Losing weight is difficult. Most people need to change the foods they eat. But losing weight is normally more about cutting down on fats, increasing protein and fiber and eating in a balanced, healthy way.

If you’re wondering what you can and can’t eat when wanting to lose weight, there’s one food you can add to your diet to help with weight loss and that’s fruit. Not only are they healthy and packed with natural goodness, there is plenty of variety in flavours, too.

Many of today’s fruits are low in calories – however, some fruits are higher in calories but still beneficial for weight loss – high in fiber, full of vital vitamins and other healthy nutrients that all go to supporting weight loss. Fruit naturally contains water which dilutes the nutrients for better absorption into the body.

They also keep you hydrated, especially fruit juices or fruit teas mixed in water, which helps keep your body’s digestion system free of toxins. Other benefits of eating fruit is that some will boost your energy levels while different fruits help to lower blood pressure, and reduce the risk of diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. So, what are the best fruits for weight loss?

Fruit teas can be a great addition to a healthy diet and fitness routine.

Apples

There are so many different varieties of apples, many of which have different flavours and texture. Being low in calories but high in fiber, they are considered highly nutritional, packed full of vitamins and beneficial to weight loss. In fact, research has shown that apples are rich in polyphenol which has an anti-obesity effect, as well as preventing free radicals, changing signal transduction in fat tissues and regulating gene expression.

Berries

Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, blackberries… the berry family is rich in variety. Berries are not only tasty; they are very high in vitamin, mineral, manganese and antioxidants, low in calories and have an anti-inflammatory properties. They have an anti-obesity effect but certain berries can help in other ways, too. Strawberries are full of vitamin C and manganese; blueberries are high in vitamin K which regulates your level of calcium and helps with bone metabolism.

One cup of each berry has less than 84 calories.

Melons

Melons are high in water content, particularly watermelons, making you feel full quite quickly, but are also low in calories. This makes them an ideal addition to your diet for weight loss. In fact, turning to watermelon as an alternative to more traditional snacks will up your fiber, vitamin, potassium, antioxidant, micronutrient and your bioactive phytochemical intake.

Grapefruit and oranges

Grapefruit and oranges – indeed, most citrus fruits including lemons and limes – are often put aside because they can be fiddly (and messy!) to peel. However, studies have shown that eating grapefruit regularly can help to burn tummy fat and reduce your waist circumference. Ideal for those that suffer from diabetes, they are low on the glycaemic index (low in natural sugars), very high in vitamin C, help to regulate blood pressure and are more filling.

Pomegranate

It isn’t a fruit that people are naturally drawn to but it should be because as well as being full of vitamins and antioxidants, they also have excellent anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties. Most recently, studies have shown that pomegranate extracts have an impact on fat reduction because they contain high levels of flavonoids and polyphenols, which are known to boost your metabolism and break down fats quicker.

Pomegranates are low in calories and high in vitamins and minerals

Papaya

The papaya fruit has long been used to help with weight loss and that’s due to the papain enzyme within the fruit. This boosts your metabolism but also works towards breaking down the food in your system more quickly, preventing your body from holding on to too much fat. They also help to reduce constipation and bloating, plus are full of vitamin C.

Kiwi

The kiwifruit is considered a superfood when it comes to weight loss. In fact, studies prove that eating two or three kiwifruit a week can help towards burning tummy fat, boosting gut health and reducing your waist circumference. Being packed with fiber, vitamins and folate, and being low in calories, they are ideal for people with diabetes.

Pears

If you’re looking for a fruit that is exceptionally high in fiber and vitamin C, which is ideal for weight loss, but also give you an energy kick, pears must be on your fruit list. Although there are over 100 varieties of pears grown worldwide, they are all very nutritious and packed with goodness.

Pears are low in calories, high in water, and packed with fiber.

Bananas

The banana is the first of the high calorie fruits that are actually also beneficial for weight loss. This is because although they are high in natural sugar content – they are a favorite with athletes, sports people and gym enthusiasts because of the energy boost they provide – they are also packed with vitamins, nutrients, antioxidants and fibre. The advantage of bananas is that they will help you to feel full for longer, which means fewer cravings between meals.

Avocados

Avocados are in the same category as bananas because they are high in calories. However, they have the same effect in that they keep you feeling full for longer, reduce appetite and help you to resist any cravings. Indeed, studies revealed that eating avocados will help you with weight loss.

Avocados can help you feel more satisfied after eating to help prevent you from eating.

Other excellent fruits that can help you with weight loss include tomatoes, passion fruit, guava and rhubarb – although strictly speaking it is a vegetable, it is generally prepared and eaten as a fruit.

• Grapes
• Mangoes
• Figs
• Cherries
• Dried fruits, like prunes, dates and raisins, because they don’t have any water content, which means the natural fructose isn’t diluted.

Most fruits are high in fiber which aids digestion, promotes a healthy gut, boosts metabolism and helps with weight loss. They can be eaten naturally, as a juice, as a fruit powder that can be added to water to make a delicious drink or to smoothies, or they can be taken as a tonic, such as our Black Elderberry & Honey Tonic.