Can Eating Apples and Bananas Help You Lose Weight?

It probably won't surprise you to learn that the two most popular fruits in the United States are apples and bananas. In fact, 73 and 69 percent of shoppers buy bananas and apples, respectively, according to the Produce Marketing Association. Luckily, both fruits can be easily incorporated into your weight-loss plan.

Apples and bananas offer a variety of health benefits and are nutrient-dense, offering plenty of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals for a relatively low calorie count. Still, too much of a good thing can sometimes become a roadblock in your weight-loss efforts — so make sure to manage your portion sizes.

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In simple terms, losing weight requires a caloric deficit, which is achieved by either cutting calorie intake, increasing energy expenditure or, ideally, a combination of both. However, apples and bananas both provide a variety of health-promoting nutrients that can be essential for supporting weight-management efforts.

One of the standouts for both apples and bananas is their fiber content. The recommended daily intake of fiber is 25 grams for women and 38 grams for men, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Unfortunately, only about 5 percent of Americans meet these guidelines, according to a 2017 report in the ‌American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine.‌ Enjoying apples and bananas can help you meet that fiber need. And that can be beneficial for weight-loss efforts since fiber helps boost satiety and prevents you from mindless snacking.

While apples are rich in the soluble fiber pectin, bananas contain resistant starch. Since resistant starch passes through you undigested, it helps balance your blood sugar and keep you fuller for longer.

Over time, eating both apples and bananas is associated with less weight gain, according to a September 2015 analysis in ‌PLOS Medicine‌. As for weight loss, specifically, Keri Gans, RDN, a New York City-based nutritionist and author of ‌The Small Change Diet,‌ puts it all into perspective: While an apple or a banana simply by itself may not inherently promote weight loss, no single food does. "It is how that food is incorporated into an overall diet that matters."

"There is evidence that eating apples can help people lose weight," says Seattle-based registered dietitian Ginger Hultin, RD, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and owner of Champagne Nutrition. "Like many other fruits, apples are low in calories, high in fiber and water, and rich in nutrients that the body needs, all of which can contribute to weight management."

In fact, people who ate three apples a day were observed to lose two pounds over a 10-week period, according to a March 2008 analysis published in the journal ‌Appetite.‌ Losing weight may be associated with how you incorporate the fruit into your diet. "Apples can possibly help a person lose weight if they are choosing the apple in place of something a lot less nutritious," Gans says.

"Ideally, people would combine that apple with some protein for optimal fullness." Gans explains that if someone was previously choosing a candy bar, and then opted for a small apple with a single serving of nuts, that swap could help curb their appetite.

Specifically, one medium apple with the skin provides 95 calories, 0.3 grams of total fat, 25 grams of carbs (4.4 grams of dietary fiber, 19 grams of sugar), 0.5 grams of protein, 8.4 milligrams of vitamin C and 195 milligrams of potassium, according to the USDA. Additionally, Hultin highlights that apples offer various antioxidants, like anthocyanins (in red varieties) and flavonols, as well as vitamin C.

One of the key types of fiber in apples is pectin, a soluble fiber. Animal research suggests that pectin may be effective for decreasing calorie intake, decreasing body fat and boosting satiety, according to an October 2015 study published in ‌PLOS One.‌

And getting enough vitamin C is linked to a lower risk of developing obesity and other ailments such as heart disease, high blood pressure and certain cancers, according to a May 2014 review in the ‌Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology.‌

Although bananas often get a bad rap for being high in sugar, they're packed with nutrients and fiber, which actually helps stabilize your blood sugar. "Although bananas contain slightly higher natural sugar content than apples, they also have been linked to weight loss," Hultin says.

‌Read more:‌ Top 10 Health Benefits of Bananas

Participants who ate green bananas also had a lower body weight, body fat, BMI, blood glucose, insulin levels and blood pressure, according to a June 2019 study in the ‌British Journal of Nutrition‌. Researchers think that these favorable benefits are thanks to the resistant starch, a type of fiber, found in the fruit. That's one reason to eat that banana before it's full of brown spots.

What's more, unripe banana starch is resistant to digestion and eating it for four weeks is linked to a significant reduction of body weight (3.5 pounds) and BMI after four weeks, per an April 2010 study in the ‌International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.‌

Gans likes that bananas are a good source of fiber, potassium, B6 and vitamin C. Specifically, one medium banana provides 105 calories, 0.4 grams of total fat, 27 grams of carbs (3.1 grams of dietary fiber, 14.4 grams of sugar), 1.3 grams of protein, 10.3 milligrams of vitamin C and 422 milligrams of potassium, according to the USDA.

And that solid potassium content is especially beneficial if you're active. "Bananas are a great recovery food post-workout to help balance electrolytes," Hultin says.

Based on a 2,000-calorie diet, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020 recommend two cup-equivalents of fruit per day. And that's ideally achieved via whole fruits — not juice, since it's easier to overindulge in liquids, which can cause you to take in too many calories. Plus, some juice drinks or juice cocktails contain little real fruit juice and a lot of added sugars.

‌Read more:‌ Why Drinking Juice Isn't Nearly as Healthy as Eating Whole Fruit

For instance, a one-cup portion of berries counts as a one-cup equivalent of fruit as does one medium apple or one medium banana.

"Though apples are generally a low-calorie food, they come in different sizes — some as small as a tight fist and some as large as a baseball (or bigger)," Hultin says. She adds that apples can range from about 55 to 60 calories in a very small fruit to as much as 130 calories in larger fruit. Gans generally advises going with a small fruit that's around 75 calories.

Like apples, bananas come in many different sizes, too. A small banana contains about 70 to 80 calories while a large fruit may provide up to 135 calories, Hultin says. "Size makes a difference here if you're counting calories," she adds. "Many people seeking to lose weight should opt either for a half a serving or a smaller size," Gans says.

Apples and bananas are quick and easy to grab when you're at work, school or on the road. These portable snacks can be easily paired with string cheese, low-fat milk, yogurt, nuts or natural nut butter for a well-balanced snack.

Combining apples or bananas with a lean protein or healthy source of fat (or both!) can provide satiety to better help you manage calorie intake, potentially helping your weight-loss efforts.

"I suggest my clients pop an apple in a purse or backpack for easy on-the-go snacking anywhere the day takes them," Hultin says.

‌Pair with a healthy fat:‌ Gans loves bananas with either a tablespoon of nut butter, a half cup of cottage cheese or some yogurt with a drizzle of honey. "Bananas pair amazingly with peanut or almond butter for a wonderful balance of complex carbs, healthy fat and protein," Hultin says.

‌Dip them into yogurt:‌ Hultin suggests slicing up an apple and dipping the wedges into flavorful, yogurt-based sauces. Gans adds, "I like to recommend using an apple corer to make easy-to-eat wedges." She also suggests placing an apple in a microwavable dish, cooking it until softened and then topping with plain yogurt and cinnamon.

‌Enjoy them blended:‌ Bananas also are great for dessert when blended into a satisfying smoothie or when sliced and served warm. You can top the slices with plain Greek yogurt, pistachios and cacao nibs. For a simple, whole-food-based dessert, Hultin recommends pureeing frozen bananas into a tasty "nice-cream." She likes to combine it with other healthy add-ins such as unsweetened cocoa powder.

‌Add them to homemade baked goods:‌ And if you like to bake, consider using some mashed banana in place of up to half of the butter or other fat called for in a recipe to create a better-for-you dessert that's just as delicious!

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