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Adding more whole, unprocessed foods – for example, fruits – to your diet is one way to support weight loss. Plus, it’s a much less restrictive approach than cutting out all of your favorite foods. Although there is room for any and every fruit in your diet (unless you need specific dietary restrictions for your health), some fruits stand out as being particularly helpful for weight management. Grapefruit is particularly popular among those who wish to lose weight and for good reason.
Grapefruit
Grapefruit is well-known as a weight loss-friendly fruit. But how does that work? Grapefruit is very low in calories, but still contains a lot of essential nutrients, including vitamins A and C (which also support your immune system).
"Grapefruit delivers a lot of nutrition and water for very few calories: there are just 39 calories in one half of a grapefruit. So it's a great choice if you want to boost your intake of high nutrient, low calorie foods," Health explains.
Plus, studies show that this fruit can have a positive impact on weight management. "Our study shows grapefruit can play a vital role in overall health and wellness, and in battling America's ever-growing obesity epidemic," explained Dr. Ken Fujioka, who led a study on the Grapefruit Diet, per Medical News Today.
"Whether it's the properties of grapefruit or its ability to satiate appetites, grapefruit appeared to help with weight loss and decreased insulin levels leading to better health," he continued.
Other studies have shown similarly positive results. According to Healthline, "In a study in 85 obese people, eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice before meals for 12 weeks resulted in a decrease in calorie intake, a 7.1% decrease in body weight, and improved cholesterol levels." Besides weight loss, grapefruit can have other positive impacts on your overall health, including reducing blood pressure.
You can always eat grapefruit plain, but if you do want a recipe to mix some extra flavors in, keep reading.
Grapefruit Avocado Salad
What You'll Need: ruby grapefruits, grapefruit, shallot, white wine vinegar, avocados, salt, extra-virgin olive oil, pepper, chervil leaves
Full Recipe: Food & Wine
