Making fruit a daily staple in your diet can offer many health and nutritional benefits—it's why federal guidelines recommend that adults eat at least 1½ to 2 cups of fruit per day. For some, an added benefit might be that fruit can actually help with weight loss. Yes, fruit contains carbs and naturally occurring sugar, but fruit can still be a vital part of your weight loss journey. The key is to eat it strategically.
Truly, there aren't any specific fruits that can be singled out as the best choices for weight management. That's because a variety of fruits—all fruits—in moderate portions can aid in weight loss.
Natural substances in fruit—including vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and prebiotics—are incredibly good for you not only in terms of protecting against chronic diseases but also for managing your weight. Even if you eat plenty of veggies, skipping fruit means missing out on the unique antioxidants they provide.
Research has even shown a connection between fruit intake and weight loss. One older study found that, among adults who were overweight or obese, those who ate more fruit experienced greater weight loss than those who didn't. Another study, which followed more than 130,000 adults over 24 years, found that consuming fruit was associated with improved weight loss over time.
Just try to fit in a variety of fruit to expose your body to the broadest spectrum of nutrients and antioxidants. In my opinion, no fruit is off-limits if you're thinking about the amount and timing.
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Just because fruit can help with weight loss doesn't mean you can eat it in unlimited amounts. Fruit does contain carbohydrates, and the job of carbs is to fuel the activity of your cells. When you eat more carbs than you can burn after a meal or snack, even from fruit, the unneeded surplus can either feed existing fat or plump up fat cells.
For this reason, your total carb intake, including fruit, should correspond to your fuel demands, which are based on your height, ideal weight, sex, age, and physical activity level. Most of my women clients can afford to eat two servings of fruit per day (more if they are taller or more active), with one serving being one cup or one piece about the size of a baseball.
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Since the carbs in fruit help fuel activity, when you eat fruit matters too. Downing a huge bowl of grapes late at night, while you're watching TV or scrolling through social media (when your fuel requirement is low), doesn't make a lot of sense. Instead, build fruit into the meals and snacks you consume before your more active hours of the day. For many of my clients, that may mean eating a small banana 20 or 30 minutes before a workout or eating berries with breakfast before heading to work, and then pairing an apple with almond butter in the afternoon to help power through the rest of the day.
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The link may be because fruit can help boost satiety, satisfy a sweet craving, and decrease your desire to dig into goodies like candy or baked goods. Fruits also tend to replace higher-calorie treats, whereas veggies tend to be add-ons. In other words, you're much more likely to choose an apple rather than a piece of broccoli in place of a cookie; and that swap can help you limit total calories and avoid added sugars, the real culprits when it comes to weight gain.
As for sugar, even the strictest guidelines from groups like the American Heart Association and World Health Organization don't lump the sugar from fresh, whole fruit in with added sugar, the refined type used to sweeten foods (think sweetened almond milk or the spoonful of sugar you add to your morning coffee).
That's because the naturally occurring sugar in fruit is much less concentrated and is bundled with water and a number of key nutrients. For example, one whole orange provides about 17 grams of carbs, about 12 of which are natural sugar. But it also supplies fluid, 12% of your daily fiber needs, and nearly 100% of the recommended amount of vitamin C, along with B vitamins, potassium, and substances like hesperidin, which has been shown to help lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and inflammation.
Compare that to 1 tablespoon of table sugar, which contains 16 grams of carbs and no nutrients. Essentially, whole, fresh fruit, and added sugar don't belong in the same category.
Bottom line: fruit is incredibly nutritious and not inherently fattening. Its impact on your weight depends on when you consume it and how much of it you eat. Banishing fruit completely can backfire on weight loss and negatively impact your overall wellness. Instead, strike the right balance to reap all the benefits of fruit and still achieve your slim-down goals.
Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, is Health's contributing nutrition editor, a New York Times best-selling author, and a private practice performance nutritionist who has consulted for five professional sports teams.
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If you’re trying to find and maintain your healthiest weight, you likely already know the satisfying powers of protein and the filling properties of fiber.
That's why you're eating all that grilled chicken and seared tuna. It's why you've been steaming up crunchy broccolini and roasting all that cauliflower. That's good stuff.
