There are certain foods which promote both healthy eating and weight loss. These foods can aid in increasing your weight loss potential while also improving your overall health. By incorporating these healthy foods into your diet you can see better results and greater weight loss.
1. Water
One of the most important foods which should be consumed while dieting is water. A minimum of eight 8 ounce glasses of water should be consumed each day. Drinking a full glass of water before each meal is a great way to help improve your weight loss results.
In fact, a recent study published in Obesity notes: “When combined with a hypocaloric diet, consuming 500 ml water prior to each main meal leads to greater weight loss than a hypocaloric diet alone in middle-aged and older adults.” Drinking a full glass of water prior to each meal works to help fill you up and aids in promoting a feeling of fullness especially when following a calorie restricted diet.
2. Kale & Dark Leafy Greens
Kale is a powerhouse of nutrition. A cup of raw chopped kale contains only 34 calories and over 1 gram of fiber along with being high in vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, and calcium. Kale along with other dark leafy greens such as collard greens, mustard greens, spinach, swiss chard, and broccoli rabe help to ensure that adequate nutrition while dieting. Dark leafy greens are typically strong and earthy in flavor; however, the flavor can be mellowed through cooking.
3. Oats
Oats are an often overlooked grain. Whole grain oats are a great addition to any weight loss program as they aid in decreasing cholesterol levels as well as increasing weight loss.
According to The Journal of the American Dietetic Association, “consumption of a whole-grain RTE (ready to eat) oat cereal as part of a dietary program for weight loss had favorable effects on fasting lipid levels and waist circumference.” Oats help to promote a feeling of fullness while keeping you on track with your allowable calories per day when dieting.
4. Lentils & Other Legumes
Lentils and other legumes are great sources of protein in addition to being high in a number of vitamins and minerals. Legumes are considered a low glycemic index food which means that they slowly release their energy into the bloodstream. Legumes help to keep your blood sugar at an even level which can help increase weight loss. Blood sugar spikes and drops are detrimental to your weight loss efforts.
5. Blueberries & Other Berries
Blueberries have the highest antioxidant level among the commonly consumed fruits. They also are high in fiber and low in calories with over 3 grams of fiber and about 80 calories per cup of fresh blueberries. Fiber is beneficial when striving to lose weight as fiber can help to prevent the absorption of fat.
Additionally, blueberries and other berries are excellent sources of vitamin C and potassium. Strawberries contain about 50 calories per cup, blackberries contain about 60 calories per cup, and raspberries contain about 120 calories per cup making each of these berries a wise choice for a low calorie yet filling snack.
Want to learn more about healthy foods for weight loss?
Water Consumption Increases Weight Loss from US National Library of Medicine
Vegetable Greens from the CDC
Lentils for Dieting
Berries from the CDC
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