The vegetables that can make you fat – peas, sweet corn and potatoes

A handful of blueberries a day was linked to almost a pound and a half of weight loss, and prunes, apples, pears and strawberries were also found to contribute to weight loss.

Another dietitian said eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is always a good idea.

A new study discovers that fresh fruits and vegetables such as beans, maize, melons, grapes and potatoes are foods that take up a less elevated place than others in people’s diet.

Accounting for the lifestyle change factors such as smoking and physical activity, the researchers found that intake of fruits and several types of vegetables for four years is associated weight loss-half a pound (0.24 kg) for extra daily serving of fruit weekly, and a quarter of a pound (0.11kg) for vegetables.

Starchy vegetables like corn, peas and potatoes seemed to cause weight gain, according to the study.

A new study has detailed which fruits and vegetables are the best to feast on if you’re watching your weight. Researchers said this particular haul increases satiety while boasting fewer calories, which may be “partly responsible for the beneficial effects”.

Findings revealed that daily consumption of non-starchy vegetables and fruit helped with weight loss or decreased the risks of weight gain.

Overall, the participants who increased their fruit and vegetable consumption over a four-year period tended to lose weight.

The study was based on responses to dietary questionnaires and self-reported weight changes by more than 133,000 adults in the United States every four years between 1986 and 2010.

Researchers at Harvard University also list peas as one dieters should think carefully about consuming, with potatoes an unsurprising entry at number three. It will cause a loss of 0.34lbs over four years, which will come as a shock to those who believe the old wives’ tale that munching it cuts flab as the body uses more energy to digest it than it receives from it.

“Although these vegetables have nutritional value (potassium, vitamin C, vitamin B6, iron, fibre, and protein), they have a higher glycaemic load (lower carbohydrate quality) that could explain their positive association with weight change”. High-fiber foods make people feel fuller. The most weight gain was recorded in those who ate corn on a regular basis.

Although the study had certain limitations, the results showed the “benefits of increased fruit and vegetable consumption for preventing long-term weight gain, and provide further food-specific guidance for the prevention of obesity”, the authors wrote.