The Best Fruits for Weight Loss
In general, any whole fruit has the potential to be an effective food for weight loss. Fruits have low energy-dense levels, meaning their nutrient and fiber counts are high for a relatively large serving size with few calories. The fruits with the most fiber tend to be among the most nutritious and filling, and they are the natural choices for best weight loss foods.
Why Fiber?
High-fiber foods are associated with successful weight loss for a couple of reasons. For one, fibrous foods tend to be more filling. Dr. Melina Jampolis, physician nutrition specialist for CNN.com, wrote in a 2012 article that fiber slows the rate food empties from your stomach, which prevents a spike in blood sugar levels and eases hunger pangs. Go Ask Alice 2! at Columbia Health notes that fiber also has the potential to block some digestion of fat and protein, meaning that people who eat more fiber may actually absorb fewer calories than they consume 2.
- High-fiber foods are associated with successful weight loss for a couple of reasons.
Nutrition Information
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Berries are among the highest fiber fruits and the best for weight loss. In a single 100-calorie serving, which is usually just over a cup, raspberries have 8 grams of fiber and blackberries have 7.6 grams. Apples, pears and strawberries all have about half that amount in the same serving size. Dried fruits such as figs and cherries typically have a lot of fiber as well, but their calorie counts per serving tend to be higher, and they almost always contain some added sugar.
- Berries are among the highest fiber fruits and the best for weight loss.
- In a single 100-calorie serving, which is usually just over a cup, raspberries have 8 grams of fiber and blackberries have 7.6 grams.
Serving Suggestions
If you’re watching your weight, try to keep your calorie count down at all meals and snacks while still eating foods that fill you up. Rather than pairing a handful of berries with a scoop of ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce, sprinkle the berries on top of a fresh salad that features other high-fiber foods such as avocado, sliced veggies and whole grain croutons. You can also eat fruits plain as an alternative to more calorie-rich desserts. If you’re preparing fruits yourself, keep the skin on – it’s where most of that filling fiber lies.
- If you’re watching your weight, try to keep your calorie count down at all meals and snacks while still eating foods that fill you up.
A Weight Loss Plan
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Eating fiber-rich whole fruits is a good strategy for weight loss, but it’s only one part of a bigger plan 3. Fruits have about three times the typical calorie counts of vegetables, so it is possible to put on weight by going overboard with your serving sizes. To slim down and keep the weight off, work with your doctor or a registered dietitian to develop a well-balanced eating plan that features filling fruits along with other low-calorie, low energy-dense foods.
Related Articles
References
- CNN.com: What Exactly Does Fiber Do?
- Columbia Health - Go Ask Alice!: Benefits of Eating Fiber
- AskDrSears.com: Top 10 Fiber-Rich Fruits
- CNN.com: Can Eating Too Much Fruit Keep Me From Losing Weight?
- Veronese N, Solmi M, Caruso MG, et al. Dietary fiber and health outcomes: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Am J Clin Nutr. 2018;107(3):436-444. doi:10.1093/ajcn/nqx082
- Slavin JL, Lloyd B. Health benefits of fruits and vegetables. Adv Nutr. 2012;3(4):506-516. doi:10.3945/an.112.002154
- Raspberries, raw. FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published April 1, 2019.
- Edamame, shelled. FoodData Central. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Published April 1, 2019.
- El-Salhy M, Ystad SO, Mazzawi T, Gundersen D. Dietary fiber in irritable bowel syndrome (Review). Int J Mol Med. 2017;40(3):607–613. doi:10.3892/ijmm.2017.3072
- Ma Y, Hu M, Zhou L, et al. Dietary fiber intake and risks of proximal and distal colon cancers: A meta-analysis. Medicine (Baltimore). 2018;97(36):e11678. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000011678
- Ma Y, Olendzki BC, Wang J, et al. Single-component versus multicomponent dietary goals for the metabolic syndrome: A randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2015;162(4):248-57. doi:10.7326/M14-0611
- Kim Y, Je Y. Dietary fibre intake and mortality from cardiovascular disease and all cancers: A meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Arch Cardiovasc Dis. 2016;109(1):39-54. doi:10.1016/j.acvd.2015.09.005
- Hajishafiee M, Saneei P, Benisi-Kohansal S, Esmaillzadeh A. Cereal fibre intake and risk of mortality from all causes, CVD, cancer and inflammatory diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Br J Nutr. 2016;116(2):343-52. doi:10.1017/S0007114516001938
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2015 – 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th Edition.
- Juraschek SP, Miller ER 3rd, Weaver CM, Appel LJ. Effects of sodium reduction and the DASH diet in relation to baseline blood pressure. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2017;70(23):2841–2848. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2017.10.011
Writer Bio
Carly Schuna is a Wisconsin-based professional writer, editor and copy editor/proofreader. She has worked with hundreds of pieces of fiction, nonfiction, children's literature, feature stories and corporate content. Her expertise on food, cooking, nutrition and fitness information comes from a Level 1 personal training certification and years of in-depth study.