Research shows that many people do not have enough fruits and vegetables in their diet. However, diets rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of many chronic diseases, including some cancers.
They also provide minerals, vitamins, and fiber to your diet, which are important for overall health. Making it a habit to replace high calorie food with fruit can help with weight reduction while helping you feel satisfied.
This article explores how eating fruit can help you lose weight and which fruits are best for contributing to weight loss.
How can fruit help with weight loss?
Whole fruits, meaning the entirety of the fruit, are excellent sources of dietary fiber. According to 2018 research, dietary fiber has several health benefits, such as improving gut health and decreasing your risk of the following conditions:
- elevated cholesterol
- weight gain and obesity
- cardiovascular disease
- coronary heart disease
- several cancers
- stroke
- type 2 diabetes
Regarding weight loss, high fiber foods digest slower, which can help you feel full for longer. In addition, fiber adds bulk to your meal or snack without adding too many calories.
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025, adults should eat about 1.5–2 cups of fruit each day. In general, fruits tend to be low in calories which are important when trying to lose weight.
Part of weight loss is decreasing your caloric intake and increasing your energy output. Therefore, swapping out fruit for other high calorie snacks will help you achieve a lower and healthier calorie intake level.
Another bonus about fruits is their natural sweetness, which can curb urges to eat sugary snacks.
Learn more about fiber, including recommended daily allowance.
Best fruits for weight loss
The list could be extensive about which fruits to eat for weight loss. However, anytime you exchange a high calorie snack for a fruit, you are on the right track.
The following fruits are generally easily available and examples of fruits that are high in fiber or water content and low in calories.
Melons are not only low in calories, but they are also high in water content, making them weight-loss friendly. Increasing your water intake may help with weight loss.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) details how much fiber and calories melons contain, including watermelon, honeydew melon, and cantaloupe. One cup or 134 g of each contains around:
- Watermelon: 40 calories and 4 g of fiber.
- Honeydew: 50 calories and 4 g of fiber.
- Cantaloupe: 50 calories and 4 g of fiber.
Melons also contain a great amount of potassium and vitamins A and C, which support a healthy immune system.
Melons can liven up a fruit salad or cool you off on a summer afternoon. Enjoy them sliced, cubed, balled, blended into a smoothie, or frozen in a popsicle.
Stone fruits are deliciously sweet seasonal fruits with a seed or pit inside. They include fruits such as peaches, plums, nectarines, and cherries.
The FDA details how much fiber and calories stone fruits contain.
- Peaches: 1 medium peach is about 60 calories and 8 g of fiber.
- Plums: 2 medium plums are about 70 calories and 8 g of fiber.
- Nectarines: 1 medium nectarine is about 60 calories and 8 g of fiber.
- Cherries: 1 cup or 140 g of cherries is about 100 calories and 4 g of fiber.
Stone fruits are also a great source of potassium, an important mineral that helps regulate muscle, nerve, and heart function.
Stone fruits are delicious served fresh, added to warm porridge, or added to your cooking or baking.
Pineapple is a tropical fruit exploding with flavor. It is also a rich source of essential minerals and vitamins.
Two round slices of pineapple, about 3/4-inch thick, contain about 50 calories and 4 g of fiber. Substituting pineapple for another high calorie snack is a great choice for sticking to your weight loss goals.
Along with being low calorie, pineapple also contains properties which:
- reduce inflammation
- boost your immune system
- assists with the functioning of your nervous system
Not only is pineapple delicious on its own or mixed in a fruit salad, pineapple is also great grilled or added to baked goods.
Berries are tasty, flavor-filled snacks packed with health benefits. One cup or 134 g includes approximately:
Berries are very perishable, handle them with care and eat them within a couple of days of purchase.
Enjoy them fresh, in salads or smoothies.
Tangerines are easy on-the-go snacks, and their easy-to-peel skin makes them even more appealing.
