Have you ever heard before that good health is more than wealth? Well, in order to enjoy a happier and fuller life, you need to put your health forth. For this reason, you need to start eating healthy to get a fit body and mind. Many times, fruits are considered as nature's best gift to humankind, and many nutritionists have recommended eating at least two serves of fruits and vegetables each day for healthy living (1).
According to a study by researchers from the University of Warwick, more fruit and vegetable intake can substantially make you happy (2). Fruits are indeed life-improving medicines with the necessary nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants among other micronutrients obtained from plants. They make part of an extensive meal with tasty flavors and distinctive nutrients that ensure your body is always fit, rejuvenated, and free from attack by diseases.
Before we look at the fruits you should always consider for healthy living, let's first look at some of the nutritional benefits of including fruits in your diet.
Low-calorie content
Fruits have low calorie and fat content with such components as Vitamins A, C, and E, simple sugars and fiber, which help to boost the overall health and well-being.
Packed with soluble dietary fiber
Fruits contain a lot of soluble fiber that helps in preventing the accumulation of fats and cholesterol in the body. This will also help in the smooth movement of the bowel, thus preventing issues of constipation.
Numerous antioxidants
There are many antioxidants found in fruits such as Vitamin C, anthocyanins, and polyphenolic flavonoids. All these are crucial in the body to help in preventing diseases, oxidant stress, and cancers. On the other hand, the antioxidants can help in fighting against common ailments attacking the body through enhancement of the immune system. It is through an enhanced immune system that your body can detect foreign microbes or chemicals that usually trigger inflammation in the body. Remember that most of the major diseases like cancer, depression, arthritis, heart disease, and diabetes, among others, have been linked to chronic inflammation. Vegetables and fruits thus make up the best anti-inflammatory foods recommended to help fight inflammation.
On the other hand, fruits rich in blue pigments such as acai berries, blue & black grapes, chokeberries, blueberries, and mulberries, also offer a number of health benefits. Most of these fruits serve as antioxidants to help get rid of free radicals in the body, thus preventing the body from aging, infections, and cancers. It is advisable to consume fruits as a whole because most of these pigments are found underneath the fruit skin.
Rich in essential micronutrients
The ultimate benefit of fruits comes from the fact that they are rich in minerals, vitamins, pigment antioxidants, and micro-nutrients, which altogether help in improving the quality of life by rejuvenating the body in general.
Here are some of the types of fruits you need for weight loss
Bananas
Bananas are an excellent food for weight loss as they help curb sugar cravings plus provides energy throughout the day. They are an excellent addition to any smoothie drink. This fruit is preferred as a healthy on-the-go snack rich in potassium and fiber to provide lasting energy to keep you active throughout the day. The good thing with bananas is that they do not contain fat or salt. The fruit has many benefits including but not limited to, removing warts, teeth whitening, getting rid of splinters, and restoration of dry hair, among others (3).
Grapefruit
A study showed that eating fresh grapefruits can increase your chances of losing weight due to the high fiber content (4). Grapefruit in its wholeness is recommended over grapefruit juice because it helps you control your appetite better (5).
Blueberries
Blueberries are rich in antioxidants which help combat free radicals in your body. Blueberries also contain fiber and water, which help in decreasing your appetite and gives you a longer feeling of fullness.
According to a research study by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, regular intake of mixed berries like strawberries and blueberries helps in improving the HDL cholesterol level, improving vascular function and lowering blood pressure (6). This then confirms how important this fruit is when it comes to heart health. Nutritionists have attributed such benefits to the diverse range of health-promoting plant compounds, polyphenols found in blueberries.
Blueberries are also known to be amongst the highest antioxidant value fruits available. Such phytochemical compounds found in blueberries help in fighting against free radicals from the body, thus protecting the body from aging, cancers, and other infections.
Among other benefits of blueberries are lowering blood sugar and control blood-glucose levels due to the presence of chlorogenic acid as part of the compounds found in the fruits.
Presence of Vitamins A, C, and E altogether serve as potent antioxidants that will help get rid of free radicals in the body.
Oranges
Oranges are a popular fruit with many people, and that's why they are added to the list of the 20 superfoods for weight loss. They are best eaten whole rather than as a juice. Juices can be over consumed, thus adding more calorie intake to your body. The best way to eat oranges is sliced up. Oranges are abundant in vitamin C, which can help with weight loss.
Goji Berries
Goji berries are becoming a popular superfood in many cultures due to their ability to curb your appetite and level blood sugars. Goji berries also contain fiber. They are great at substituting sugar cravings.
Avocados
Avocados are the good kind of fat that you should be eating daily to speed up your weight loss. A study had participants who were overweight add avocados to their diets (7). When they did this, they were less likely to feel that they needed to snack between meals which helped them lose weight.
This is a flavorful fruit high in mono-unsaturated fats, and calories that help to keep the skin moisturized thus preventing skin hyperpigmentation (8), aging and reducing inflammation (9), rich in dietary fiber, minerals, and vitamins. The fruit is a nice source for unsaturated fatty acids and omega-six that protects the skin from external damages, especially the UV rays (10).
