Want to shed a stone over a year without doing any exercise?

Just eat a handful of berries every day 

• Those in the study replaced sugary afternoon snack with berries
• This lead to them consuming 134 fewer calories at the next meal 
• This could lead to 1lb weight loss a month, without doing any exercis

Simply swapping a chocolate bar or packet of sweets for a handful of berries as an afternoon snack can lead to nearly a stone of weight loss over a year.

Researchers found that people who snacked on the fruits ate fewer calories at their next meal.  

While 'super berries' such as acai and goji have been touted for their weight loss virtues, the scientists in this study looked at the effects of strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries.

Loughborough University researchers found people who snacked on berries with the same energy content of the sugary snack ate 134 fewer calories.

Without doing any exercise, this could lead to 1lb of weight loss a month, 

It would also boost the number of people achieving the recommended fruit and veg intake of five portions a day, with only 30 per cent of Britons achieving this. 

The study was commissioned by Seasonal Berries, which represents the soft fruit industry.

Dr Lewis James, from the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University, said: 'Our research shows an afternoon snack of mixed berries decreases energy intake at dinner.

'It's a simple method that might help people control and lose weight.

'There are a number of potential health benefits of consuming berries, but this is the first time that consuming them as a snack has been shown to reduce how much people eat during the next meal of the day.' 

'The cumulative effect of the reduced calories could help people lose the extra pounds without them having to make an effort, or even noticing.'

In the four-month, participants ate a berry snack and were then told to eat a pasta dinner until they were 'comfortably full and satisfied'.

Those who had a sugary snack ate nearly 20 per cent more food at dinner than those who had eaten a handful of berries.

Those who snacked on berries consumed, on average, 134 fewer calories. 

Dr James estimated that people switching from an afternoon confectionery snack to mixed berries might expect to reduce their energy intake by 938 calories a week on average.

Given that 1lb of body fat is equivalent to around 3,500 calories, this reduction in daily energy intake would could produce a loss of approximately 1lb of body fat a month - or a stone in a year. 

Source:dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2945713/Want-shed-stone-year-without-doing-exercise-Just-eat-handful-berries-day.html#ixzz3RMt0o371