Fruits for weight loss?
Are you kidding? Everyone knows that fruits are high in sugar. So, how can they help weight loss?
In this article I will explain it to you!
Let me start with a very obvious statement: we put on weight because we consume more calories than we need. So, we need to eat less, but without starving. We can achieve it by eating foods that make us feel full.
But how does this relate to fruits? Well, fruits can help us with that!
Please read on.
4 Ways Fruits Help You Lose Weight
1. Low Calorie Content
Do you know the key ingredient of any fruit?
Water, of course!
Sometimes close to 100%. Very seldom less than 80%.
How many calories does water have?
ZERO!!
And water is a good stomach filler, isn’t it?
2. Low Sugar Content
All fruits have sugar, but there are many pretty low in sugar. They are the so-called low-carb fruits.
Any food with less than 5% sugar is considered “low sugar.” Furthermore, you shouldn’t have a bad conscience when you eat anything with a sugar level below 15%.
ALL fruits in this post have a sugar content below 15%!
3. High Fiber Content
Low carb fruits high in fiber can help you keep your weight in check.
Why?
They reduce appetite by keeping you feeling full for a long time. They also release their low amounts of sugar slowly. In doing so, they help burn fat around the belly organs and the liver. This wards off hunger pangs , so you avoid munching on snacks between meals. If you still don’t believe me, please look at this research paper.
4. Fruits Are Antioxidant Bombs
Do you know that obesity causes continuous inflammation in your body? Too much body fat leads to chronic oxidative stress. Antioxidants from the fruit may not burn body fat, but they can help reduce both inflammation and oxidative stress.
Importantly, all of this is true for whole fresh fruit. Dried fruit or fruit juices are a different story. If you want to lose weight, please avoid them!
So how to find these wonder fruits?
Always check the fiber to sugar ratio!
To find them, always check the ratio between the fiber and sugar content. The higher the ratio, the better the weight loss.
And to make your life easier, we have prepared a list of the 18 best fruits for weight control based on the fiber to sugar ratio.
If you are trying to lose weight, don’t have to miss a meal: just consume one of these wonder fruits that will keep you full for a long time.
So, let’s dive in to learn the best fruits for weight loss.
18 Best Fruits for Weight Loss
1. Avocado (Fiber to Sugar Ratio: 9.6)
Avocado is practically sugar-free. With 6.7% dietary fiber (both soluble and insoluble) and only 0.7% sugar, it is the winner of our contest for best fruits for weight loss. Avocados are fatty and calorie-rich fruits grown in warm climates.
But how can a fatty fruit be the best fruit for weight loss?
That’s because the combination of dietary fiber and unsaturated fats reduce your appetite. Avocado’s main fat is oleic acid, an omega-9 acid with hunger-curbing properties. Additionally, the high fiber content combined with almost 80% water makes you feel full for longer.
If you still have any doubts, please see the results of this study, which clearly shows that avocado consumption contributes to weight loss.
These healthy fats are also essential for your eyes, brain, and heart. Avocados can be your secret weapon against computer eye syndrome. Always take an avocado to your office to ensure sharp eyes and an alert brain.
Check if you suffer from the computer eye syndrome: here
2. Rhubarb (Fiber to Sugar Ratio: 1.6)
Rhubarb is actually a vegetable, but it is prepared like fruit in Europe and North America. Very few people are aware that they do not eat the fruit, but the stems. With only 22 calories (per 100g), rhubarb packs almost 2% fiber and almost 25% of the Daily Value for vitamin K. Importantly, it has only 1% of sugar!
Rhubarb is commonly used for obesity in traditional Chinese medicine. Its weight loss properties come not only from fiber but also from catechins. Catechin is a natural antioxidant also found in green tea that lowers cholesterol, increases metabolism, and helps in burning body fat.
Rhubarb is not only effective in weight management but also helps strengthen bones and boosts brain function. It can help treat constipation, diabetes, heart problems, or even cancer. All that makes rhubarb probably one of the healthiest fruits on earth.
At the office rhubarb, like avocado, helps keep your eyes healthy. That’s because it is packed with beta carotene (vitamin A), lutein, and zeaxanthin. What about having a rhubarb-avocado salad every Monday?