But maybe you've even heard internet "experts" telling you that you should stick to those lean proteins and vegetables and you should avoid fruit because fruit houses massive amounts of calorie-laden, waist-expanding, totally toxic sugar.
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Don't listen to these people.
Fruit is great for weight loss and maintenance—as well as a healthy diet overall. In fact, “most have a high water content which also helps with satiety and fullness,” says Maggie Michalczyk, M.S., R.D.
Yes, fruit does contain sugar, but it's not added sugar, the type that you'd find in so many processed foods. Fruit's naturally occurring sugar also comes paired with fiber, and that nutrient helps regulate your blood sugar response to that sugar. Fruit is also not all that easy to overdose on—like you can with processed foods with lots of added sugar. (Honestly, when's the last time you scarfed down a whole bowl of pears?)
Fruit is also loaded with nutrients your body needs: disease-fighting antioxidants, essential vitamins, and necessary minerals.
And if you're worried about calories, compare a handful of fruit slices to a handful of store-bought refined snacks or desserts. The two don't even come close.
The point is, just eat fruit.
So now that you're ready to bring fruit into your weight loss plan, which to eat? Look, all fruit is great. Aim for a wide variety—from mangos to starfruit to coconut to bananas to berries to you get the point.
But here are 12 great ones to start with.
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Pineapple is bursting with many vitamins and minerals and is a great fruit to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Snack on pineapple for more vitamin C, manganese, and antioxidant power. Add it to smoothies or make a pineapple granita for a cold treat.
Watermelon
“Watermelon is 92 percent water. Its water helps to fill you up, plus you're getting the antioxidant lycopene, which can be protective of prostate cancer in men,” Michalczyk
says. Plus, watermelon is refreshing during the warmer months and goes well in pretty much any dish. Make a simple salad with mint and feta, topped with a drizzle of olive oil.
Grapefruit
“You often hear about the grapefruit diet as a means to lose weight, but is it effective? While grapefruit won't suddenly melt fat away, the water content of grapefruit can help you to feel fuller,” she says. Eat half a grapefruit for breakfast with a bit of honey and Greek yogurt.
Pears
One pear contains six grams of fiber, making pears a great fruit to help keep you full, help you to eat less.
“Pears are also a good source of potassium, an important mineral for active muscles,” Michalczyk says, so enjoy them after a tough workout in a salad or with some nut butter.
Avocado
Technically a fruit, avocados are great for weight loss because they contain healthy fat. That fat can help keep you fuller for longer. “While it's not a low-calorie fruit, its fat content, along with healthy monounsaturated fat, is great for your heart and avocado contains vitamin E and potassium,” she says. Try some a post-workout smoothie.
Blueberries
Blueberries are a good source of fiber—it's that fullness thing. And they're easy to snack on and handy—no peeling or chopping needed—to add to foods like oatmeal or a smoothie.
Raspberries
These berries are a great source of fiber.
They contain eight grams of fiber per cup, which will help to keep you full, especially if you pair them with a source of protein like nuts, or nut butter, she says.
Strawberries
Low in calories, and high in nutrients, strawberries are a great addition to your diet if you're trying to lose weight—their natural sweetness will help satisfy your desire for something sweet.
Oranges
Oranges are a low-calorie fruit that contain lots of vitamins. "They're hydrating, tart, and make for a good snack paired with a source of protein that will fill you up," she says. Pair them with chicken in a salad.
Apples
To get the most out of what apples offer, don't skip the skin.
That's where most of their fiber is found. Having an apple at the same time you eat hard-boiled eggs or a meat stick makes for a good snack that contains protein and fiber. The combination can fill you up and prevent you from snacking on unhealthy things as you're trying to lose weight.
Mango
"Mangoes are another good low-calorie fruit to add to your diet when trying to lose weight since they contain fiber, vitamin C, and folate,” Michalczyk says. Add one to a post-workout smoothie or have as a snack with a source of protein for a satiating and nutrient-dense snack.
Starfruit
They're tart, tangy and loaded with antioxidants.
Slice them into stars and pop them into a fruit or greens salad. They're awesome cubed into a bowl of oatmeal too.
Isadora Baum is a freelance writer, certified health coach, and author of 5-Minute Energy. She can't resist a good sample, a margarita, a new HIIT class, or an easy laugh. Learn more about her on her website: isadorabaum.com.