10 Lesser Known Natural Foods To Help You With Weight Loss

After a certain age, most of us start gaining weight. The simple solution to deal with this problem is to eat less and work more. Strict diets do work but for a short while and it is easy to run into old habits. Fortunately, food lovers need not eat less if they eat right, healthy food. There are many foods known to help you in your weight loss efforts due to low calorie and high satiety properties. Not all foods are created equal. Different foods go through different metabolic pathways inside the body. They also show totally different effects on fat-burning, hunger, and satiety and we know them as weight loss foods.

Top 10 Weight Loss Foods

Here, we present 10 superfoods which are nutrient-dense and bring potent quantities of minerals and vitamins that our bodies need on a daily basis. They are the foods we usually eat but not as a part of our weight loss regime. These foods are scientifically proven to aid in weight loss and be the perfect companion in discovering a happier, healthier you.  

1. Garcinia Cambogia

This tropical fruit native to Indonesia is also known by the name of Malabar Tamarind, and has gained a huge popularity in recent years for its natural and healthy means for shedding those few extra pounds. While it may be more delicious to try the fruit, it is easier to find an extract or pill on the market, rather than a fruit itself. Check here for best FDA approved Garcinia Cambogia brand.

It wouldn’t be as great as it is if Garcinia didn’t contain HCA or Hydroxycitric acid that helps your body burn more fat, and prohibits creation of new fat in your body, by blocking an enzyme called citrate lyase. HCA also helps your brain produce more serotonin, which brings the feeling of satiety with it. Garcinia is also reported to help fight type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol.

2. Beans

And in this category, it is beans and legumes, also known as ‘pulses’ are a powerful yet underrated food for weight loss.

Same as eggs, pulses contribute to satiety, specifically chickpeas as concluded by Australian experts. Also, scientists in Manitoba university studied mice eating pea flour instead of cornstarch. They have found out that those mice consumed more oxygen, that indicates a faster metabolic rate.

Other beans like lentils and fava beans, contain glutamine and arginine , amino acid that contribute to post-meal burning of calories (50% boost).

Purdue University in Indiana also did a study on beans. They gave different amount of beans to the diet of three groups of people who ate less calories as well. All of the participants lost weight but the last group, who were given the biggest amount of beans, lost weight the most.

With so many proofs coming from different universities, there is no doubt about including beans in your regime.

3. Quinoa

Although this one is considered a superfood, not so many people know about it. This pseudo-cereal (because it’s grown as a seed but prepared as a cereal) is gluten free, high in fiber and protein (one of very few plants with all nine essential amino acids), also has iron, magnesium, phosphorus, B vitamins, and a lot of antioxidants, no wonder Inca’s called it ‘the mother of all grains’. Best thing about it, it is usually grown organically, and no-gmo, and NASA is looking for better ways of growing quinoa in space.

Quinoa is also special for its more important nutrients, Quercetin and Kaempferol, that have anti-viral, anti-depression, anti-cancer values. It is high in fiber and protein, and if you’ve read the two above, you know why it’s good for shedding fat.

4. Salmon

This fish is something that you should incorporate in your diet. Salmon has a decent amount of calories, enough in order not to starve in your diet, around 206 calories per 100g. It may seem much, but Salmon has other stuff that may make you feel less hungry.

First of all, it is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids, and a lot of people that were on a diet reported how it was a good choice to make them feel stuffed. Fish oil is reported to speed up the process of losing weight. In one study, people with overweight problems who ate fish (or consumed fish oil supplements) lost 2 more pounds over a course of 4 weeks than people who didn’t.

And at last, one serving of salmon provides you with 40% daily need for protein, highly recommended food for those who exercise.

5. Almonds

We all have heard that almonds contain fat and we steer clear of them. However, it is important to note that about 23 almonds contain around 160 calories and 14 grams of fat out of which only 1 gram of fat is the harmful saturated fat whereas the rest is monosaturated fat which is healthy.

