Want to Lose Weight? Eat Some Prunes

Want to lose weight? Then you may want to try some prunes. Scientists have found that eating prunes as part of a weight control diet can actually improve weight loss.

Eating dried fruit usually isn't recommended during weight loss, despite evidence that it enhances feelings of fullness. Yet this latest study may change that ruling; eating prunes may, in fact, contribute to weight loss.

"Maintaining a healthy diet is challenging," said Jason, Halford, one of the researchers, in a news release. "Along with fresh fruit and vegetables, dried fruit can provide a useful and convenient addition to the diet, especially as controlling appetite during dieting can be tough."

The researchers looked at 100 overweight and obese low-fiber consumers. They then tested the volunteers to see whether eating prunes as part of a weight loss diet could help or hinder weight control over a 12-week period. The scientists also looked at whether low fiber consumers could tolerate eating substantial numbers of prunes in their diet, and if eating prunes had a beneficial effect on appetite.

So what did they find? It turns out that the members of the group who ate prunes as part of a healthy lifestyle diet lost about four pounds in weight and shaved 2.5 centimeters off of their waists. Yet those in the group who were given advice on healthy snacks lost only three pounds of weight and 1.7 centimeters from their waists.

"These are the first data to demonstrate both weight loss and no negative side effects when consuming prunes as part of a weight management diet," said Jo Harrold, one of the researchers, in a news release. "Indeed in the long term they may be beneficial to dieters by tackling hunger and satisfying appetite; a major challenge when you are trying to maintain weight loss."