When it comes to great health, we’ve all heard the generic messages about eating more fruits and vegetables. However, a recently published study suggests that some fruits and vegetables may be more beneficial for maintaining or achieving a healthy weight.
The pertinent study investigated the dietary intakes of 133,468 men and women over 24 years between 1986 and 2010. Weight changes were calculated as the difference in weight between the beginning and the end of 4-year intervals. The following summarizes the study’s key findings:
- Cruciferous vegetables, cauliflower and leafy green vegetables correlated with greater weight loss.
- Vegetables with higher dietary fibre (excluding potatoes) and lower glycaemic loads (for example, broccoli and Brussels sprouts) were associated with greater weight loss.
- Blueberries, strawberries, apples and pears were associated with the greatest weight loss over 4-years.
- Tofu and soy were also associated with the greatest weight loss.
- Higher intakes of starchy vegetables such as potatoes, corn and peas were associated with weight gain.
How significant are these findings? While the investigators accounted for some confounding variables, it cannot be ruled out that certain choices of fruits and vegetables are associated with other lifestyle factors.
My opinion:
It is your overall daily healthy habits that lead to greater health outcomes, including a healthy weight, not whether you eat peas or corn every now and again.
For the full study click here:
Bertoia et al. Changes in intake of fruits and vegetables and weight change in United States men and women followed for up to 24 years: analysis from three prospective cohort studies, PLOS Medicine, 2015.
