Not all food is created equal, and while we know variety is the spice of life, new research has proven some fruit and vegetables are better options when you’re looking to beat the bulge. Now a new study from PLOS medicine, conducted by researchers at Harvard, analysed the diet information for 117,918 people during four-year intervals over 24 years, starting when the participants were in their 30s and 40s. Now the results are in, and if you want to see a drop on the scales, you need to start munching on specific fruits and vegetables to see the results on your waistline. So what foods will see those stubborn pounds melt from the waistline? The study proves that eating more berries, apples and pears saw an increased average of 1.24 pounds per extra daily serving, while tofu/ soy and cauliflower led to about a drop of nearly 3.8 pounds on average per person. The combined fruit and vegetable options could see a person dropping nearly 5 pounds of weight on average compared to those who ate a variety of vegetables – mainly due to its starchy components: “Increased intake of starchy vegetables, including corn, peas, and potatoes, was associated with weight gain.” Lead author Monica L. Bertoia added: “There are many fruits and vegetables that may be better choices—apples, pears, berries and nonstarchy vegetables.” So if you’re looking to make a balanced diet as part of a weight loss mission, now you know to opt for berries, apples and pears, while tofu is a quick and handy way to add bulk to that salad without adding calories. H/T Food & Wine via New York Times