What is naturally available and it is sweet and is packed with many essential nutrients?… Its fruits. Fruits are low in calories and have a good amount of fiber in them that reduces your hunger and appetite so it’s obvious that you can eat fruits for weight loss and the other good side of fruit is that it is easy to digest.
There isn’t a single nutrient that you get from fruit and you can’t get it from vegetables but vegetables aren’t as delicious as fruit… my personal opinion. Who doesn’t love to eat fruits they are fulfilling our sugar craving while providing nutritions too.
There are some that say sugar in fruit isn’t good if you want to lose weight but that’s no true, you can eat any fruit you want as long as you’re in a calorie deficit. All that matters is the calorie intake and calories burned at the end of the day however there is some fruit that will actually help you in losing weight other than just satisfying your cravings.
Fruits have been associated with many health benefits such as lowering the risk of inflammation, heart diseases, cancer, and obesity. So regular consumption of fruit can help build a healthy diet and live a healthy life. Certain fruits that are high in sugar won’t be that beneficial if you want to lose weight.
This article will help you distinguish between which fruit is going to help you in weight loss and which isn’t. So without any delay let’s get started.
12 fruits for weight loss
- Banana
I know I know most of you people are shocked. Most people avoid bananas altogether when they try to lose weight because bananas are high in sugar also they are calories dense. Bananas are also extremely nutritionally dense they contain potassium, magnesium, manganese, anti-oxidants, fiber, and vitamins in good amounts.
Bananas have a special type of starch that is known as resistant starch. Some studies have shown that it increases the production of healthy bacteria’s in the gut and that leads to the production of butyric acid. butyric acid reduces your insulin resistance and improves the blood sugar response to the food that you eat that will help you control your weight.
Some studies also showed that eating bananas it reduced blood glucose level in type 2 diabetes and resulted in an increase in weight loss. It doesn’t mean that you can sit around and just eat bananas all day only this way fruits for weight loss won’t work.
A 100 gram of banana consists of 89 calories and 23 grams of carbohydrates and 2.6 grams of dietary fiber. The fiber in bananas can also help with regular bowel movements and other stomach issues.
A tip to eat bananas – Bananas in the unripped states have relatively low levels of sugar. So you want to eat them while they are hard and slightly green in color this will help you fill up without a sudden large spike in your blood sugar. When they start to get black marks on them sugar starts to become the problem.
2. Avocados
The 100 grams serving of Avocados contains 160 calories and 9 grams of carbohydrates of which 7 grams are dietary fiber. It also has 10 grams of Monounsaturated fat, Monounsaturated fat is good for your health in several ways such as they can help lower your LDL (bad cholesterol level). Keeping your cholesterol level low can help you reduce the risk for some heart diseases and stroke. Monounsaturated fat also helps develop and maintain your cells.
Eating avocados will be good for your health and help you lose weight but there is another trick that will help you just use avocados oil for cooking instead of your regular oil. Avocados oil has shown to reduce visceral fat around your belly.
While avocados are offering good fat, is nutritionally rich and low in calories it also suppresses your appetite so eating avocados will make you feel fuller and give your will a boost to avoid unhealthy eating. So making avocados-centric dishes will help you a lot in reducing your hunger.
Don’t just look at their fat content despite that they help you lose and maintain the weight that makes avocados a go-to fruit for weight loss.
3. Orange
Oranges are very low in calories a 100 gram serving of orange will contain 47 calories and 12 grams of carbohydrates and of which 2.4 grams are dietary fiber. Oranges are high in vitamin C and fiber and vitamin C intake should be high when you’re trying to lose weight and orange can fulfill your daily vitamin C requirement.
Orange is considered to be twice as fulling as a granola bar… imagine that. Now problem is that most people drink orange juice instead of eating it one when you drink orange juice it has added sugar and the fiber that you needed is removed. So eating an orange instead of drinking its juice will help you reduce your calorie intake.
Another downside to orange juice is that it can have twice the amount of calories and sugar when compared to orange.
4. Apple
“An apple a day keeps the doctor away” you must have heard of it and it can also help you with weight loss. Apples are a great source of antioxidants and soluble and insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber is found in apple skin making it a filling fruit for weight loss and also helping in controlling our appetite.
A 100 gram serving of apple will contain 52 calories making it a low-calorie fruit and 14 grams of carbohydrates of which 2.4 will be dietary fiber.
In a study, women were divided into 3 groups and were given 3 apples, 3 pears, and 3 cookies with the exact same calorie value for the next 10 weeks per day… The study has shown that the apple group has lost 0.91 kg and the pear group lost 0.84 kg while there was no change in the cookie group(1).
Apples can help you control your blood sugar level, the high fiber means that fruit sugar will be released in your bloodstream a lot slower so there will be no spike in your insulin level.
You can add them into hot/cold cereal, in yogurt or salad but don’t drink apple juice instead eat it.
5. Grapes
Grapes may contain high sugar when compared to other fruits but grape contains a chemical known as “polyphenols”. Polyphenols have several health benefits such as it slows down aging and it protects you from cancer although what is the cause of it there are further studies need in this.
Grapes are full of antioxidants and vitamins they also contain resveratrol it is a natural and a phytoalexin produced by several plants it can be found in the seeds and skin of the grapes. Grapes have shown to stimulate the development of energy-consuming brown fat rather than obesity-causing white fat. Brown fat starts to burn calories in order to create heat whereas white fat just sit in your body as reserve energy.
