Fruits such as blueberries, strawberries, watermelon, kiwi, nectarines, tart cherries and apricots provide vitamins, minerals, water and dietary fibre. Their nutritional content varies, but they can all form part of a balanced eating pattern.
Whole fruits can also help people manage their overall energy intake when they replace foods with fewer nutrients. However, no single fruit has been shown to cause weight loss on its own.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says fruits and vegetables provide essential nutrients and fibre, while their water content can help people feel fuller. Replacing some calorie-dense foods with fruit and vegetables can support weight management without removing important foods from the diet.
Here are seven fruits and their main nutritional benefits.
1. Blueberries
Blueberries provide dietary fibre and contain anthocyanins, plant compounds responsible for much of their blue-purple colour. They also supply vitamin C and other nutrients.
Their fibre contributes to digestive health, while their water content adds to the volume of food consumed. Blueberries can be eaten fresh or frozen, added to porridge or cereal, or mixed into plain yoghurt.
Research into the effects of blueberry compounds on body fat has included animal studies. Such findings do not establish that eating blueberries directly causes weight loss in humans.
2. Strawberries
Strawberries contain vitamin C, water and dietary fibre. They can be eaten on their own, added to fruit salads or served with yoghurt.
Their naturally sweet flavour can also make them a useful alternative to some desserts and packaged snacks. The nutritional benefit depends partly on how they are prepared: adding substantial amounts of sugar, syrup or cream changes the overall composition of the meal.
Strawberries provide nutrients that support normal body functions, but they are not a treatment for excess body weight.
3. Watermelon
Watermelon contains a high proportion of water and provides vitamin C and other plant compounds, including lycopene.
Its water content makes it a refreshing fruit, particularly in hot weather. It can be served in slices or combined with other fruits for a snack.
Watermelon contains naturally occurring sugars, but that does not make it an unhealthy choice. The amount of carbohydrate and energy consumed depends on the serving size.
People do not need to avoid watermelon because it tastes sweet. Like other fruits, it can be included in a varied diet.
4. Kiwi
Kiwi fruit is a source of vitamin C, dietary fibre and vitamin K. Its fibre can support normal bowel function, while vitamin C contributes to immune function and helps the body absorb iron from plant foods.
Kiwi can be eaten on its own, added to fruit salads or blended into smoothies. Eating the whole fruit retains its fibre, unlike many strained fruit juices.
Kiwi also contains soluble and insoluble fibre, which contribute to digestive health. Its effect on blood sugar depends on factors including the amount eaten and what else is consumed with it. A low glycaemic index does not mean a food has no effect on blood glucose.
5. Nectarines
Nectarines provide vitamin C, dietary fibre and other plant compounds. They can be eaten fresh or added to fruit salads and breakfast dishes.
Their fibre contributes to digestive health, while vitamin C supports normal immune function and collagen production.
Nectarines are not a proven treatment for obesity, high blood sugar or chronic disease. Although research has examined plant compounds found in various fruits, evidence about individual compounds does not necessarily establish a health benefit from eating the whole fruit.
Some people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may also find nectarines difficult to tolerate. They are among the fruits that may be restricted during certain low-FODMAP diets, which limit particular carbohydrates that can trigger digestive symptoms in susceptible people. Such restrictions are not necessary for everyone.
6. Tart cherries
Tart cherries contain vitamin C, fibre and plant compounds known as anthocyanins. They also provide other nutrients, including potassium.
Research into tart cherries has examined their possible effects on inflammation, exercise recovery and sleep. However, findings from animal experiments cannot establish that the fruit or its juice causes fat loss in people.
One animal study cited in the supplied material examined tart cherries in obese rats and reported changes in abdominal fat and markers associated with metabolism. These results require caution when applied to humans.
Tart cherries can be eaten as part of a varied diet, but claims that they directly reduce belly fat or prevent heart disease should not be treated as established benefits.
Whole cherries also differ nutritionally from concentrated juice and products with added sugar.
7. Apricots
Apricots provide dietary fibre, potassium and vitamins, including vitamin A precursors that the body can convert into vitamin A. This vitamin supports normal vision and immune function.
Fresh apricots contain water, while dried apricots are more concentrated because much of their water has been removed. Dried fruit can therefore provide more nutrients and energy per gram than its fresh equivalent.
Apricot fibre contributes to normal digestion, and potassium helps regulate fluid balance, nerve signalling and muscle function.
Apricots also contain antioxidant compounds. Although antioxidants help protect cells from certain forms of damage, this does not mean that eating apricots can prevent or treat cancer or other chronic diseases.
Animal research has investigated whether apricot consumption may affect markers of liver damage, but such findings are not sufficient to establish the same protective effect in humans.
How fruit fits into a balanced diet
Choosing a variety of fruits provides different vitamins, minerals and plant compounds. Fresh, frozen and appropriately packaged fruit can all contribute to a healthy eating pattern.
The CDC recommends choosing whole fruit more often than fruit juice because whole fruit retains fibre and can help people feel fuller. Canned fruit packed in water or its own juice, rather than heavy syrup, is another option.
Fruit is only one part of nutrition. A balanced diet also includes vegetables, whole grains, protein sources and foods containing healthy fats.
Rather than relying on a single food or eliminating entire food groups, people benefit from eating a varied diet that meets their nutritional needs. Fruits can contribute to that pattern without being treated as special weight-loss products.