In its pure form, it is not delicious and actually has a sour taste. The redder it is, the tastier and sweeter. This is why sugar is often added to make it palatable, as in pie form. But this destroys the weight loss properties of the fruit. Therefore, we suggest using it as a salad topper or a soup ingredient. And please do not eat rhubarb’s green leaves! They are toxic.
3. Coconut (Fiber to Sugar Ratio: 1.5)
Coconut is a fruit but can be also defined as a nut or even a seed. It has more fiber than an avocado (9%), but also more sugar (6%).
Its main ingredient is fat (33%!) and, unfortunately, almost all of it is saturated. Although this kind of fat is no longer considered an “absolute no go”, its consumption should be restricted. That said, coconut is still a wonderful fruit for weight loss, but do not eat too much. My recommendation would be twice a week at best.
Coconut is not only a great fruit for weight loss. It also contains coconut kernel protein (CKP) which is rich in amino acids and shows significant anti-diabetic activity. Coconut also contains very potent antioxidants that can prevent the cells from death.
4. Raspberries (Fiber to Sugar Ratio: 1.47)
Raspberries are one of the tastiest fruits on our list. Did you know that raspberries belong to the rose family? The fruit originates in Europe, and in the US, it is mainly grown in Oregon, California and the Washington state area.
Raspberries contain 6.5% fiber (most insoluble) and 4.4% sugar and are a good source of vitamin C. The fiber in raspberries will slow down digestion and stabilize blood sugar.
Vitamin C and other antioxidants in raspberries are beneficial to brain health. They are also anti-inflammatory and contribute to cancer prevention.
5. Passion Fruit (Fiber to Sugar Ratio: 0.93)
Passion fruit (also called granadilla) originates in South America and grows on a beautiful flowering vine. It has a tough purple or yellow color rind with an edible, pulpy seed mass inside. It belongs to the berry family.
It beats avocado and coconut concerning fiber: 10%! On the flip side, it is pretty sweet with 11% sugar content. Most of the fiber is insoluble, which means that this fruit speeds up your digestion. That makes it one of the best fruits for weight loss.
Another secret loss property of passion fruit is piceatannol. This wonder ingredient can be found in the granadilla’s seeds. This research shows its excellent metabolic properties as it improves insulin sensitivity in obese individuals.
Importantly for executives, passion fruit is also rich in magnesium and B-vitamins, which are essential to cope with stress and anxiety.
6. Cranberries (Fiber to Sugar Ratio: 0.84)
Cranberries are another great fruit for weight loss, containing almost 4% fiber and a bit more sugar (4.3%). They are grown in Southern Canada and the Northern US.
Their weight loss mechanism is related to the improvement of bacterial flora in the gut. With cranberries, not only can you lose weight but also prevent colon cancer.
Cranberries should not be missed in your diet because they provide dozens of other health benefits. Actually, ancient Romans and native Americans recognized the medical properties of this fruit.
Did you know that no other common fruit contains more of the important antioxidant, phenol? Cranberries are also rich in anthocyanins. This is why they not only reduce weight gain but also improve eye health.
7. Guava (Fiber to Sugar Ratio: 0.61)
Guava is a fruit of the Central American origin that grows on tropical trees. It is one of the best weight loss fruits, although its sugar content is close to 9%. But it not only has 5.4% fiber but also 5% protein. It has practically no fat. Both the fiber and protein will keep you full for a while. Guava fiber also boosts the metabolic rate of the body, aiding in weight loss and improving bowel movements.
Guava has another important health secret. It is an antioxidant bomb. There is no fruit on our list with such high vitamin C content: 228mg/100g. — more than 4 times that of an orange! It also has significant amounts of phenol. Please see this study for more details.
8. Strawberries (Fiber to Sugar Ratio: 0.34)
Strawberries are a low carb, low sugar (5%) fruit, which makes it one of the best for weight loss. It may not have the highest fiber content (2%), but it is definitely one of the tastiest and most popular fruits in Europe and the US.
Interestingly, the modern strawberry has a European origin, although it is now a hybrid of two American species.
