14 Best Fruits For Weight Loss 2024 – According To Nutritionists

Achieving and maintaining a healthy weight requires a comprehensive approach that includes a healthy diet, regular exercise, stress management, and avoiding unhealthy habits. When it comes to diet, incorporating fruits into your meals can be an effective and delicious way to support natural and healthy weight loss. Some of the best fruits for weight loss are high in fiber and antioxidants that can help boost metabolism, and citrus fruits like grapefruits and lemons, are low in calories and can help regulate blood sugar levels. 

Fruits are packed with nutrients, fiber, and natural sweetness like fructose, which can provide a satisfying sweetness without the negative impacts of processed sugars. Incorporating a variety of fruits into your diet can be a smart and delicious way to lower body weight.

14 Best Fruits To Eat For Weight Loss 2024

All kinds of fruit can be part of a diet that supports successful weight loss and healthy metabolism. However, studies show that the following fruit choices may be especially supportive of weight loss.

This may be because there are more studies on these fruits in particular that show they are the most effective for healthy metabolism and weight loss. If you want to eat more foods as part of a weight-healthy diet, the following are considered some of the best fruits for weight loss.

Apple

As the saying goes, “An apple away keeps the doctor away”. It may help keep away those extra pounds, too.

A 2018 review^[1] on apples and weight loss showed that eating fresh, whole apples or drinking apple juice regularly has a correlation with successful weight loss in both humans and animals (including overweight or obese individuals).

Avocado

Though technically a nut, avocado tends to be considered and consumed like a fruit. It has tons of nutrients including “good-for-you” healthy fats, like omega-3 fatty acids. Avocado was shown to play an important role in weight loss during a 2019 randomized trial. Surprisingly, one aspect of how eating avocados helped with weight loss was by supporting a healthier gut and promoting an increase in probiotic gut bacteria. Additionally, a decrease in serum HGF, which is found to increase in the human body, has been associated with type 1 and 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and obesity.

Banana

This yellow fruit, famous for its high potassium, could help promote weight loss there is a catch. On their own, bananas are higher in natural sugars than in fiber and may not be the top choice for weight loss.

That said, starchy banana varieties (like plantains) that are low in sugar are excellent for supporting weight loss, as they are high in fiber but lower in sugar (a combination known to be very effective in foods for weight loss). In addition, the health benefits of using green banana products like green banana flour^[2] are beneficial for those with gastrointestinal symptoms/diseases, followed by glycemic/insulin metabolism, weight control, and renal and liver complications associated with diabetes.

Berries

Many fruits are great for weight loss because they boost your fiber intake. Berries are a category of fruit that have one extra on other fruits because they contain other weight loss-supporting nutrients.

Many berries (like raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and more) also contain plenty of fiber, but are also high in antioxidants-like anthocyanins-which help fight free radicals and curb inflammation in the body. These antioxidants can also play a role in restoring healthy metabolism and promoting natural, healthy weight loss by fighting this type of inflammation. Also, a study^[3] has shown that berries represent an intriguing possibility for the treatment of obesity-induced inflammation and associated comorbidities.

Drupes (Stone Fruit)

Another category of fruit, drupes (also known as stone fruit), are defined as fruits that have a large central seed at their core surrounded by sweet flesh. These types of fruit include peaches, apricots, cherries, plums, and more. Studies on different drupes show they support natural weight loss by helping regulate blood sugars. Peaches,^[4] apricots^, and plums each have studies showing their blood sugar benefits for both natural weight loss and reducing diabetic risk (which can involve weight gain).

Grapefruits

Grapefruit may be one of the top choices among the best fruits for weight loss. After all, it has an entire weight loss diet named after it: The Grapefruit Diet (though this diet doesn’t actually have much to do with grapefruit at all).

All the same, this citrus fruit is lower on the sugar scale while being higher in bitter compounds and antioxidant phytochemicals. This is why grapefruit (and grapefruit juice) is considered one of the best fruits you can eat or drink for supporting healthy weight loss.

Studies even show^[5] that it has an anti-diabetic effect which can play a positive role in preventing unwanted weight gain, too.

Kiwi

This round, green-fleshed, and brown-skinned fruit is a common recommendation for those with diabetes, as it is very tasty but does not cause blood sugar spikes. These effects from kiwi are also beneficial for reducing the risk of unwanted weight gain.

Studies confirm^[6] that kiwi works for health in this way by helping regulate blood sugar, and insulin levels and a more balanced metabolism.

