If you are looking to lose weight and get fit, switching to a diet that’s rich in fresh fruit and vegetables is a no-brainer. However, not all fruits were created alike. Some can be better allies in your fight against fat, whether your problem is your belly, hips, torso, or other areas. Add these fruits to your daily diet to help improve your body fat percentage numbers and get fit.
Harness The Power Of Omega-9 From An Avocado
Omega-9 fatty acids are the good kind of fat that plays a key role in regulating your appetite. Equally important, they also help boost your metabolism. Avocados are a good source of the omega-9 monounsaturated fat oleic acid. Research on how oleic acid may help lower cholesterol and be good for cardiovascular health is promising.
The Mediterranean diet with nutrient dense fruit and good fats like those in avocado is one that has been hailed as a heart-healthy diet for some time now. Avocados are also fiber-rich and keep you feeling full longer. And that’s besides positively regulating blood lipid levels.1
The 26 mg of phytosterols in every 30 g serving of avocado also competes with dietary cholesterol for absorption by the body, cutting down the cholesterol retained by your system.2
Grapefruit Enzymes To Power Up The Attack
Special fat burning enzymes present in grapefruit, the healthy breakfast staple, may help circulating lipids in the body to be modulated downwards. These enzymes lower your insulin levels, causing the body to store a little less sugar in the form of fat.
In addition, because your insulin levels dip after eating fiber-rich, low-calorie grapefruit, your appetite is curbed. Studies are also evaluating the grapefruit’s ability to improve lipid and blood pressure levels – an exciting possibility in the fight against obesity and cardiovascular illness.
One such study found that both total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) significantly decreased in overweight adults who consumed grapefruit every day with each meal for 6 weeks.3
Zap The Fat With Antioxidants From Pomegranates
Antioxidants found in pomegranates help kick your metabolism into high gear. And a higher metabolic rate means your body is able to burn more fat – and that too with the same calorie intake and same levels of exercise, simply by virtue of the better metabolism! You’ll be able to use your food as a fuel more efficiently as these antioxidants unleash their power.
Regular daily consumption of concentrated pomegranate juice was found to help improve the lipid profiles of diabetic patients under observation in one research study. Total cholesterol levels and LDL cholesterol went down, indicating its benefits in treating hyperlipidemia in type-2 diabetes patients.4
Oranges And Apples: Fight Fat With Fiber
Low-calorie and high-fiber fruits are a good way to fill up, energize, and give your body a thorough cleanse. The fiber in fruit like apples, pears, and oranges help the body rid itself of unwanted toxins and waste.
Studies have found that increasing your intake of fiber can help you lower serum cholesterol levels and keep blood pressure in check.5 Apples also have high quantities of pectin, which limits the fat absorbed by your cells.6
Fiber from oranges and grapefruit can be good too. Just don’t juice them because that will lose that invaluable fiber. Instead, eat them whole as a filling, healthy snack. With fibrous pears and apples, the magic is in the peel so eat them without peeling.
Blueberries: Low Glycemic Is Good News
With a daily dose of fruit, it is easy to lose track of the amount of sugar you are taking on. These high-glycemic fruits give you that familiar “sugar high” and a burst of energy after which you crash down and again feel hungry or crave for something to eat.
Low-glycemic fruits, on the other hand, release their energy slower and leave you with a sense of satiety for longer. Which means you are less likely to binge an hour after a serving of the fruit – as against a high-glycemic food that leaves you wanting more.
Blueberries are one such low-glycemic index fruit and they also help target belly fat. Studies have found that blueberry consumption can counter the effects of a high-cholesterol/high-fat diet, by improving endothelial dysfunction and lowering blood pressure.7 The peel of these berries has also been found to inhibit adipogenesis and lipid accumulation.8
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