Avocados are great in sandwiches, salads, and smoothies.
Apples
There is an old saying that states that ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away". Well, now you know that an apple a day also keeps the weight at bay. Apples are abundant in antioxidants and phytonutrients. These two components work together to fight free radicals. They are also rich in vitamins and dietary fiber. Fiber works to help keep you full for longer periods of time.
A study was done that proved eating foods high in dietary fiber caused an increase in weight loss.
Apples are also proven to help people who suffer from manic depression (11).
This is a type of fruit that is known for its numerous nutrients. Scientists have even suggested that the fruit is vital for growth, development, and general well-being (12). The fruit has low-calorie content with 100g of fresh fruit providing only 50 calories. While it is full of soluble dietary fibers that prevent the absorption of bad cholesterol into the body, it also helps in preventing damage to the colon membrane from cancer-, causing chemicals.
This fruit is also rich in antioxidants that help in protecting the body against free radicals. Plenty of vitamin C in Apple fruit is essential in boosting the immune system that fights against infectious agents and pro-inflammatory free radicals (13).
Small traces of minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, and calcium also serve as part of the crucial component of body fluids and cells that help in regulating heart rate and blood pressure.
Grapes
These are known as the world's most abundant fruit that helps prevent heart disease and high body cholesterol (14). This is attributed to the abundance in antioxidants quercetin and resveratrol and various minerals including potassium and iron, which help in fighting anemia and muscle fatigues. Taking the red or purple grapes regularly can thus supply the body with several healthy compounds needed in the body.
Grapes contain fewer calories; that is why it is perfect for your weight-loss diet. Concord grapes, for instance, provide just 62 calories per cup. So if you follow a restrictive calorie diet, grapes are only 5 percent of your daily calorie consumption.
Green and red grapes only contain 104 calories per cup. And if you are following a 1,200-calorie diet, that is only about 9 percent of your daily calorie consumption. If you are following a 1,800-calorie diet, that is only about 6 percent of your daily calorie consumption (15). Grapes are not only sweet and delicious, but it is also perfect for boosting your weight loss.
Stone fruits
These fruits are also known as drupes and include apricots, cherries, plums, nectarines, and peaches. Stone fruits are low in calories and glycemic index. But they are rich in nutrients like vitamin A and vitamin C. That is the reason why stone fruits are ideal for those who want to lose weight.
A 150-gram peach, for instance, contains just 58 calories. A 130-gram of cherries contains just 87 calories. A 120-gram plum or 140-gram apricots have just about 60 calories (16). Just come to imagine the number of calories these fruits contribute to your diet. These can be eaten fresh, or you can mix these in your salad, porridge, or even stews.
Kiwifruits
These fruits are very rich in nutrients including fiber, folate, vitamin E, and vitamin C. In fact, a study has shown that people who eat two kiwis a day have higher levels of vitamin C and reduced blood pressure and waist circumference (17).
Several studies also show that kiwi can help support gut health, improve cholesterol, and control blood sugar. These are just a few benefits of kiwifruits when it comes to losing weight (18). And since these fruits are also rich in dietary fiber, they increase fullness and promote weight loss.
A 69-gram kiwifruit contains 2 grams of fiber. If these fruits are eaten with their skin, they can provide an extra gram of fiber (19). Kiwifruits are delicious, soft, and sweet. Although these fruits contain sugar, they have a low glycemic index, which means that sugar is released more slowly, resulting in smaller blood sugar increase. Kiwifruits can be eaten even if unpeeled as their skin is also rich in nutrients. These can also be added in your salads, cereals, or baked goods.
Conclusion:
Fruits should be a part of your diet, especially if you want to lose weight and remain healthy. Most fruits mentioned above are high in fiber and nutrients, while low in calories. This can help in boosting your fullness. If you have high levels of satiety, you will be less likely to consume more foods. And if that happens, then it can aid with your goal to lose weight. Although these fruits can be added to your salads, porridge, or other dishes, whole fruits are still the best.
These ten fruits are bound to produce the best results to your body. Not only do these fruits help you in weight loss, but they also have other amazing health benefits. Go ahead and pick one to try. Losing weights won't be a problem with you eat these fruits regularly; they are at your fingertips!
References:
(1) http://www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/public+content/sa+health+internet/healthy+living/healthy+eating/healthy+eating+tips/getting+more+fruit+and+veg+in+your+day
(2) http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/news/fruit_and_veg/
(3) http://www.rd.com/home/improvement/banana-uses/
(4) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16579728
(5) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16579728
(6) http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/early/2013/09/04/ajcn.113.066639
(7) https://nutritionj.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1475-2891-12-155
(8) http://www.top10homeremedies.com/how-to/get-rid-hyperpigmentation.html/2
(9) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22970231
(10) http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/0928098795000145
(11) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12620529
(12) http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/267290.php
(13) http://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-you/prevention/9-ways-to-boost-your-immunity/
(14) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2728695/
(15) https://www.livestrong.com/article/289150-grapes-for-weight-loss/
(16) http://www.eatingwell.com/article/281231/stone-fruit-guide/
(17) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6073280/
(18) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26374292
(19) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29470689
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