If you want to lose weight, there are 3 main food strategies you should adopt:
- Eat food that is low in calories but fill you up
- Ensure a steady blood sugar level to starve off cravings for unhealthy foods
- Stimulate your body metabolism to increase burning of calories
Here are top 10 foods that can help you achieve the above strategies:
1) Apples
Apples are good source of pectin, a water-soluble fiber that can swell up in your intestine and make you feel full. It is digested slowly and hence, does not spike blood sugar level.
According to a 1997 report in the Journal of American College of Nutrition, 5 g of pectin will leave you satisfied for 4 hrs. Eating 2 large apples will give about 3 g of pectin.
2) Barley
Barley helps to increase the rate of calories burning in the body. 1 cup of hulled barley contains 6 g of fiber, less than 1 g of fat and 40 g of complex carbohydrates.
3) Carrots
Carrot is a very convenient food for snacking. You can easily prepare a bag of carrot sticks on the go for snacking in between meals. It is low in calories and high in fiber and antioxidants. 1 cup of carrot sticks contains 54 calories, 4 g of fiber.
4) Green Tea
Green tea amongst other teas has the highest amount of catechins, an antioxidant that triggers fat burning in the body. It is also anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer. Recommend drinking about 4 warm cups a day. Warm has better effect than cold.
5) Ginger
When you are dieting, counting calories and eating in small portions, you are more likely to be satisfied when smaller portion of food is highly seasoned with spices like ginger. Add freshly grated ginger into your soups, stews and stir fry to enhance the flavour.
6) Onions
Onions accelerate the break down of fat in your food. It has natural source of chromium, which is the nutrient that improves insulin efficiency and keeps blood sugar level stable. 1 large onion has only 57 calories. It provides flavour to the food and prevents you from overeating.
7) Chilies
The active ingredient capsaicin in chilli helps the body to burn calories at a fast rate. Adding chili into your food give zest and flavour, which helps to make you more satisfied with a smaller portion meal
8) Water
Drinking 2 liters of water alone burns 96 calories. The average guideline is 30 ml of water for every kg of body weight. Water also helps to flush out toxins that are constantly produced in our body.
9) Fruit Smoothies
Drink a fruit smoothie before you go out to eat can fill your stomach partially. So, you are less likely to overeat during the meal. You can easily make a fruit smoothie by blending mixed fresh fruits and yoghurt.
10) Strawberries
Strawberries are rich in fiber and vitamin C. It enhances the acidic pH environment in the stomach, which boosts digestion and burns fat. 1 cup of strawberries contains 3 g of fiber and has only 43 calories. Go for organic strawberries for lower pesticides on the skin.
Aim to eat moderate portions of as many of these foods as you can. Doing so, will help push aside the cravings for unhealthy food.
Combine that with regular exercise of at least 30 mins every day. You will certainly achieve your weight loss target in time.
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