Top 10 foods that will help you lose weight

1. Vegetables

All vegetables are weight loss champs! They have an 80%-90% water content and we all know that water contains zero calories! Here’s an example. One cup (250 ml) yellow string beans contains 36 calories and over 3 grams of fibre. Whether you like them leafy, green, colored, raw, steamed or canned, your vegetables should take up half your plate at lunch and at dinner.

2. Legumes

Although most of us are not fans of legumes, they are second to none when it comes to high protein and fibre content. In fact, one portion of legumes, that is 175 ml (¾ cup), will supply almost 30 grams of protein and about 10 grams of fibre. As a meal or snack, legumes will undoubtedly satify you better than any other source of protein.

3. Canned White Tuna packed in water

Keep a good supply on hand because canned tuna has a three year shelf life. When you lack inspiration and the fridge is bare, tuna is a great option! Every 85 gram can contains a mere 100 calories and 22 grams of protein. In a sandwich, on crackers or in a salad, tuna can be served in a variety of ways!

4. Berries

Known for their antioxidant capacity, berries are also very low in calories. Here’s an example. A 200 ml portion of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries or cherries, contains less than twice the amount of calories as the equal amount of fruit juice. Eat them fresh or add them to yogurt or cottage cheese, whatever you do, please avoid adding cream and sugar.

5. Low fat Greek yogurt

More and more popular, Greek yogurt has become the darling of yogurts! But why is it generating so much buzz? First of all, it tastes great, secondly, it’s low in fat and thirdly, it has twice the protein of regular yogurts which will provide a better feeling of satiety. In a smoothie, in a dip or on its own, it will help you reach your target weight.

6. Chicken

Good old reliable chicken! It will never cease turning nutritionists into poultry lovers. It’s an excellent source of complete (whole) protein and contains few calories when compared to its red meat counterpart : 75 grams of roasted chicken breast contains 60 calories compared to 165 calories for the same amount of extra-lean minced beef. It can be prepared in countless ways…let your imagination guide you!

7. Popcorn (plain)
Although it is often placed in the same category as chips and all other salty, fatty, seasoned snack foods, popcorn is still the « better » choice on movie night. Actually, in reasonable quantities, plain popcorn contains relatively few calories and is a good source of fibre and carbohydrates. After all, corn is a whole grain! A word of caution though, avoid toppings such as butter, caramel and chocolate as these will easily counteract the popcorn’s positive attributes.

8. 100% wheat bran breakfast cereals

These cereals are considered to be the « gold standard » when it comes to sources of soluble fibre. This fibre acts as a sponge in your intestinal tract and slows digestion, thus helping you to feel full longer and prevent you from being hungry between meals! Try adding a scoop or two to your morning smoothie, a sprinkle on your yogurt at snack time, or a couple tablespoons to your muffin and bread recipes.

9. Melons

Just like the berry family, fruits belonging to the melon family, such as cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon, are quite low in calories. One cup of cantaloupe contains approximately 60 calories while a banana contains 105 calories. Indeed, choosing melons as a snack food will help keep calorie intake down while eating to your heart’s content.

10. Water

Here’s one we’ve all heard before…drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water per day will curb your appetite by filling you up so you don’t overeat, therefore helping you shed pounds. In fact, people often mistake signs of thirst for signs of hunger. So, the next time you think you have the munchies, drink a large glass of water and pause for a while: you may realize that what you thought was hunger was simply a sign of dehydration.

By Vanessa Martin

Top 10 foods that will help you lose weight is a post from Nautilus Plus. The Nautilus Plus blog aims to help people in their journey to fitness through articles on training, nutrition, motivation, exercise and healthy recipes.
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