Jonny Bowden, author, nutritionist and weight loss coach cuts through all the misconceptions about diet and fitness to help you transform your body, your health and your life.

I can't help but watch with a combination of amusement and sadness when I read about the billions of dollars spent each year on useless weight-loss products, programs that don't work and high-priced gimmicks that promise to effortlessly relieve the pain of being overweight -- especially when some of the best weight-loss tools in the world are both virtually free and right under our noses.

Which brings me to the subject of today's post: The apple.

Yup, the lowly, all-to-common apple, of which there are literally hundreds of varieties. They're available 12 months a year (but in season right now!), are cheap as dirt, can be had anywhere -- and they happen to be one of the best kept weight-management tools on the planet.

An apple has somewhere between 77 and 116 calories, depending on size. It also contains about 4 grams of fiber, and a ton of nutrients like potassium, beta carotene and vitamin C.

Nice you say, but what has that got to do with weight loss? Actually, a lot.

Research by Barbara Rolls, chair of nutrition at Penn State, has consistently shown that people eat a consistent weight of food every day, regardless of the calorie content. This is precisely why she -- and other nutritionists -- are fond of high-volume, low-calorie foods for weight management. They fill your stomach, trick your mind into thinking you've eaten a lot, keep hunger at bay and stabilize your blood sugar.

Enter the apple.

Long known to be a great "dieter's trick," eating an apple before (or between) meals is one of the best (and healthiest) weight-loss tricks I know. Even better if you combine it with a cup of water.

Interestingly, in ongoing research on the health benefits of calorie restriction (known as the Calerie study, currently being run at medical centers across the country), the apple is a favorite food. "At the medical centers running Calerie, you see a lot of people walking around eating apples," writes Jon Gertner in the The New York Times.

And no worries for you low-carbers. An apple only has about 20 grams of carbs (of which about 4 grams are fiber and have no effect on blood sugar). You can easily fit a couple of them in -- not to mention a ton of vegetables -- and still be well under 100 to 120 grams of carbs.

You might not see the apple being promoted for weight loss on late-night infomercials, but I can guarantee you it works as well, or better, as anything out there.

For more information on health, weight loss, well-being and nutrition, visit Jonny Bowden Solutions.