Many people think fruits and weight loss cannot go together. Well, this is one of the biggest misconceptions plaguing the fitness community. Fruits not only nourish your body with essential nutrients, but some of them even accelerate the fat-burning process.
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If you've cut fruits out of your diet, I suggest you read on to learn just how powerful and helpful they are in your weight loss journey. These five fruits might be exactly what you need to jumpstart your metabolism and get you dropping those unwanted pounds.
This post was originally published September 15, 2014.
1. Avocado
This nutty fruit promotes weight loss with its power of fat. It's rich in monounsaturated fat, which contains a compound called oleic acid that works towards promoting satiety. Along with that, avocado contains almost 20 essential nutrients such as folic acid, vitamin E, potassium and more that helps our body absorb nutrients from other food products more efficiently. Also, since avocados are high in good fat, they will increase your metabolism, boosting the testosterone levels, which is one of the hormones responsible for lipid metabolism in both men and women.
2. Grapefruit
Research shows that eating just half a grapefruit before every meal will help you lose about one pound per week; that's almost 52 pounds a year! It is very low in calories, but its soluble fiber and water content will fill you up nicely. Also, it takes more effort to digest a grapefruit than the calories it contains. So you are practically burning all the calories you are consuming through the fruit just by digesting it.
3. Apples
Apples contain a powerful kind of fiber called pectin, which according to some research, almost doubles the amount of time it takes for your stomach to feel empy. The stickiness of this soluble fiber lowers the rate at which carbohydrates get absorbed by the body, which in turn keeps the blood sugar level stabilized. This means prolonged satiety. Because they are low in sodium, they prevent water retention. The vitamins in them increases your overall vitality, which means staying active equals more burnt calories. Additionally, the enzymes in apples help break down and digest the food more efficiently__.__
4. Berries
The great thing about berries is that most of them are incredibly high in antioxidants, but still very low in calories. They do a great job of keeping you feeling satisfied. Berries, such as blackberries, raspberries and strawberries, have a high water content that also promotes the feeling of fullness. The high fiber content in them prolongs the process of digestion. They are the perfect fat-burning foods.
5. Melons
Melons, such as honeydews and watermelons, are a very good way to start your day, especially if your goal is weight loss. They are low in calories, and still nutrient dense. They contain omega-3, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B1, B3, B6, and folate, vitamin K, as well as copper, potassium, magnesium, zinc and more. Plus, with the high fiber and water content, they will fill up your stomach rather quickly, thus preventing you from over eating. Moreover, melons digest fast, which gives you an instant energy boost, and the water content also promotes the excretion of toxins.