Strawberries are a vitamin and mineral bomb. Just have a look: calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, and vitamins C, A, K, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B9.
This analysis presents all the health benefits of strawberries proven by science, including the anti-obesity, anti-diabetic, and anti-cancer properties.
9. Kiwifruit (Fiber to Sugar Ratio: 0.33)
For a long time, I was convinced that the kiwifruit came from New Zealand, where the kiwi birds live. You are probably laughing as you read this. Then I read that kiwifruits, also called Chinese gooseberries, originate in China.
Kiwis are small, brown fruits with bright green or yellow flesh and tiny black seeds. The seeds are not only edible, but they should be eaten as they provide the body with soluble fiber. The rest of the fruit contains insoluble fiber. Altogether, 3% of this fruit is fiber. Rape kiwis are sweat due to their 9% sugar content.
Besides being an excellent source of Vitamin C, E, K, folate, and fiber, the fruit helps control blood sugar, improve cholesterol, and supports gut health — all additional weight loss benefits.
Kiwi is the best source of actidin, an enzyme that accelerates protein digestion. Furthermore, kiwi is essential to your eyes as a source of lutein. Lutein is a carotenoid vitamin important for vision. The body cannot synthesize it, so if you work long hours in front of a computer, make sure you always have kiwifruit with you.
10. Pear (Fiber to Sugar Ratio: 0.32)
Dr. Carol O’Neil from Louisiana State University found out that pear consumption reduces obesity risk by 35%! Pears also contributed to weight reduction in this study.
It is probably one of the juiciest fruits as 83% of a pear is water. The 3% fiber is water soluble, and the sugar level is below 10%. The combination of water and fiber makes you feel full. Note that the fiber helps bacteria in your gut.
Similar to the strawberry, it has plenty of nutrients, both minerals, and vitamins. It also contains potent antioxidants.
11. Pomegranate (Fiber to Sugar Ratio: 0.29)
With almost 14% sugar content, pomegranate is the sweetest fruit on our list. You may remember that everything below 15% is considered weight safe. The fiber content at 4% is higher than that of strawberries, cranberries, pears, kiwis, rhubarb, or oranges.
The weight loss properties of pomegranate were confirmed in a study performed in the Netherlands. So if you want to curb your appetite, please reach out to this delicious fruit. Pomegranate increases the feeling of fullness and satiety.
Many consider the pomegranate as one of the healthiest fruits due to two unique ingredients. The first is a very potent antioxidant called punicalagin. The other is a fatty punicic acid. A study found that the pomegranate boosts body metabolism and, thus, increases the chances of weight loss.
The pomegranate also has a positive effect on memory. However, sometimes it is better to forget how much we weighed before.
12. Orange (Fiber to Sugar Ratio: 0.26)
You may be surprised to see the orange here. Many dieticians do not recommend drinking orange juice for breakfast. But note, we do not mean orange juice here, but a whole orange. That makes a big difference because oranges have more than 2% fiber, which almost disappears when you squeeze a glass of juice.
So always choose the whole orange over the juice. What makes it one of the best fruits to lose weight: the combination of high water content (87%) and fiber. The fiber in oranges keeps you regular.
Oranges are four times more filling than a croissant and twice as filling as a muesli bar or white bread. This was confirmed by an Australian study on the satiety levels of different foods.
Obviously, oranges are also a great source of vitamins and minerals, which includes vitamin C and lutein. Remember, lutein is extremely important for our eyes.
13. Blueberries (Fiber to Sugar Ratio: 24)
Do you want to get rid of your belly fat? Then blueberries are right for you! This study confirms that eating blueberries reduces abdominal fat, lowers cholesterol and improves insulin sensitivity.
This is great news for all blueberry lovers. The fruit contains 2.4% fiber and less than 10% sugar.
Among the common foods, blueberries have the highest antioxidant content! They have more than ten times more than grapes and oranges, five times more than pomegranates and strawberries.
The strawberry is the vitamin bomb, and blueberries are antioxidant bombs. Blueberries not only help in a weight loss diet but even significantly reduce the DNA damage that accelerates aging and causes cancer! These blue wonder fruits improve cognitive and brain functions as well as your memory.
