Grapes: Natural Weight-Loss Food

Grapes, one of the oldest cultivated fruits, are unique because they grow on vines. This bite-size fruit is popular with everyone, especially kids (but be sure to peel and slice them lengthwise for young children to avoid choking). Moreover, they're portable and neat, making them easy low-calorie substitutes for high-fat, calorie-filled snacks and desserts. Bursting with juice, they are a refreshing snack.

Though eating grapes can help you lose weight, when eaten in place of higher-calorie options and combined with a reduced-calorie meal plan, overindulging in grapes may hinder weight loss. Grapes provide you with numerous essential nutrients and help fill you up from few calories. However, grapes lack other nutrients that are beneficial for weight-loss success -- so should be eaten in moderation.

Carbs

Grapes are carb-rich foods -- and although some carbs in your weight-loss meal plan are perfectly acceptable, too many carbs can lead to weight gain. According to the USDA, 1 cup of grapes contains about 27 grams of total carbs, including 23 grams of sugar. Although the 1.4 grams of fiber, a type of carb, in 1 cup of grapes does help increase satiety, other fruits – such as strawberries, blueberries and oranges – contain fewer calories and even more fiber than grapes.

Protein

Protein is a key component of successful weight loss because it increases satiation and causes your body to burn extra calories, according to a 2009 study published in “The Journal of Nutrition.” One cup of grapes only provides about 1 gram of dietary protein. However, eating grapes with low-fat cottage cheese, low-fat yogurt, soymilk, nuts or seeds will significantly boost the protein content of your meal or snack.

Calories

Many youngsters require about 1,200 to 1,600 calories daily for safe and effective weight loss, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Grapes contain about 104 calories per cup, according to the USDA National Nutrient Database. Although grapes are not high-calorie foods, they are more energy-dense than other fruits -- such as melons and berries. For example, the USDA reports that 1 cup of whole strawberries contain 46 calories, and 1 cup of cubed cantaloupe provides about 54 calories.

Weight loss meal plan

The amount of grapes you should include in your weight-loss meal plan depends on the number of calories you’re eating, but ranges from 1 to 1.5 cups daily. One portion of fresh fruit – including grapes -- is equivalent to 1 cup. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 suggests eating 1 cup of fruit daily when following 1,000- to 1,200-calorie diets, and 1.5 cups of fruit per day when using 1,400- to 1,600-calorie weight-loss meal plans.