Three or four portions of berries a week is enough to see an effect

Eating a handful of grapes four times a week can stave off middle-age spread, the biggest study of its kind has found.

Those who ate regular portions of grapes, berries, cherries or apples put on no weight over two decades and even got slimmer, according to the study of 124,000 people over 24 years. The research looked at data from three long-term US studies, finding that under normal middle-age weight gain, people put on about one or two kilograms every four years.

Those who ate the most foods rich in nutrients called flavonoids, however, had very slight falls in their weight.

The biggest effect was seen in people who consumed a flavonoid that gives the red colour to blueberries, strawberries, cherries, grapes and similar fruits.