*I just want to start by saying that I am not a nutritionist, these are all my own opinion and what have worked for me*

There are some very conflicting opinions these days on what is good for you and what’s not. We used to be scared by the mere mention of ‘fat’, but then we were told that there are actually some good fats. And now, it’s the turn of sugar to strike fear into the hearts of those living a healthy lifestyle.

Sugar is a massive Buzzword at the moment, and people seem to have misunderstood the concept of which sugar is bad. How I have interpreted the whole thing, is that it is the refined sugar we need to be most wary of. Natural sugars which occur in fruits and vegetables are not going to do you any harm, if eaten in moderation. However, refined sugars such as those found in white bread are not beneficial to our bodies. They offer no nutritional value and instead just get converted into fat cells as they sit in your body.

Enough with the science talk: we are here to talk about fruit! Here are my top 5 fruits that you should be eating to aid your weight loss…

Lemons

Lemons are probably the most well-known aid in weight loss. With most, if not all health gurus recommending you to start the day with a good old glass of Lemon Water. Lemons are like a Mary Poppins bag filled to the brim with goodness and vitamins. Containing high levels of Vitamin C and B, and a host of minerals such as potassium, zinc and iron too. Sounds good so far, right?

You should be drinking a glass of lemon juice each day. The water can be any temperature however I would not recommend hot water as it denatures the enzymes in the fruit, taking away some of the goodness in the fruit. I would recommend that if you don’t want it cold, drink it lukewarm at most.

Lemon water is a great body cleanser, and helps to kick start your immune system and metabolism for the day. I would suggest drinking your lemon water 30 minutes before eating breakfast, to give your body chance to soak up the goodness and for your metabolism to kick into action.

If you struggle with the bitterness of lemon, you can always add a little honey to sweeten your drink, not sugar though!

Grapefruit

Grapefruit is my second favourite fruit of all time, only a step behind nectarines. And in my opinion there’s no better breakfast than half a grapefruit with a sprinkle of sugar or a drizzle of honey on top.

Grapefruit is a silent contender in the healthiest fruit category, but it is actually one of the best fruits you can eat. Much the same as lemon, it is full to the top with vitamins and minerals. It’s great for your heart and also speeds up your metabolism too!

Kiwi

Kiwis are a fuzzy, brown ball of goodness. They contain up to 5 times as much vitamin C as an orange, and is full of Vitamin A, K, E and B. In short- these are a superfruit!

Apples

‘An apple a day keeps the Doctor away’ I’m sure we all remember hearing that phrase as we were growing up. Apples are full of flavonols, which are hugely beneficial in reducing the risk of heart disease, strokes and even cancer.

Strawberries

Although strawberries are full of sugar, they do also provide a large amount of fiber relative to their sugar content. This is really useful for those of you with a sweet tooth, because it curbs your cravings whilst also providing you with some good, natural nutrients too.

I hope this post helped you on your way to a more balanced diet! Let me know if you think I have missed out any great fruits down below.