Strawberries and Grapes for Weight Loss

Pssst… sharing a secret about Strawberries and Grapes for Weight Loss! 

We just got back from Cameron Highlands, and trust me, the fruits, they were a plenty especially strawberries and grapes.

Home grown in the highlands and pesticide free, the strawberries and grapes were just in a class of their own. Packed with fiber and vitamins, fruits can actually help you lose weight. And the more fiber you take in, the more likely you are to be successful in your weight loss regime.

Strawberries 

As with all berries, strawberries are a fabulous source of fiber and their seeds providing insoluble fiber that keeps you regular and helps fend off digestive system problems, including hemorrhoids and varicose veins.

Most of all, strawberries are a super source of vitamin C, even better than oranges or grapefruit. Strawberries are also a good source of potassium (helps moderate BP and prevent stroke). Strawberries contain ellagic acid, a phytochemical with cancer-fighting and anti-inflammatory power.

Strawberries can increase the body’s production of a hormone that stimulates your metabolism and suppresses your appetite and increase weight loss. They can slow the rate of digestion of starchy foods. This helps control the rise in blood sugar that follows a starchy meal. This is a key benefit for those with adult-onset (Type 2) diabetes.

Strawberries are low in calories, fat-free and deliver a fair amount of fiber. A one cup serving of sliced strawberries contains only 49 calories and 12 carbohydrates. It also contains 3 g of fiber, which is over 10 percent of the recommended daily intake. Fiber helps you feel full, satisfying your hunger and preventing the urge to snack.

Grapes 

Grapes may not be packed with traditional nutrients, but they do contain a collection of phytochemicals. Among them is ellagic acid, a natural substance also found in strawberries that is thought to possess cancer-preventing properties. Grapes also contain boron, a mineral believed to play a role in bone and joint health.

Many dieters shy away from grapes because they think they have high sugar content. In fact, one cup of red grapes contains 104 calories and 27 carbs, 23 g of which is sugars. Though they do contain sugars, grapes have a low glycemic food index and have the ability to lower and regulate blood sugar levels.

They are also high in several polyphenols, including resveratrol and pterostilbene which reportedly prevent obesity caused by high-fat diets. And, they improve the body’s response to insulin which may account for its ability to lower blood glucose.

In studies, resveratrol successfully increased the expression of a crucial protein that in turn increases the production of adinopectin, one of the key hormones the body uses to metabolize fat and glucose and help in weight loss. Potential benefits of pterostilbenes include reducing inflammation, fighting cancer, regulating blood glucose and improving cardiovascular health.