Apples are low in calories and high in fiber, with 116 calories and 5.4 grams of fiber per large fruit (223 grams) (1Trusted Source).
They have also been found to support weight loss.
In one study, women were given three apples, three pears, or three oat cookies — with the same calorie value — per day for 10 weeks. The apple group lost 2 pounds (0.91 kg) and the pear group 1.6 pounds (0.84 kg), while the oat group’s weight did not change (8Trusted Source).
Additionally, an observational study in 124,086 individuals determined that people who ate apples lost an average of 1.24 pounds (0.56 kg) per daily serving over a four-year period (9Trusted Source).
Because low-calorie fruits like apples are more filling, you may eat less of other foods during the course of the day. Notably, an apple is almost three times as filling as a chocolate bar (10Trusted Source).
Research shows that apples are best eaten whole — rather than juiced — to reduce hunger and control appetite (11Trusted Source).
That said, two studies link apple juice to reductions in body fat compared to a control drink with the same number of calories. Apple polyphenol extract — made from one of the fruit’s natural compounds — has also been linked to reduced cholesterol levels (12Trusted Source, 13Trusted Source, 14Trusted Source).
Apples can be enjoyed in a variety of ways both cooked and raw. Try adding them to hot and cold cereals, yogurt, stews, and salads, or baking them on their own.
Grapefruit
The fruit grapefruit, a mix between an orange and a pomelo, is frequently linked to weight loss and dieting.
Despite only having 39 calories, a half of a grapefruit supplies 65% of the recommended daily intake (RDI) for vitamin C. Additionally, 28% of the RDI for vitamin A is provided by red cultivars (1Trusted Source).
Additionally, grapefruit has a low glycemic index (GI), which indicates that sugar is released into the bloodstream more gradually. Although there is minimal evidence, a low-GI diet may help with weight loss and weight maintenance (2, 3Trusted Source, 4Trusted Source, 5Trusted Source).
In a research involving 85 obese individuals, consuming grapefruit or grapefruit juice before meals for 12 weeks reduced calorie intake, body weight by 7.1%, and other outcomes.
