There are dozens of potential weight-loss methods, but the National Institutes of Health notes that the only proven, safe and reliable way to slim down is to burn more calories than you consume over an extended period of time. You can certainly do that by eating only fruits and vegetables, but it is not a balanced or healthy way to eat.
Nutrition Facts
Fruits and vegetables tend to work well for weight loss because they have low energy densities. That means their fiber and water counts are high and their fat and calorie counts are low, so you can eat them in large amounts and still create a calorie deficit. The USDA states that a cup of chopped carrots has about 50 calories, a cup of broccoli has 30 and a cup of raw spinach has only seven. Fruit has slightly higher calorie counts per serving. One cup of watermelon has 45 calories, a cup of strawberries has 60, an orange has 70, an apple has 95 and a banana has 105.
Health Benefits
There are a myriad of potential benefits to eating more fruits and vegetables. Fresh or cooked fruits and veggies contain some of the highest amounts of dietary fiber of any foods, and the fiber can help regulate weight control and result in safe weight loss. Increasing the number of servings of fruits and vegetables that you eat can also help reduce your risk of chronic health conditions such as diabetes, bone loss, cancer, heart attack, kidney stones and stroke.
Health Risks
However, there are also risks to eating only fruits and vegetables. Severely restricting your eating plan by excluding major food groups is known as a fad diet, and fad diets may not provide all of the nutrients your body needs. Specifically, vegetables and fruits contain only low amounts of protein and healthy fat, and neglecting to meet recommended daily allowances of those nutrients and other vitamins and minerals may result in deficiencies. Relying too heavily on just a single food group or two can also destroy a diet and result in weight gain. Dr. Melina Jampolis, physician nutrition specialist for CNN.com, recommends limiting your fruit servings to three per day when you're trying to lose weight because fruit has almost three times the calorie amount per serving as vegetables do.
Considerations
The National Institutes of Health recommends that you eat daily servings of lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy products in addition to fruits and vegetables when you are trying to lose weight so that you have a better chance of meeting all of your nutritional needs. Before severely restricting your diet or starting any new eating plan, speak with your doctor.
References
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Nutrient Data Laboratory
- MyPyramid.gov: Why Is It Important to Eat Vegetables?
- Weight-control Information Network; Weight-Loss and Nutrition Myths; March 2009
- CNNhealth.com; Can Eating Too Much Fruit Keep Me from Losing Weight?; Dr. Melina Jampolis; August 2009
- Mayo Clinic; Energy Density and Weight Loss - Feel Full on Fewer Calories; January 2011
- MedlinePlus; Tips for Losing Weight; October 2009
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