Lemon

Lemon and other types of citrus fruits can be powerful foods for supporting weight loss. This is especially the case for low-sugar ones (like grapefruit or lime) similar to lemon, as the less sugar and more fiber- these fruits contain the better they are for a healthy metabolism and a reduced chance of weight gain.

One study^[7] on lemons also showed that the juice could support healthy weight loss in test subjects.

Mango

This tropical fruit may be one of the best fruits for weight loss because it is high in natural digestive enzymes. These enzymes include amylase, invertase, and catalase.

Natural digestive enzymes can help the body assimilate both sugars and fiber better, which can then have a beneficial overall effect on weight. One study^[8] showed that mango helped “level” blood sugars in obese people helpful first step towards weight loss and preventing further weight gain.

Papaya

Papaya, like mango, also contains natural digestive enzymes that can support healthy blood sugars and promote a healthier weight. One highly studied digestive enzyme special to this tropical fruit is called papain, which is connected to helping regulate blood sugars.

Research^[9] supports papaya as a “nutraceutical” food that can help support metabolic disorders and obesity alike. It’s possible it does this by playing a role as a beneficial weight loss-supporting food.

Pear

This close relative to apple is often touted by nutritionists as beneficial to diabetes and other metabolic syndromes: Conditions known to cause unhealthy weight gain or obesity in many people.

Pear is low on the glycemic index and has been shown in studies^[10] to support healthy blood glucose levels. This can contribute to maintaining a healthy weight and weight loss if made a reasonably regular part of one’s diet and can be a helpful food to eat for those struggling with both diabetes and weight.

Pineapple

Yet another tropical fruit in the same vein as papaya and mango, pineapple contains potent digestive enzymes like bromelain that can help the body process sugars and other nutrients more easily. Something like this could potentially support a healthier weight if eaten regularly.

One study on bromelain from pineapple showed that it had strong anti-obesity effects on human test participants.

Orange

All citrus fruits could be considered some of the best fruits for a weight loss journey. Oranges are no exception! One study^[11] showed that when people ate a healthy caloric diet but also consumed a healthy form of orange juice (low in sugar), this reduced obesity markers and supported natural weight loss.

Watermelon

Watermelon is a fruit with many health benefits. This can include supporting healthy metabolism and regulating blood sugars, both of which can lead to better health that fosters natural aid weight loss. and maintaining proper weight. One study^[12] showed that consumption of watermelon regularly by test subjects helped them feel fuller more easily, on top of helping balance out metabolism and reducing obesity risk.

Can Fruits Aid Weight Loss? 

Eating more fruit is definitely a positive eating habit that contributes to supporting weight loss. One study,^[13] among many others, showed that fruit (and vegetable) intake helped people lose weight. In this particular study assessment was on the utilization of transtheoretical stages of change (TTM SOC) in weight management programs designed for overweight and obese adults, with a particular emphasis on its impact on weight loss, dietary habits, physical activity, and behavioral changes.

How To Consume Fruits For Weight Loss?

Eating whole fruits ensures you get all the fiber along with the sugar, phytochemicals, digestive enzymes, and other nutrients to promote a state of metabolism that fosters natural weight loss in the body.

The second best way to consume fresh fruit for weight loss is in smoothie form as a nutrient-dense snack or a healthy dessert. This keeps all the fiber important for promoting natural weight loss and also makes the most fiber-rich parts of the fruits easier to consume (like skins, rinds, or peels).

Fruit juices can also be good for you. However, this can eliminate a lot of the fiber in the process, which is one of the most important nutrients for catalyzing natural weight loss. Fruit juices can cause sugar spikes that may be detrimental for both people with diabetes and those wanting to control body weight.

Whenever possible, be sure to consume the rinds, skins, or peels of the fruit you are eating. These parts of the fruit contain most of the phytochemicals, compounds, and fiber connected to the weight loss benefits in fruits. This includes watermelon rinds, banana peels, citrus peels, kiwi skins, and more.

Conclusion

In conclusion, incorporating fruit into a healthy and balanced diet can be beneficial for weight loss, as certain fruits provide essential nutrients and fiber that support overall health. However, it is important to recognize that relying solely on fruit consumption without making other necessary changes to diet and lifestyle may not be effective for weight loss. 

It is essential to work with a healthcare professional or nutritionist to develop a comprehensive plan that addresses all aspects of a healthy eating pattern to achieve sustainable weight loss goals. Therefore, while eating fruits can be a helpful addition to a healthy weight management plan, it should be viewed as one part of a larger effort to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. 

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