This morning, in my usual search for interesting new studies about good (and what isn't) for you when it comes to weight loss and health, I came across a new study that supposedly proved that filling up on fruit and vegetables WON'T help you eat less. At first, I was shocked and distraught. Wait a minute–that's one of the BIG reasons why I try to always incorporate plenty of fruits and veggies into my diet. Then I took a deep breath and read through the study and, let me tell you, I am calling a big fat BS on this research. It is just SO flawed–and dumb!
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First of all, the study tested 34 participants. THIRTY FOUR PEOPLE! How are they basing any kind of findings based on less people that live in my apartment building? Seriously, that's just ridiculous. Secondly, the study isn't actually based on fruits and vegetable consumption.
Instead, researchers at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, found that the people "gained between 3.5 and 5 pounds when they were given eight weeks of fruit juice to incorporate into their diet." Fruit JUICE! As in not actual, real antioxidant-and-vitamin-rich good-for-you fruit. Instead, they gave people a drink that's full of sugar and very little nutrients and were SURPRISED when people gained weight? Please! The food that they fed these people after their juice, by the way, is all-you-can-eat macaroni and cheese. Excuse me while I barf.
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The good news, though, is that they DID find that people are less calories when they started a meal with actual fruit instead of juice. On average, people who started a meal with fresh or fried fruit before their main course ate 678 calories of lunch while those that started with the fruit juice ate 891 calories of their mail meal. Well, color me completely unsurprised! This is just plain old logic.
Fruit juice isn't good for you and basing a weight loss study on it is just plain silly and, I think, a waste of those smart people's time and money. Eating actual fruit and vegetables before a meal WILL make you lose weight and help you to eat less because these healthy foods have substance and fiber, which helps keep you full longer. Just stay away from the calorie-full and nutrient-less juice and, instead, grab a banana, grapefruit or mango. Now THAT is some good diet advice!
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