What you eat and what you eat will have a big effect on how
quickly you take off pounds, and more importantly, how long you
keep those pounds off. There are certain foods that you really
should be eating on a regular basis, for lots of good, healthy
reasons. They come from all food categories, but every one of
them has one thing in common: they pack a lot of nutritional
punch into their calories. Here's a list of five diet foods that
will help you stay healthy and lose weight.
1. Whole grain breads
If you've been paying attention, you know that evil carbs are
the current diet buster. If you just stay away from all carbs,
some of the diets proclaim, you'll lose weight no matter what
else you eat. That's not only wrong, it's downright dangerous
for both your health and your diet. There's a reason that the
Bible refers to bread as 'the staff of life'.
Instead of cutting out carbs, you should be aiming to reduce
them to a healthy portion of your diet - which most doctors
agree is about 50-60% of your caloric intake. That means that if
you're on a 1500 calorie a day diet, you should be striving to
get about 900 calories a day from grains, fruits and vegetables.
Whole grain breads pack a lot of nutritional value. Replace your
two slices of white toast with 1/2 a cup of oatmeal or whole
grain cereal, and for about the same number of calories, you'll
be getting three times the vitamins, amino acids and roughage
that your body needs to function. You'll feel full far longer,
too - because you've given your body something to work on that
will take a while to digest.
2. Fish
Eat at least three servings of fish per week, say many major
medical associations. Fish is low in fat, as high in protein as
red meat, and provides something that most other proteins don't
- omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 is one of the main building
blocks in your cells. If your body doesn't get enough Omega 3,
it will try to build cells from other fatty acids. The problem
is that those cells are not as flexible, and not quite the right
shape. Among the cells that aren't quite right are the ones in
your brain that help control impulses and tell your body what it
needs. By providing enough Omega 3 for your body to use, you'll
be healing the damage done through years of poor diet. And since
fish, as a general rule, has fewer calories than most meats,
you'll be saving calories, too. Just remember that you're
REPLACING portions of meat with fish, not adding them to what
you already eat.
3. Spinach
At 13 calories and 2 grams of carbohydrate in 2 cups of chopped
raw spinach, this is one of the lowest cost sources of nutrition
you can give your body. Every serving gives you folic acid,
manganese,beta-carotene, protein, lutein (a potent
anti-oxidant), magnesium, vitamin C and vitamin K. You can eat
it raw in salads, steamed as a side dish, or sautéed in a tiny
bit of oil for a different taste, and still get all the
nutritional benefits.
4. Olive Oil
Your body does need a little fat to process vitamins and use
them properly. Olive oil is a mono-unsaturated fat that is the
primary source of fat in the so-called Mediterranean diet. It
contains antioxidants, flavonoids, beta-carotene and vitamin E,
among other things. One tablespoon has a whopping 125 calories,
but drizzled on a 13 calorie spinach salad with a little lemon
juice and some garlic, you still have a meal with less than 150
calories - and a whole lot of healthy fuel for your body.
5. Pink Grapefruit
With only 40 calories in half a grapefruit, you're getting 45 mg
of vitamin C, lycopene, pectin, beta-carotene and potassium.
It's versatile and tasty. Eat it as is for breakfast, or toss it
into a salad with spinach for an extra punch to perk up the
nutritional quality of your diet.
Most importantly, don't base your diet around any single ONE
ingredient. The best way to lose weight is to eat a healthy
variety of foods to make sure that you get all the essential
nutrients that you need each day.
About the author:
Kirsten Hawkins is a nutrition and health expert from Nashville,
TN. Visit
http://www.popular-diets.com/ for more great
nutrition, well-being, and vitamin tips as well as reviews and
comments on popular diets.