This fat is known to be helpful to reduce belly fat and to redistribute fat to other body parts. Moreover, almonds have about 6 grams of protein per ounce and are also high in fiber. This means eating almonds can keep you satiated and you end up eating less. Thus, almonds make a great snack option for those who are trying to lose some weight.  

6. Eggs

Eggs are considered killers when it comes to losing weight. They are extremely low in calories (one egg has around 75 calories) but rich in high-quality protein, minerals and vitamins. 3-4 eggs, plus some vegetables, and you can have a complete meal with only 300 calories (beware if you use butter or oil). If these numbers seem small, don’t worry, eggs are positioned high in satiety index scale. That is because eggs are full of proteins and minerals, making you have a lesser need for a late night snack (reduces cravings up to 60%). Proteins in eggs not only make you feel less hungry, but also make you burn more calories. It is because amino acids boost metabolism (up to 100 calories a day).

It is essential to eat eggs as your first meal, since studies showed how eating eggs as a breakfast in a 8 week diet plan cause 65% greater weight loss, and also by suppressing ghrelin (hunger hormone), make you feel full for the next 24 hours. They also control blood glucose and insulin levels, so you shouldn’t miss eggs out of your diet.

7. Oatmeal

Another great weight loss food packed with a lot of fiber, Oatmeal is also a source of resistant starch which acts as a soluble fiber. It digests gradually and suppresses appetite so that you feel fuller for longer and eat lesser. Oatmeal also helps speed up calorie burning process. Replacing 5 percent of your daily carb intake with resistant starch is known to increase the metabolism by up to 23 percent. This is why oats are considered to be a great breakfast option. It makes a healthy meal to kickstart your day and keeps you full until lunch.

Oatmeal can be used in a variety of ways. You can even use them to make healthy snack bars, biscuits and a host of other treats which help you lose weight while enjoying flavors. There are different options to incorporate the whole grain into your diet. Oatmeal, when included in a healthy eating plan, is certainly a superfood for weight loss.

8. Bananas

You must have seen athletes snacking on bananas between games. A banana is an excellent way to boost energy. Bananas also improve your metabolism and keep you full because of their high content of fiber. They also make the perfect snack option after workout. Opting for banana instead of an energy bar ensures that you get a healthy treat.

Bananas are also effective at regulating blood pressure, moderating blood sugar levels and stopping muscle cramps. Both ripe and unripe bananas aid weight loss. Unripe bananas contain resistant starch apart from pectin to help suppress your appetite, helping you cut down on daily calorie intake. Bananas are another superfood you probably didn’t know works for weight loss.

9. Apple

While we know about the benefits of the everyday apple and believe ‘An Apple a day keeps the doctor away’, did we know that apples can help achieve a healthy weight? Absolutely! Apples contain some non-digestible compounds which promote the growth of good bacteria in your gut to help weight loss. These compounds undergo a fermentation process to convert into friendly bacteria. These bacteria balance the bad bacteria that love feeding on junk foods you consume.

One benefit of eating apple is that it provides a feeling of fullness to stop you from grabbing anything unhealthy. The everyday apple is rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants which fight free radicals and is certainly one of the best superfoods for weight loss.

10. Boiled Potatoes

Potatoes have fallen out of favour for some reason. However, they have some unique properties that make them a great food for health as well as weight loss. Potatoes contain a wide range of nutrients to cover up almost everything you need. There are instances of people surviving on nothing but boiled potatoes alone for longer time periods. They contain high amount of potassium, a nutrient that many people don’t get enough from diets and it plays a vital role in regulating blood pressure. On the Satiety Index scale, white boiled potatoes scored the highest of all the foods suggesting that it is highly filling. This means when you eat boiled potatoes, you naturally feel fuller and eat less. Potatoes, when allowed to cool after boiling, develop high amount of resistant starch which aid in weight loss. Apart from potatoes, turnip, sweet potatoes and other root vegetables are also excellent for weight loss.

It is really easy to find healthy foods to include in your diet for effective weight loss. Foods like lean meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, oatmeal and probiotic yogurt are excellent choices of weight loss foods. When taken in moderation with regular exercise, these superfoods should definitely pave your way to a healthier lifestyle.