Fruits contain high levels of antioxidants, phytochemicals, vitamins and minerals as well as being low in calories and fat. These things make them a vital part of any diet and especially useful for people who are trying to lose weight. Some fruits go beyond the general health benefits, though, and actually have the power to help you lose weight just through adding them to the diet. The best part is that these fruits aren't some mysterious exotic varieties you might have a hard time locating at the local grocery store, but are things you probably have in your fridge right now.
Apples and Pears
In a study led by Maria Conceiçao de Oliveira, R.D., Ph.D, of the State University of Rio de Janeiro, and published in the journal "Nutrition" in April 2003, overweight women who ate 300 grams of apples or pears a day while on a low-calorie diet lost more weight than women on the same diet without the fruit. The researchers theorized that the extra weight loss may be partly due to the fiber content of the fruits, since fiber helps make you feel full after eating it and causes people to eat fewer calories overall.
Grapefruit
You've probably heard of the grapefruit diet, and while no nutritionist promotes eating only grapefruit, or overdoing it on any single food, there may be some truth to the idea that grapefruit promotes fat burning. A study presented at the 228th ACS National Meeting in Philadelphia in August 2004 by Japanese scientist K. Fujioka indicated that whole grapefruit and grapefruit juice both worked to help people lose pounds. Participants in the study ate half a grapefruit before each of their three daily meals. They didn't make any other changes to their diets, but lost a little over 3 1/2 pounds during the 12-week study. The researchers indicated that this might be the result of grapefruit's ability to regulate insulin and blood sugar. Grapefruit also appears to reduce appetite.
Raspberries
In other research coming out of Japan, Dr C. Morimoto and colleagues found potential anti-obesity activity in raspberry ketones, the components of raspberries that give the fruit its distinctive aroma. This effect has not yet been studied in humans, but the Japanese scientists published their work with fat cells and in mouse models in the journal Life Science in February 2005. Raspberries may or may not have similar effects in humans, but their overall nutritional profile makes them a good addition to any weight loss diet. They are high in antioxidants, low in calories and high in fiber, a healthy combination.
References
- US Apple Association: An Apple a Day
- Fujioka K, Effects of grapefruit and grapefruit products on weight and metabolic syndrome. The 228th ACS National Meeting. Philadelphia, PA, 2004 Aug.
- Morimoto C, Satoh Y, Hara M, Inoue S, Tsujita T, Okuda. "Anti-obese action of raspberry ketone". Life Sci. 77. 2005
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