.

Also Read: Smoothies Vs MilkShake For Weight Loss

Greek Yogurt with Berries

Greek yogurt is a creamy, delicious source of protein and probiotics, which are great for digestion and overall health.

Top it with fresh berries for a hint of sweetness and a boost of antioxidants.

This combination makes for a satisfying snack or dessert that supports your weight loss journey by keeping hunger at bay and cravings in check.

Also Read: Is Oikos Triple Zero Good For Weight Loss?

Conclusion: So What?

Tru Fru is ok to include in a weight loss diet, but there are important considerations to keep in mind.

First, choose the hyper-chilled version over the hyper-dried one, as the latter contains more calories and sugar.

Second, limit your Tru Fru consumption to one serving per day to stay on track.

It’s crucial not to overindulge in them. Remember the tips I mentioned while adding Tru Fru to your diet.

If you find it challenging to stick to these rules, consider looking for an alternative snack that satisfies your craving for something sweet, as suggested in the previous section.

FAQ

Is Tru Fru a healthy snack?

Yes, Tru Fru can be a healthy snack, especially if chosen as an alternative to high-sugar, processed snacks.

What is the best fruit for losing weight?

Berries, like strawberries and blueberries, are among the best fruits for losing weight due to their high fiber and low-calorie content.

How many calories are in a bag of Tru Fru?

The calorie content in a bag of Tru Fru varies by product. On average, a serving can range from 100 to 200 calories. Check the specific product’s packaging for exact details.

How many points is Tru Fru on Weight Watchers?

The points for Tru Fru on Weight Watchers depend on the specific product and serving size. You would need to use the Weight Watchers app or calculator, entering the nutritional information from the package to determine the exact points.

This post may contain affiliate links which means I may receive a commission for purchases made through links at no extra cost to you. See my disclosure policy for more information.

Rahul is a professional nutritionist certified by the International Sports Sciences Association (ISSA) and a personal trainer certified through the American Council of Exercise (ACE). He has a special interest in the science of nutrition and how it can impact the body.

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