Fruit is an important part of a healthy diet.
Dietary guidelines recommend consuming two to three servings of fresh fruit every day.
Fruit provides our bodies with many valuable nutrients that are often under-consumed including potassium, vitamin C, and dietary fiber.
In addition to being nutrient-dense, most fruits are low in total fat and calories, making them a great choice when you are trying to lose weight.
Best Fruits for Weight Loss?
Research has shown that long term consistent intake of fruit is associated with weight maintenance or modest amounts of weight loss (1).
This may be because high fiber foods like fruit can increase the feeling of fullness when consumed as part of a meal or snack.
Diets high in fiber have been shown to help reduce body weight, body fat, and waist circumference over time (2).
All of the best diets for weight loss include regular consumption of fruit. Here are 10 of the best fruits that may help boost your chances of weight loss success.
1. Berries
Berries are nutritional superstars. They are naturally sweet, low in calories, and high in fiber.
One cup of blueberries contains 84 calories and 4 grams of fiber. T
his is 14% of the total recommended intake of 28 grams per day for a 2,000 calorie diet.
Strawberries are full of antioxidants and provide 114% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) of vitamin C which can help strengthen your immune system.
The high fiber content of berries makes them a great snack.
A small study compared a high sugar snack with a serving of mixed berries consisting of blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries before a meal.
The results showed that at their next meal the berry group ate significantly fewer calories than the group that consumed the sugary snack (3).
The health benefits of berries go beyond their contribution to weight loss.
Regular intake of blueberries may help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, improve cognitive function, lower blood pressure, and improve heart health.
A more recent study found that consuming one cup of blueberries daily for six months improved blood vessel function and raised good cholesterol levels (4).
To take advantage of the benefits of fiber-rich berries add them to breakfast cereals and smoothies or simply eat them plain when you are craving a sweet snack.
2. Apples
Apples are another great high fiber snack that is low in calories. One medium apple has 95 calories and 4.4 grams of fiber.
Two types of fiber are found in an apple; soluble and insoluble fiber.
Soluble fiber mixes with water in the stomach and increases feelings of fullness and satisfaction after a meal.
Insoluble fiber is not digested in the stomach but helps promote bowel health and regular bowel movements.
Eating more soluble fiber may help you lose belly fat.
One study had participants increase their soluble fiber intake by 10 grams per day.
When combined with an increase in physical activity, participants saw a 3.6% decrease in belly fat over a five-year period (5).
Apple juice can be a tempting alternative to whole apples, but be careful.
Research has shown that eating a whole apple before a meal reduces hunger pangs and lowers the total amount of food consumed with a subsequent meal.
However, that same reduction was not seen with apple juice, even when fiber was added to the juice (6).
It is always best to consume your fruit in its fresh, whole form.
One last tip with apples. Be sure to eat the peel. The majority of the nutrients and about one half of the fiber are found in the apple peel (7).
This advice applies to fruit; eat the whole thing not just the peeled flesh.
Apples make a great mid-day snack plain or sliced and dipped in peanut butter.
They can also be chopped and added to morning oatmeal, mixed with yogurt, or used to add crunch and flavor to a salad.
3. Pears
The old saying is that an apple a day keeps the doctor away.
We may want to update that because it appears that a pear a day may keep the unwanted pounds away.
A retrospective analysis found that individuals who eat pears on a regular basis consume considerably more fiber each day compared to non-consumers (8).
More importantly, pear eaters also were 35% less likely to be obese.
These benefits are likely due to the very high fiber content of pears.
One medium pear contains has 101 calories, 5.5 grams of fiber, and 10% of the RDI of vitamin C. Like apples, pears contain a mix of soluble and insoluble fiber.
Dip fresh pear slices into lemon or orange juice to prevent them from browning.
Ripe pears taste great mixed with yogurt, or try sprinkling a bit of cinnamon over pear slices then microwave or bake them until warm.
4. Grapefruit
Grapefruit has a long history of being associated with weight loss dating back to the 1930’s.
In fact, the grapefruit even has its own weight-loss diet.
The “grapefruit diet” combines calorie restriction with grapefruit intake before every meal.
This diet lasts for a short period of time, generally 12–14 days.
Like other short-term fad diets, the grapefruit diet may result in initial weight loss but long term those unwanted pounds come right back.
Better to include grapefruit as part of your regular diet and aim for long term success.
One-half of a medium grapefruit provides 41 calories, 2 grams of fiber, and 59% of the RDI of vitamin C.
Red and pink varieties also provide a source of vitamin A.
One word of caution.
Grapefruit contains compounds that interact with certain medications.
Always talk with your doctor or registered dietitian before adding grapefruit to your diet.
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