Diet isn’t always about cutting out all sugars – you can still eat fruits and stay on track if you eat the best fruits for weight loss.
Science and nutritionists confirm that fruits are naturally high in fiber, water, vitamins, and minerals your body needs to thrive.
Whole fruits can make you feel full without consuming many calories, so you can lose weight without depriving your body of water and nutrition.
However, not all fruits are great for weight loss.
Here’s what you need to know about the best fruits for weight loss:
Some fruits do promote weight loss and keep your hunger satiated. Read on to see our hand-picked list.
What Fruits Are Best for Weight Loss?
With so many fruits available in the market, it can feel overwhelming to choose the best fruit for weight loss.
Don’t worry, the following 15 hand-picked best fruits for weight loss are some of the best fruits you can get to help you achieve your weight loss goals.
Fruits and vegetables do not fight disease. It is their absence that causes it.
— Eric Edmeades, Author of Mindvalley’s WildFit Program
However, maybe you’re not 100% sure how many fruits you can eat per day and still lose weight. The easy diet rule you can follow is to consume fewer calories than you burn. Basically, It all depends on your calorie intake.
How many fruits can you eat a day and still lose weight?
We all know that fruits are good for us, but how many fruits can you eat when you’re dieting?
For those desiring specific amounts, this depends on the current total calorie you’re consuming.
If you eat between 1,400-1,800 calories per day: Consuming at least 1.5 cups of fruits would be your daily recommended intake.
If you eat between 2,000-2,600 calories per day: Consuming at least 2 cups of fruits would be your daily recommended intake.
For those who dislike counting, fill a quarter of your plate with fruits.
Now that you know how many fruits you can eat, let’s find the best fruits for weight loss.
15 Best Fruits for Weight Loss
1. Grapefruit
One of the most powerful fruits to include in your weight loss diet is undoubtedly grapefruit.
The reason why grapefruit is one of the best fruits for weight loss is due to its low calorie, low glycemic index (GI), high fiber, and high water concentration.
1/2 of a large grapefruit contains just 53 calories but provides 63% of daily vitamin C intake and 8% of daily vitamin A intake.
Grapefruits have a low GI (around 25), which means it releases sugar into your bloodstream without fluctuating your blood sugar level a lot. What’s more, low GI foods have been linked to reducing risks of heart disease and diabetes.
Interestingly, grapefruit is 92% water, more than almost any other fruit. Not only it’ll fill your belly, but it’ll also quench your thirst.
2. Strawberry
Strawberries are low in calories and rich in vitamin C, beta-carotene, flavonoids, and anthocyanins. These compounds help in preventing inflammation, obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and more.
One cup of whole strawberries has 46 calories, 3.3g of fiber, 91% water, and 94% of daily vitamin C value!
3. Apple
Apples are the ultimate snacks because they’re filling, juicy, and crunchy.
Low in calories and high in fiber, apples are one of the best fruits for weight loss because they’re high in soluble fiber.
Soluble fibers suppress appetite by reducing the hunger hormones.
Apples are also rich in antioxidants and flavonoids (found on apple skin), which help to lower the risk of heart disease.
One large apple contains 116 calories, 5.4g of fiber, 86% water, and 11% of daily vitamin C value.
4. Pear
A cool and uplifting fruit, a pear is a secret weight-loss powerhouse due to its high fiber, high water, and low-calorie content, and it aids in digestion.
The high water content in pear helps in keeping solid wastes soft and allowing the body to flush out harmful toxins.
One large pear offers 131 calories, 7.1g of fiber, 84% water, and 11% of daily vitamin C value.
5. Kiwifruit
Kiwis are an excellent source of vitamin C, E, and K, folate, and fiber, and have significant health benefits!
Some of the kiwi’s health benefits are assisting in:
- Lowering blood pressure
- Strengthening the immune system
- Improving respiratory health
- Promoting bone health
Because kiwi is relatively low in calories and high in fiber and water, it’s one of the best fruits for weight loss.
One kiwi has 42 calories, 2.1g of fiber, 84% water, 71% of daily vitamin C value, and 23% of daily vitamin K value.
6. Papaya
Whenever people have digestion issues, typically they’ll reach out for papayas.
This is because of a digestive enzyme in papaya, called papain. Papain helps to digest proteins and clean the intestinal walls.
When the digestion process gets better, the metabolic rate increases and fat burns faster.
Besides, papayas are naturally low in calories and rich in essential nutrients like vitamin C, and A, folate, magnesium, calcium, and potassium.
One of papaya (cut in pieces) contains 62 calories, 2.5g of fiber, 88% water, 98% of daily vitamin C value, and 8% of daily vitamin A value.
7. Lemon
You might notice some people drink lemon water (plain water with lemons) when they’re trying to lose weight.
Although nutritionists said lemons by themselves don’t do much in helping you lose weight, if you replace drinking lemon water with sodas, packaged fruit juices, or latte, it can help reduce your daily calorie intake.
