The key to weight loss is to burn more calories than you take in. You need a deficit of 3,500 calories to lose one pound of weight. You can achieve this through a combination of exercise and reducing the calories in your diet. The American Council on Exercise recommends that you only try to lose 1 to 2 lbs. per week to stay healthy. Certain foods can help you lose weight, and almonds and prunes are among them.
Almonds
The magnesium in almonds helps to control your blood sugar. When you have steady blood sugar, you are less likely gain weight by overeating, according to Dr. David Katz of the Yale University School of Medicine. Further, although almonds contain a lot of fat, they seem to block your body from absorbing all of their fat.
Prunes
When fruit is dried, it becomes concentrated so it is easy to eat too much, as you get more calories in a smaller serving size. A 1/4-cup serving of prunes contains 100 calories, so you should eat them in moderation. However, they have no fat.
Fiber
Prunes and almonds both contain fiber, which helps to control your weight. A 1-oz. serving of almonds has 3 g of dietary fiber and a 1/4-cup serving of prunes provides 2 g of fiber. Soluble fiber slows down digestion so you stay fuller longer. This can result in eating less, causing weight loss. Fiber also regulates your blood sugar. Further, foods that contain a lot of fiber make you chew more so you're not likely to overeat.
Considerations
It is important to eat almonds in moderation. Although they can promote weight loss, if you eat too many, they can cause weight gain. This is because almonds, along with other nuts, are high in fat and calories. Granted, they do contain healthful unsaturated fat, which is credited with lowering your risk of heart disease. Nonetheless, too much fat and too many calories can cause you to gain weight. A 1-oz. serving of almonds, which is about 24 nuts, has 170 calories and 15 g of total fat. As for prunes, they contain a high amount of sugar, with 13 g in a 1/4-cup serving.
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