Apples and pears keep the weight off

Brazilian researchers, studying the impact of fruit intake on weight loss, report that overweight women who ate just 300 grams of apples or pears — that's the equivalent of three small fruits a day — lost more weight on a low-calorie diet than women who didn't add fruit to their diet.

For the study, women were instructed to eat one of three dietary supplements: apples, pears, or oat cookies three times a day.

After 12 weeks, the fruit group lost 1.22 kilograms (2.7 pounds), whereas the oat group lost 0.88 kilograms (1.9 pounds).

Researchers suggest several theories as to why apple and pear consumption may promote weight loss.

First, fruits like apples and pears are "low energy-density" foods — that is, they have a relatively low calorie count compared to other non-fruit foods.

Second, research has shown that eating a high-fiber diet (calorie intake being equal) promotes postmeal "satiety," meaning we feel fuller for longer after eating a high-fiber meal. Apples and pears are both important sources of fiber, delivering 5 grams per medium-sized apple and 4 grams per medium-sized pear.

And finally, research has also established that eating a high-fiber diet decreases total calorie intake, thus contributing to weight loss. In other words, eating a high-fruit diet tends to make it more difficult to overeat, because eating a lot of low-energy dense fruits like apples and pears crowds out other foods, reducing your total calorie intake.

References
Conceicao de Oliveira M, Sichieri R, Sanchez Moura A. (2003). Weight loss associated with a daily intake of three apples or three pears among overweight women. Nutrition, 19, 253-256