Prunes to lose weight

Losing weight is one thing and maintaining that slim figure is quite another as most overweight people tend to regain the lost weight soon - unless you are in love with prunes!

Researchers have found that including prunes in your diet may not only help you slim your waistline but also maintain it.

"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 from University of Liverpool in Britain.

"In the long run, these may be beneficial to dieters by tackling hunger and satisfying appetite - a major challenge when you are trying to maintain weight loss," Harrold added.

In a program spanning over 12 weeks, researchers examined 100 overweight and obese low-fibre consumers.

They found that members of the group who ate prunes as part of a healthy life-style diet lost two kg in weight and shed 2.5 cm off their waists.

The prune eaters experienced greater weight loss during the last four weeks of the study.

After week eight, participants showed increased feelings of fullness in the prune group.

Moreover, despite the high daily doses, prunes were well tolerated.

"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," said Jason Halford, professor of experimental psychology at University of Liverpool.