A new study suggests some fruits and vegetables may help you lose weight. Fruits, particularly berries, apples and pears and non-starchy vegetables, like soybeans and cauliflower are those.
However, adding starchy vegetables like peas, potatoes and corn to your diet may not be as good for your waistline: People who increased their consumption of these vegetables gained weight over time, the study found. “Unfortunately, most Americans have inadequate fruit and vegetable intake,” but when they do eat these foods, they may be consuming too much fruit juice and potatoes, the researchers said. Therefore, “nutritional guidelines ought to emphasize individual or subgroups of specific fruits and vegetables that maximize the potential for weight maintenance and disease prevention,” they said.
The fruits with the biggest impact on weight loss included berries, apples and pears: Each serving of these fruits added over a four-year period was linked with about 1 lb. (0.4 kg) of weight loss. Cauliflower and soy-based products like tofu were also good for the waistline: Each additional serving of these foods was linked with about 2 lbs. (0.9 kg) of weight loss. Fruits and vegetables with more fiber may increase feelings of fullness, and lead people to eat less overall, the researchers said. The link between greater fruit and vegetable consumption and less weight gain held even after the researchers took into account factors that could affect weight, such as people’s physical activity levels, the amount of sleep they got and whether they smoked.
The study included mainly white adults with a high level of education, the findings may not apply to other populations, the researchers said……
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