14. Apple (Fiber to Sugar Ratio: 0.23 )
An apple a day keeps kilos away!
An apple seems to be more effective for weight loss than a pear, which is higher in our ranking. In one study, three groups of women were given apples, pears, and oat cookies, per day, respectively, for 10 weeks. The three items have the same calorie value. The apple group lost 2 pounds, the pear group 1.6 pounds while the oat group’s weight did not change.
Apple’s satiety index is similar to the orange and doubles that of white bread. This is due to more than 2% fiber and a lot of water.
Apples are also good for your brain. It is effective in maintaining cognitive function as you age.
By the way, do you know that there are 7,500 varieties of apples? That’s quite a few to choose from!
15. Papaya (Fiber to Sugar Ratio: 0.22)
Without exaggeration, many people call papaya a medicinal fruit. With papaya, you can treat plenty of medical conditions starting with inflammation, wounds, fungus or even tumors.
Does it also shed those extra pounds?
It does! It contains almost 2% fiber and not much sugar. Additionally, it contains the enzyme, papain, which boosts food digestion by eliminating constipation and reducing bloating. This makes you feel lighter and slimmer.
Don’t eat too much papaya as your soles and palms can turn…yellow. If it happens, do not worry: it goes away when you stop eating the fruit.
Be aware that papayas may not be the right fruit for men as it decreases sperm concentration and sperm motility.
16. Banana (Fiber to Sugar Ratio: 0.21)
Bananas are quite sweet due to the 12% sugar content, which why weight watchers usually avoid them. But on the positive side, they have almost 3% fiber which is more than many other fruits on our list.
Bananas contain a lot of potassium, which reduces water retention in the body. That together with the dietary fiber contributes to weight loss.
Having said that, do not eat more than one banana a day unless you do a lot of sports. Banana is a perfect pre-workout snack.
17. Grapefruit (Fiber to Sugar Ratio: 0.16)
If you are serious about losing weight, you should eat half a grapefruit before every meal. As you can see in this study, eating fresh grapefruit helps to drop those extra pounds.
Grapefruit is one of the best fruits for weight loss, although it has only 1% of dietary fiber. The exact mechanism of action is not fully understood. The satiety index seems to be very high, and the sugar content and glycemic index low.
There are people who love this citrus fruit and those who hate its sour and bitter taste. Some add … salt to make it sweeter. Have you tried it?
18. Casaba Melon (Fiber to Sugar Ratio: 0.16)
There are many kinds of melon: casaba, cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon. Casaba melon is the one I recommend for weight loss.
Almost all melons have 1% of fiber and a lot of water (more than 90%!), casaba has significantly less sugar (less than 6%).
It is also rich in the amino acid, arginine and is well-known for its fat-burning properties. Note that watermelon has a high GI, so portion control is important here.
How to Consume These Best Fruits for Weight Loss?
Can you eat as much as you want and still remain lean?
Unfortunately, NOT!
Although these fruits are loaded with fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, they also contain the sugar, fructose. Unlike glucose that is processed by muscles, brain, and other organs, fructose is processed ONLY by the liver.
So, if your liver already has ample energy, it will save the excess fructose as fat for later use. This will have a serious negative impact on your waistline and weight loss regime.
Studies recommend eating up to four servings of fruit daily. More than that can hinder your weight loss plans due to high fructose consumption.
What is one fruit serving? Simply follow the “rule of fist”. One fruit serving is the size of your fist.
Final Words on The Best Fruits for Weight Loss
Why do some fruits help with weight loss while others don’t?
Well, certain fruits are low-carb and contain healthy levels of soluble and viscous fiber that curbs appetite, making you eat less. Fiber improves digestion, curbs the absorption of sugar in your blood, and keeps you satiated longer.
Some of these fruits also have high water content and involve extensive chewing while eating.
Therefore, add these 18 best fruits for weight loss to your diet, and eliminate the unhealthier food choices for long-term weight management.
However, enjoy them in moderation as too much can hinder the achievement of your weight loss objective.
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