What’s more, lemons are very low in calories, and packed with fiber, water, and vitamin C!
One lemon has 24 calories, 2.4g of fiber, 89% water, and 49% of daily vitamin C.
Your health is far more determined by getting in the good stuff (nutritients) than cutting our the bad stuff.
— Eric Edmeades, Author of Mindvalley’s WildFit Program
8. Orange
While orange juice may sound more appealing, studies showed that eating whole oranges can help curb the feeling of hunger better than drinking orange juice.
Whole oranges are the best fruits for weight loss because it’s rich in water, fiber and low in calories. This fruit is also rich in vitamin C, which has been linked to reduced risks of stroke, cancers, obesity, and hypertension.
One large orange contains 86 calories, 4.4g of fiber, 87% of water, and 109% of daily Vitamin C value.
9. Blueberry
Tiny but powerful, blueberries earned their reputation in weight loss thanks to a compound called flavonoids.
According to a study, flavonoids have the potential to prevent weight gain and obesity in adults.
They are also known as “brain berries” because they can potentially decrease cognitive decline and improve brain functions.
One cup of blueberries contains 84 calories, 3.6g of fiber, 84% water, 24% of daily vitamin K value, and 22% of daily manganese value.
10. Watermelon
One of the scariest things about dieting is cutting out sugar.
Fortunately, the sweet watermelon stays in the diet because it actually helps in eliminating fats and toxins.
This is because watermelon increases the level of an amino acid in the blood called arginine that has been linked to assisting weight loss and increasing muscle mass.
Watermelon is among the best fruits for weight loss because it is extremely high in water. This means you can eat two full cups of watermelon for less than 100 calories and feel you’ve eaten more than the fruit.
One cup of watermelon has 46 calories, 0.6g of fiber, 92% water, and 14% of daily vitamin C value.
11. Cantaloupe
Like watermelons, cantaloupes (a.k.a. melons) are low in calories and high in essential vitamins, minerals, and water content.
Cantaloupes are rich in carotenoids, a powerful antioxidant that keeps the eyes healthy. It is also exceptionally high in vitamin C and A.
One cup of cantaloupe contains 60 calories, 1.6g of fiber, 91% water, 72% of daily vitamin C value, and 33% of daily vitamin A value.
12. Cherry
Cherries are popular because of their bright-red color and juiciness, but they are also extremely beneficial to your health too.
One notable benefit of cherries is removing excess fat.
In a study on rats, the group of rats that received whole tart cherry powder mixed with a high-fat diet didn’t gain as much weight as the other group of rats that didn’t receive the cherries.
The rats that received cherries also showed much lower levels of inflammation.
One cup of raw cherries has 97 calories, 3g of fiber, and 18% of daily vitamin C value.
13. Raspberry
Raspberries are among the best fruits for weight loss: low in calories, rich in fiber, and low GI.
They are one of the fruits with the highest fiber content, boasting about 32% of daily fiber value per cup! Put that together with the fact that raspberries are low in calories, this is a double-win in weight loss.
One cup of raspberries contains 64 calories, 8g of fiber, 86% water, and 36% of daily vitamin C value.
14. Pineapple
Are you craving something sweet when you’re dieting?
Instead of grabbing a cup of ice cream, why not get a cup of juicy sweet pineapples?
When you substitute sweet comfort food for pineapples, you’re consuming fewer calories, more fibers to keep you full, and satisfying your sweet tooth, all at the same time.
Besides, pineapples offer a wide range of benefits like promoting bone health, aiding digestion, and preventing inflammation.
One cup of pineapple chunks has 83 calories, 2.3g of fiber, 86% water, and 88% of daily vitamin C value.
15. Pomegranate
Pomegranates are unconventional foods that you can grab from any grocery store, but whenever you’re drinking the juice or eating the seeds, you’re getting a blast of vitamins and antioxidants.
Pomegranate is a major source of antioxidants. They’re also known to be effective in weight loss since pomegranates reduce fat absorption and protect against cardiovascular disease.
One cup of pomegranates contains 144 calories, 7g of fiber, 78% water, 20% of daily vitamin C value, and 24% of daily vitamin K value.
The Bottom Line
Incorporating the best fruits for weight loss is one of the greatest things you can do for your body.
Not only do fruits help you lose weight, but they’re also packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that protect you against diseases.
Remember to look for these 15 best fruits for weight loss:
- Grapefruit
- Strawberry
- Apple
- Pear
- Kiwifruit
- Papaya
- Lemon
- Orange
- Blueberry
- Watermelon
- Cantaloupe
- Cherry
- Raspberry
- Pineapple
- Pomegranate
Weight loss is not a thing. Health is a thing. Weight loss is just a byproduct of health.
— Eric Edmeades, Author of Mindvalley’s WILDFIT Quest
However, fruits are not weight-loss miracle pills.
Only if they are paired with a healthy diet and lifestyle, then you will achieve optimal health and the ideal body shape that you want.
