20 Weight Loss Superfoods
20 Superfoods for Weight Loss
It's time for a new slim-down mantra: Eat more to weigh less. No joke! The right foods help you drop pounds by revving up your calorie burn and curbing cravings. We consulted top experts for the best picks and asked leading chefs for easy, tasty ways to prepare them. Add these eats to your plate today, and you'll be slimmer and healthier in no time!
Stockbyte
Eggs
Dig into eggs, yolks and all: They won't harm your heart, but they can help you trim inches. Women on a low-calorie diet who ate an egg with toast and jelly each morning lost twice as many pounds as those who had a bagel breakfast with the same number of calories but no eggs, a study from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge reports. "Egg protein is filling, so you eat less later in the day," says David Grotto, R.D., author of 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life (Bantam).
Eat more: Omelettes and scrambles are obvious choices, but if you can't cook before work, bake a frittata on Sunday; chill it and nuke slices for up to a week.
Steak
Beef has a rep as a diet buster, but eating it may help you peel off pounds. In a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, women on a diet that included red meat lost more weight than those eating equal calories but little beef. "The protein in steak helps you retain muscle mass during weight loss," says study author Manny Noakes, Ph.D. Try to consume local organic beef; it's healthier for you and the environment.
Eat more: Grill or broil a 4-ounce serving of top round or sirloin; slice thinly to top a salad, or mix with veggies for fajitas.
Kale
Long sidelined as a lowly garnish, this green belongs center stage on your plate. One raw, chopped cup contains 34 calories and about 1.3 grams of fiber, as well as a hearty helping of iron and calcium. But kale's earthy flavor might take some getting used to. Spinach, another nutrient powerhouse, is a milder-tasting option.
Eat more: Mix chopped, raw kale into cooked black beans, says Jennifer Iserloh, founder of Skinny Chef Culinary Ventures in New York City. Or slice kale into thin strips, sauté it with vegetable broth and top with orange slices. Make it a meal by tossing the mix with quinoa.
Oats
"Oatmeal has the highest satiety ranking of any food," Grotto says. "Unlike many other carbohydrates, oats -- even the instant kind -- digest slowly, so they have little impact on your blood sugar." All oats are healthful, but the steel-cut and rolled varieties (which are minimally processed) have up to 5 grams of fiber per serving, making them the most filling choice. Instant oats contain 3 to 4 grams per serving.
Eat more: "Instead of using breadcrumbs, add oats to meat loaf -- about 1 cup for a recipe that serves eight," Iserloh recommends. Or try her recipe for turkey and oatmeal meatballs.
Lentils
Lentils are a bona fide belly flattener. "They're high in protein and soluble fiber, two nutrients that stabilize blood sugar levels," says Tanya Zuckerbrot, R.D., author of The F-Factor Diet (Putnam Adult). "Eating them helps prevent insulin spikes that cause your body to create excess fat, especially in the abdominal area."
Eat more: There are many varieties of lentils, but red and yellow cook fastest (in about 15 to 20 minutes). Add cooked lentils to pasta sauce for a heartier dish, Zuckerbrot suggests. "Their mild flavor blends right in, and because they're high in protein, you can skip meat altogether."
Goji berries
These chewy, tart berries have a hunger-curbing edge over other fruit: 18 amino acids, which make them a surprising source of protein, says chef Sarah Krieger, R.D., spokeswoman in St. Petersburg, Florida, for the American Dietetic Association. (They also have more beta carotene than carrots.) Snack on them mid-afternoon to stay satisfied until dinner. The calorie cost? Only 35 per tablespoon.
Eat more: Mix 1/4 cup of the dried berries (from health food stores) with 1/4 cup raisins and 1/4 cup walnuts for a nourishing trail mix. Or for dessert, pour 1/4 cup boiling water into a bowl with 2 tbsp. dried berries; let sit 10 minutes. Drain, then spoon over 1/2 cup low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt.
Wild salmon
Not only do fish fats keep your heart healthy, they shrink your waist, too. "Omega-3 fatty acids improve insulin sensitivity -- which helps build muscle and decrease belly fat," Grotto explains. And the more muscle you have, the more calories your body burns. Opt for wild salmon; it may contain fewer pollutants.
Eat more: You don't need to do much to enhance salmon's taste, says Sidra Forman, a chef and writer in Washington, D.C. "Simple is best. Season a fillet with salt and pepper, then cook it in a hot pan with 2 tsp, oil for one to three minutes on each side."
Apples
An apple a day can keep weight gain at bay, finds a study from Penn State University at University Park. People who chomped an apple before a pasta meal ate fewer calories overall than those who had a different snack. "Apples are high in fiber -- 4 to 5 grams each --which makes them filling," says Susan Kraus, R.D., a clinical dietitian at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey. Plus, the antioxidants in apples may help prevent metabolic syndrome, a condition marked by excess belly fat or an "apple shape."
Eat more: Apples are the ideal on-the-go low-calorie snack. For a pie-like treat, chop up a medium apple and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. allspice and ½. tsp cinnamon. Pop in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes.