Red grapes are the best for weight loss as they contain ellagic acid. Ellagic acid has been shown to slow down the growth of existing fat cells and also discourages the production of new fat cells however there has been no human trial done and it needs further study. As grapes are high in sugar you should eat them in moderation otherwise no fruits for weight loss will help you.
6. Grapefruit
Grapefruit is very low in calories and is packed with various vitamins and minerals. Some researches have shown that it can help you lose weight. A 100 grams serving of grapefruit contains 42 calories. Grapefruit has a secret weapon with it that can help you lose weight that is “AMPK”.
adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase or for short AMPK is an enzyme. When AMPK gets activated it encourages glucose uptake in our body this then boosts the metabolism eventually leading you towards more calories burned. It also releases whenever you workout it tells the body to use body fat stored as a source of energy.
High blood sugar level and high insulin level promotes weight gain so grapefruit can help you manage blood sugar and insulin level.
Like orange, grapefruit is also rich in vitamin C, If you don’t get enough vitamin C your body won’t be able to use stored fat. Eating half a grapefruit before a meal will help you reduce your overall food intake.
7. Berries
Another great example of fruit that is naturally low in calories will be berries. Berries are filled with antioxidants that give them vibrant colors. Anti-oxidants in berries have been linked with lowering the risk of many different types of cancer with the addition of improving memory and counter the effects of old aging.
Berries are also a great source of fiber that will make you feel full for longer. Eating berries before your main meal will help you eat less thus, in turn, reducing your calorie intake. There are some studies that show eating berries can help you bring down your cholesterol level and reduce blood pressure. Berries also reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries have a low amount of carbohydrates, unlike blueberries that are high in sugar. Berries can be eaten with cereal, yogurt, mixed with baked food, or by making a healthy smoothie.
8. Pomegranate
Pomegranate is low in calories that make it an ideal choice for the person trying to lose weight. Pomegranate is packed with vitamin C, potassium, and fibers (the majority of that fiber is found in white seed). Anti-oxidants in pomegranate helps to protect your immune system. Pomegranate helps to flush out all the toxins from your body.
Pomegranate is also rich in polyphenols (natural fat burners also prevent fat accumulation in the body) so making this fruit part of your diet will improve your metabolism and speed up your digestive system. I know peeling the skin off is a hassle but you’re doing it for your better health. Pomegranate is also shown to be helpful in controlling your appetite.
9. Kiwi
Kiwi is very nutritionally dense and they are a rich source of vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin C, and dietary fiber they also have various significant health benefits. Kiwi is also low in calories per 100 gram serving has 61 calories so it’s safe to say an average single kiwi will consist of 40 to 45 calories making it a good choice from fruits for weight loss.
Kiwi has also shown to reduce or blood sugar levels after eating high sugar food. Kiwis are also very high in omega 3 and fatty acids, apart from brain health omega have shown to remove Triglycerides from your bloodstream and also help lowering inflammation while at the same time it will be strengthening your joints.
As kiwi is high in fiber, an high fiber food has shown to help you lose weight, improve fullness, and improves your gut health too.
10. Watermelon
From the list of fruits for weight loss, it is my favorite. People avoid eating watermelon because of its natural sugar content but it also low in calories a 100 gram of serving consists of 30 calories and as the name suggests 90% of it is made out of water. Eating watermelon will make sure that your body stays hydrated one of the reasons people love eating watermelon in summer.
When you have plenty of water in your body it will automatically start flushing out toxins out it. Watermelon will help you feel satiated for a long period of time thus ensuring a decrease in your calorie intake. Some of the other benefits of watermelon are it will keep you hydrated, improves heart health, relieves muscle soreness, rich in vitamins A and C, etc.
Watermelon is lycopene, It will increase the level of arginine (It is an amino acid that will improve your fat-burning potential).
11. Pear
Like other fruits for weight loss, Pear is also low in calories and is packed with nutrients they are also rich in anti-oxidants. A 100 grams of pear serving will contain 57 calories and 15 grams of carbohydrates of that 3.1 gram will be dietary fiber. Pear is rich in fiber pectin which is known to suppress our hunger. It will also help you stabilize your cholesterol level.
Pear has a low glycemic load that means slower absorption of sugar so there won’t be any spike in your blood sugar level. If your blood sugar stays in check it will automatically suppress your cravings.
12. Muskmelon
Muskmelon is one of the best fruit you can eat when it comes to the weight loss and 100 gram serving consists of only 34 calories. Muskmelon are rich in “beta-carotene”. Beta-carotene is also known as natural fat burner. As muskmelon are high in water content just like watermelon they give you sense of fullness thus reducing your appetite.
Being low in calories and high in water it makes muskmelon an ideal choice of fruit when you’re trying to lose weight. Muskmelon is also good for your blood pressure and improves digestion.
Conclusion
While all these fruits for weight loss will help you can’t just rely on them and eat unhealthily and hoping to lose some weight. Fruits for weight loss should be accompanied by a healthy and active lifestyle. While fruits do provide nutrients you should go for a whole fruit diet then you will be getting sufficient other nutrients such as calcium, iron, protein, and zinc.
This sums up fruits for weight loss and I hope your future cravings can be suppressed by eating fruits.