Fruits are a recommended dietary staple because they provide you with high levels of fiber, vitamins, minerals and natural sugars. The amount of sugar and calories in a serving of fruit is usually low. Include appropriate portions of fruit in your weight loss program to deliver the health benefits of fruit and promote long-term healthy eating patterns.
Filling Fiber
The high fiber concentration in fruit may aid weight loss by helping you feel less hungry. Fiber absorbs water in your intestines, generating a feeling of fullness. Additionally, the fiber in fruits slows your digestive processes, prolonging the fullness you experience after eating. The amount of fiber in a cup of fresh fruit varies; examples include an apple, 2.6 grams; orange, 4.3 grams; banana, 3.9 grams; peach, 2.3 grams; strawberries, 3.3 grams; pineapple, 2.3 grams; sweet cherries, 2.9 grams; and grapes, 1.4 grams. Whole fruit is a better option than fruit juice when you are dieting because processing removes most of the fiber.
Low Calorie Density
To lose body fat, you must burn more calories than you consume. Eting foods with a low calorie density, defined as few calories per unit volume, helps keep your daily intake within the range necessary for weight loss. Most types of fruit are low-calorie-density foods. For example, a medium-sized apple, banana or pear contains roughly 100 calories; a medium-sized orange or peach contains approximately 60 calories. Eating low calorie-density foods, such as fruit and vegetables, may help you avoid feeling hungry while dieting because the volume of food you consume for a given calorie intake is greater, compared to high calorie-density foods. By curbing your hunger, eating fruit may help you stay on your diet and reach your goal weight.
Substitution not Addition
Adding fruit to your usual diet will not lead to weight loss if you consume more calories than you burn. To take advantage of the low calorie density of fruit while dieting, use fruit as a substitute for high-calorie foods. For example, a cup of fresh strawberries contains two-thirds fewer calories than a cup of potato chips. Substituting a medium-sized orange for a plain bagel in your breakfast shaves roughly 200 calories from your intake. As you plan your meals and snacks, take advantage of the diversity of flavors and textures available with different varieties of fruit to prevent feeling bored or deprived while dieting.
Vitamin and Mineral Source
Dieting should improve, not sabotage, your good health. Fruit is an important component of a healthful diet, providing you with several essential vitamins and minerals. For example, oranges, grapefruit, peaches, strawberries, papayas and kiwis are rich in vitamin C. Apricots, plums, watermelon, mangoes, papayas and pink grapefruit are good sources of vitamin A. Fruit also contains minerals absorbed from the soil, such as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and selenium. Including fruit in your nutrition plan while dieting may help boost your long-term intake of these healthful foods. A diet rich in fruit and vegetables reduces your risk of heart disease, stroke, cataracts and diverticulitis.
References
- United States Department of Agriculture; Why is it Important to Eat Fruit?; June 2011
- "American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide"; Roberta Larson Duyff, M.S., R.D., et al.; 2006
- USDA Agricultural Research Service: What's in the Foods You Eat Search Tool
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; How to Use Fruits and Vegetables to Help Manage Your Weight; August 2011
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Can Eating Fruits and Vegetables Help People to Manage Their Weight?; November 2004
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18, Vitamin C, Total Ascorbic Acid (mg) Content of Selected Foods per Common Measure
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 18, Vitamin A, IU Content of Selected Foods per Common Measure
- Harvard School of Public Health: Vegetables and Fruits: Get Plenty Every Day
Member Comments