Gaining The Benefits By Eating More Fruit And Weight Loss….

When you were young, your mom probably told you to eat fruit. Although she might have been more interested in keeping you healthy fruit has zero cholesterol, serves as a good source of heart-healthy fiber and contains phytochemicals that reduce blood pressure and the risk of cancer and type 2 diabetes—boosting your fruit intake may also help you lose weight. Add strawberries and grapefruit to your watermelon, and watch the scale inch to the left. Fruit is one of the most healthy and natural foods in existence. There are thousands of different types of fruit available to eat, all of which provide us with strong health benefits.

It has been recommended that we should be eating at least 5 pieces of fruit every day in order to gain the full health benefits of eating fruit.

health benefits of eating fruit

• potential for weight control
• more energy for exercising
• reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases
• reduced risk of developing cancers
• lower blood pressure
• potential to lower cholesterol
• reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes
• potential to slow down age process

It can be quite easy to slip 5 pieces of fruit into the diet. Here are some tips:

1. Add dried fruit to breakfast cereal.
2. Prepare fruit salads to last few days.
3. Eat an apple before leaving for work.
4. Eat small pieces of fruits 30 minutes before/ after light workout.
5. Drink more fruit juices.
6. Find recipes that contain fruit.
7. Always have a bowl of fruit in or near TV.

Fruit provides your body with powerful antioxidants, essential vitamins and minerals, and natural sweetness. Some can even aid weight loss, while others make healthy alternatives to foods that inhibit weight loss, such as sugary desserts and snacks high in unhealthy saturated fats. While fruits are naturally sweet, they are low on the glycemic index scale, as well as in calories and fat. Fruit can also benefit many people wanting to lose weight. Energy consumption is thought to be mainly influenced by the palatability, fiber content, density of energy and the variety of foods. Eating fruit has the benefit of affecting some these factors. Fruit is also low in sodium so they help reduce the chance of gaining water weight. Providing you are eating about one-third of the diet as fruits & vegetables, you should notice rapid weight loss because the ample fruit consumption helps fill the stomach faster encouraging less high calorie foods to be consumed. The total calorie consumption will automatically reduce even if we are eating plenty of fruit and vegetables. There is such a variety of fruits available that many can be freely eaten without consuming too many calories thereby controlling weight more effectively.Everybody wants a weight-loss plan that lets them eat as much as they want while satisfying hunger and reducing calorie intake. The trick is to choose foods with a lower energy density, or fewer calories per gram weight of the food. The more water and fiber in a food, the lower its energy density, and the more it helps you stay full while you reduce your calorie intake and lose weight.

Here are some suggestions to help you boost your fruit intake to healthier levels—and you might just lose a few pounds along the way.

• We know you’d rather order the cheesecake, but we’ve come up with a fair compromise. Many restaurants serve fruit dishes with a tasty indulgence—like a sugar cookie, a scoop of sorbet or a selection of cheeses—on the side.
• Appetizers can be a dieter’s downfall, packed with calories and loaded with fat. Amaze your friends with a delicious, colorful and low-calorie fruit kabob appetizer. Cut a variety of fruit to skewer on a bamboo stick, including red and green grapes, pineapple chunks, strawberries, sliced bananas, cubed pears—the sky is the limit! If preparing in advance, drizzle the fruit with lemon juice to prevent the bananas and pears from turning brown. Keep a bowl of fresh fruit on your kitchen counter. You’re more likely to grab an apple, tangerine or peach if it’s in sight.
• Feast away on apple slices throughout the day, and you’ll be less tempted to hit up the vending machine to satisfy your sweet tooth.
• Are late-night ice cream cravings your diet downfall? Snack on frozen grapes instead. They’re sweet, crunchy and cold—and they’ll make you forget about the pint of Ben & Jerry’s in your freezer.
• When eating at fast-food chains, order a fruit cup instead of fries. Doughnuts and bagels may be the usual morning snack at work, but wow your colleagues with a parfait of frozen berries, yogurt and low-fat granola.
• Need to whip up a tasty dinner party dish? Try making a fruity dessert. Slice strawberries and mix with raspberries and blueberries. Top with a quick syrup: Simmer 1/2 cup water with 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon amaretto until reduced to 1/4 cup. Cool and pour over the fruit for an out-of-this-world dessert dish.