Buckwheat pasta
Swap plain noodles for this hearty variety; you'll slip into your skinny jeans in no time. "Buckwheat is high in fiber and, unlike most carbs, contains protein," Zuckerbrot says. "Those two nutrients make it very satiating, so it's harder to overeat buckwheat pasta than the regular stuff."
Eat more: Cook this pasta as you do rice: Simmer it, covered, over low heat. For a light meal, toss cooked buckwheat pasta with broccoli, carrots, mushrooms and onions. Or make buckwheat crepes using our tasty recipe.
Read and Post Comments |
More on AOL Health
Recent Comments
Beebebarry 03:16:04 PM Nov 17 2009
My Mother in law thought she'd be funny and bought me this cookbook called "Get in the Kitchen, BIT@HES!" (bitchcooks.com) for my birthday. It was a cute gift and happened to be really funny. But now, when she comes over, my husband and her, keep saying.. "Get in the Kitchen, BIT@H, and make us some damn dinner", or "What's our little Bit@h making us tonight". Yeah.. that got old really fast. So tonight, I am going to make them the dish called '**** ** Boots! Lamb' with a side of the 'Eat Me! Eggplant'. I am going to serve it to them in dog bowls on the floor and tell em to get on their damn knees and slurp.. How you like your damn dinner now, BIT@HES?
nellysd11 11:52:25 AM Nov 17 2009
I had been overweight for the past five years. I had tried almost everything in the market, right from taking diet pills to enrolling in a gym but nothing really worked. Yes I did lose a few pounds but nothing substantial. It was then that a friend recommended Acai Burn ( Http://cli.gs/AcaiBurn ) to me. I have been using the product for about a month now and have slimmed down considerably. I have actually started to wear all those dresses that I had put off for so long. The product is definitely one of the best weight loss products in the market today. I have already finished two bottles of Acai Burn and am on my third bottle now. It totally changed my life! Not only did I lose a lot of weight quickly, I have also never felt more energetic and so full of life!
clbrnlr 11:34:16 AM Nov 17 2009
I have had profound success using the Acai-eez Burn and Suppress. I am down some 34 pounds and counting in 12 weeks. It also helps if you exercise first thing in the morning on an empty stomach for 20 mins only and eat smaller frequent meals.. good healthy foods. This keeps the metabolism burning unwanted body fat. Also with all the Acai scams offering free trials out there, I finally found a company that does not Autobill or Autoship. I get mine at http://www.Acai-eez.com/ and they have a Buy 3 Get 1 FREE and a Mix and Match on any of their products.
Carriemb1978 11:06:56 AM Nov 17 2009
I came across free trial programs for the Acai Berry Diet and Colon Cleanse. It was very easy to order and free to try! I have to say it has worked great for me, I lost nearly all the weight I gained after having children and I have tons of energy. I wrote a blog about my weight loss story along with links to the free trials I used. You can check it out here: Http://cli.gs/loseweightwithacaiberrydiet
tianya10000 09:22:28 AM Nov 17 2009
I am a rich and single man .I need a woman who can love me back ...I also uploaded my hot photos on ______W e a l th y S o c i a l. C 0 M____. under the name of jerry1098..It's the largest and best club for seeking CEOs, pro athletes, doctors, lawyers, investors, entrepreneurs, beauty queens, fitness models, and Hollywood celebrities, just to name a few. I just hope you could find me out ...Please Check it out!I'm serious.
nellysd11 06:10:28 AM Nov 17 2009
I had been overweight for the past five years. I had tried almost everything in the market, right from taking diet pills to enrolling in a gym but nothing really worked. Yes I did lose a few pounds but nothing substantial. It was then that a friend recommended Acai Burn ( Http://cli.gs/AcaiBurn ) to me. I have been using the product for about a month now and have slimmed down considerably. I have actually started to wear all those dresses that I had put off for so long. The product is definitely one of the best weight loss products in the market today. I have already finished two bottles of Acai Burn and am on my third bottle now. It totally changed my life! Not only did I lose a lot of weight quickly, I have also never felt more energetic and so full of life!
jasper46614 12:53:33 AM Jun 19 2009
I'm staying away from restaurants especially the Chinese buffets and things seems to be normalizing.Don't eat out , it saves on calories and money.!!Walk fast!! Walk fast !!Walk fast!!!!!! It's easy and it works. Take along some music , it really helps!!!!! Good luck !!!! Jeff
ADELE2364 09:44:41 PM May 17 2009
Diet exercise and Arbonne figure 8 weight loss program. Dietary suppliments, detox tea ( love this)protein shakes( so much better then slim fast)help me stay in shape.www.skinguru.myarbonne.com
ADELE2364 09:40:32 PM May 17 2009
Diet exercise and Arbonne figure 8 weight loss program. Dietary suppliments, detox tea ( love this)protein shakes( so much better then slim fast)help me stay in shape.www.skinguru.myarbonne.com
Farahjohns 08:43:29 AM Mar 27 2009
I had been trying to lose weight for a while. I tried alot of different diest and products. I found this site following this girls diet. I tired her combo and it worked for me. I have lost over 23 pounds so far. www.daniellesdiet.com/diet