They are high in water content, vitamin C, and other minerals. One medium tangerine is about 50 calories and 8 g of fiber.
Tangerines are great on their own or added to a fresh salad or salsa.
Grapes are a refreshing snack to fulfill sugar cravings. They are sweet but also full of water and are low calorie, helping you stay hydrated without adding too many calories.
About 3/4 cup or 126 g of grapes are about 90 calories and 4 g of fiber.
Eating fresh grapes is not the same as eating raisins, however. A small box of raisins, about 1/4 cup, is around 100 calories. However, you can eat a whole cup of fresh grapes for the same calories.
Enjoy grapes as a snack, add them to a charcuterie board, or chop them up and add them to salads.
Apples are another easy on-the-go snack. They have a high amount of fiber which will help you feel full for longer.
Several studies found apples to be beneficial for maintaining a healthy weight. Rather than grabbing a chocolate bar for a snack, grab an apple instead.
One large apple is about 130 calories and 20 g of fiber.
Apples are delicious raw, chopped up, and added to yogurt, cereals, or baked.
Oranges are low in calories and high in fiber, water, and vitamins, making them a great snack substitution.
But rather than drinking orange juice, eat the whole orange instead. This is because juice loses the fruit’s fiber, which is what will help you feel full for longer.
One medium orange is about 80 calories and 12 g of fiber.
Oranges taste great on their own or added to salads or desserts.
Some people love grapefruits, while others may think they are too tart. Half a grapefruit, however, has an abundance of water, fiber, and your daily need of vitamin C intake.
One medium grapefruit is about 60 calories and 8 g of fiber.
There are, however, some medications that grapefruit may interfere with, such as:
- cholesterol medications
- blood pressure medications
- organ transplant antirejection medications
- antianxiety medications
- corticosteroids
- heart rhythm medications
- antihistamines
The medication’s packaging should state if you should avoid grapefruit.
You can slice grapefruit up on its own, or it is also delicious in salads.
Kiwifruits are a small but mighty fruit packed with nutrition and health benefits linked to digestive, immune, and metabolic health.
Two medium kiwis are about 90 calories and 16 g of fiber. They are also very high in vitamin C and antioxidants, helping you stay healthy.
Kiwi is tasty peeled, or eaten with the skin on. Serve it on its own or add it to salads.
How to enjoy fruit for the best weight loss benefits
Although this article cannot list every fruit and its benefits, all fruit is a healthy choice when you want to manage your weight. However, there are better ways to enjoy fruit than others.
Canned and frozen fruits are great options and can be just as nutritious as fresh fruit. However, avoid ones with added sugar, syrup, or cream sauces, as those have additional calories.
Many people enjoy juicing, and while there may be health benefits to that method, you do lose the benefit of the fiber from the fruit. Eating whole fruit rather than the juice of the fruit will help you stay full longer and prevent any unneeded calories from extra eating.
Dried fruit may also be a great snack or addition to trail mix. However, whole fresh fruit gives you a larger and more filling snack than dried fruit.
Frequently asked questions
Here are some common questions about fruits and weight loss.
What is the best fruit for weight loss?
All fruits are low in calories and are healthy choices when losing weight. Some fruits are higher in fiber, such as apples and oranges, which may help you feel fuller for longer.
What are the best fruits and vegetables for weight loss?
Fruits and vegetables are all nutrient-packed foods that add fiber to your diet to help you feel full without adding extra calories.
Learning to substitute other foods or snacks for vegetables and fruits will help you achieve your weight management goals.
What fruits should I avoid for weight loss?
All fruits have health benefits and should be part of your diet. Rather than avoiding certain fruits, avoid processed and high calorie foods that do not add nutritional value.
Adding fruit to your diet and eliminating other foods with no nutritional value and empty calories will help you stay on track with your weight goals.
Fruits also help support your overall health and well-being as well as being tasty and naturally sweet. In addition, fruits add fiber to your diet, helping you feel full and supporting your digestive health.