3 Fruits for Snacking that Can Help You Lose Weight

One of the advice for diet is to increase fruit and vegetable intake. This is because fruits and vegetables are generally low in calories but high in fiber, so they can help you to lose weight. Fruits and vegetables also reduce the risk of many diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart diseases.

Unlike vegetables which are usually consumed with the main meal, fruits can be consumed as a snack because it is quite practical to consume. Fruits do not need to be cooked first, so we just need to peel them. So, it is technically correct when fruits are said to be a natural ready-to-eat snack.

There are three fruits that you can consume as a snack when you want to lose weight:

1. Apples

Apples are a fruit that contains low calories and high fiber. According to the Indonesia Food Composition Data, 100 grams of apples contains 58 calories and 2.6 grams of fiber. Apples are also proven to lose weight. Based on the studies by Oliveira, et all., which have been published in the Appetite journal, a group that was given 3 apples per day for 10 weeks experienced an average weight loss of 0.9 kg.

Even if it is low in calories, apples still can give you a happy effect. Therefore, you can consume fewer other foods on that day. Psst, apples almost have the same happy effect as chocolate bars! Though the calories inside the chocolate bars are higher than apples. Apples are also a fruit that can be consumed easily, you just need to wash them clean.

2. Melons

Melons could also help you lose weight because aside from being low in calories, melons are also high in water content. According to Indonesia Food Composition Data, 100 grams of melons contains 37 calories and 90.8 grams of water. The water content in melons can help you lose weight because it can increase body hydration and make your body feel full.

Furthermore, 100 grams of melons also contain 167 mg of potassium and other antioxidants, one of which is beta-carotene. Melon can also be consumed in small pieces, turned into fruit salad, or juiced.

3. Oranges

Oranges are a fruit known for their high vitamin C. Also, orange is a fruit that has low calories but is high in fibers and water content. According to Indonesia Food Composition Data, 100 grams of oranges contains 45 calories, 1.4 grams of fibers, and 87.2 grams of water. This is what makes oranges able to provide a stomach-filling effect. In fact, oranges are four times more filling than croissants.

Oranges only needed to be peeled in order to be consumed. Just like apples, consuming oranges in a large quantity fills you up faster, reduces hunger, and reduces calorie intake rather than being juiced.

So, the key to choosing fruits for snacking while you are trying to lose weight is to consume low-calories, high fibers, and high water content fruits. Note that some of the fruits are better consumed whole rather than juiced. If you are bored eating whole fruits, you can also mix a certain number of fruits and create a fruit salad. But don't forget to not use salad dressing with high calories!

Read other articles in Fitie to gather information about nutrition and health.

Sources : 

Flood-Obbagy, J. E., & Rolls, B. J. (2009). The effect of fruit in different forms on energy intake and satiety at a meal. Appetite, 52(2), 416–422.

Thornton S. N. (2016). Increased Hydration Can Be Associated with Weight Loss. Frontiers in nutrition, 3, 18.

de Oliveira, M. C., Sichieri, R., & Venturim Mozzer, R. (2008). A low-energy-dense diet adding fruit reduces weight and energy intake in women. Appetite, 51(2), 291–295.

Kementerian Kesehatan RI. (2017). Data Konsumsi Pangan Indonesia. Jakarta: Kementerian Kesehatan RI