You should eat more to weigh less? This is the new slim-down motto! The right foods, help you lose up to two pounds a week by revving your calorie burn and curbing cravings. The list below include delicious, nutrient-packed superfoods – from steak to apples and yogurt.
Which superfoods are your favorite and which would you rather skip? Scroll down below to find out.
1. Sardines
Rich in omega-3 that is good for the body. It also contains good fat and high in protein that helps maintain muscles, including the heart. It has a low mercury content, but high in calcium which is the preferred food for pregnant women. Some people don’t like the taste but try soaking it in milk for an hour and the taste of fish will disappear.
You can use sardines in recipe, as an alternative for anchovies in caesar salad and as stuffing. It can also be made as a sardine melt, or just toss in chopped onions, fresh herbs and diced or chopped bell peppers. You can also put the mixture as a toppings in a slice of pumpernickel or rye bread, then top with a slice of cheddar then broil.
2. Apples
As the saying goes, an apple a day makes the doctors away, but it also keep weight at bay. When you’re hungry or craving, its better to munch this fruit as it will make you full plus it’s healthy. When eating pasta, its better to eat an apple first cause you will acquire much less calories than eating other snack before pasta. Additionally due to its antioxidant content, it helps lot to prevent metabolic syndrome which is a condition of excess belly fat.
An ideal low calorie snack that you can make as pies, or chopped it up and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon allspice then 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Then microwave for 1 and a half minutes.
3. Lentils
Believed to be an effective belly flattener, that helps to prevent an increase in insulin that cause the body to have an excess fat, specifically in the abdominal area.
Among the different varieties of lentils, red and yellow cook faster for abjust 15-20 minutes. You can add the cooked lentils in pasta sauce which. This is also a high source of protein that can replace meat in a meal.
4. Eggs
Best source of protein and other nutrients, good for the heart but can absolutely trim an inches in your size
A great breakfast, served as omelet or scramble. It’s also ideal if you can cook before going to work, as you can just bake a frittata on Sunday, then just chill it on Monday morning and nuke slices for a week.
5. Blueberries
The family of berries are certainly a good super food for our body. The darker in color are the best, for it has higher antioxidant level. A one cup has 3.6 grams of fiber.
6. Oats
Sweeps away bad cholesterol and fats in our bloodstream that is good the heart. You can choose the steel-cut or rolled variety, which has a minimum processing and has 5 grams or more fiber per serving. While instant oats only contains 3-4 grams per serving.
You can use oats as breadcrumbs, or add to meatloaf. This is about 1 cup for a recipe that can have eight servings.
7. Goji berries
Wolfberry, a chewy tart berry that contains 18 amino acids, that is a good source of protein. This can satisfy our cravings until dinner, when eaten as snack in mid-afternoon.
A mix of 1/4 cup of goji berries, plus 1/4 cup walnuts and 1/4 cup raisins is a nutritious snack. It can also be a good dessert, just pour 1/4 cup boiling water into a bowl plus 2 tbsp dried berries or goji berries, then let it sit for about 10 minutes. Drain afterwards, then put in a 1/2 cup low fat vanilla frozen yogurt.
8. Steak
A cut of beef meat is considered a good diet buster, believed to help in peeling off pounds. Try local organic beef which is more healthier.
A grilled or broiled beef steak, 4 ounce serving of top round or sirloin, slice thinly to top a salad or just mix with veggies for fajitas.
9. Wild salmon
Salmon is also one of the best source of omega-3 fatty acids, which is good for all the muscles in our body including the heart. According to experts, it also help in shrinking the waistline. Omega-3 improves insulin sensitivity that builds muscles and decrease belly fat.
10. Pomegranates
Loaded with folate (vitamin B) and antioxidants, have a low calorie content plus high in fiber. Pomegranates juice is healthy and can satisfy your sweet tooth without ruining your diet.
You can eat the raw seeds as a snack and are available in groceries. You can also add to salads, as alternative for nuts. A delicious combination with raw baby spinach added with lemon poppy-seed dressing.
11. Kale
A green vegetable also known as borecole. One cup raw and chopped, contains about 34 calories and about 1.3 grams of fiber. This vegetable is good for the heart, as well as provide iron and calcium.
The raw chopped kale can be mixed and cooked with black beans. Another menu is slice kale into thin strips, then saute with vegetable broth then top with orange. Then serve it as a meal mix with quinoa.
12. Quinoa
Also a good alternative for brown rice and high in protein. A whole grain packed with lots of fiber and a good slimmer carb. It is low in calcium, but contains RDA, a magnesium good for bones, iron for good immune system, phosphorus that protects our cells, potassium that can supply the 10% needed by our body and a lot more nutrients. A good food that can satisfy hunger for long hours.
You can make quinoa as alternative for rice and serves as a good appetizing breakfast. Cook 1/2 cup quinoa in a 2/3 cup of water, then 1/3 cup of orange juice for 15 minutes. You can top it with 1 tablespoon each of raisins and chopped walnuts.
13. Buckwheat pasta
A nutritious, gluten free and wheat pasta. Good for the heart with high protein content, that will let you slip into your favorite sexy jeans in no time. You can swap this to noodles which is more on fiber than carbohydrates and is quite ok to overeat unlike the regular pasta.
Cooking buckwheat pasta is like cooking rice, you’ll simmer it, covered over a low heat. For a lighter meal, you can mixed and cooked it with carrots, mushrooms, broccoli and onions. A healthy and hearty way to enjoy pasta.
14. Tarragon
An aromatic culinary herb commonly use in French cuisine, that can replace salt in marinating and in salad dressings. This herb gives a sweet, licorice-like flavor to bland foods.
You can use it as a marinade, about 2 tablespoon of dried tarragon on chicken before you bake or grill the chicken. It can also be made into a tasty dip, by mixing it with 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon, in 4 ounce lowfat plain yogurt then 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard.
15. Almond butter
A crunchy or smooth spread butter made of almonds. Eating this as spread can lower brea’s glycemic index, which is the measurement of food effect on blood sugar. Researchers stated that people who eat almonds with white bread has a lower sugar than those who ate white bread with different kind of spreads.
An alternative for peanut butter in sandwiches or as a veggie dip. Just mix 1 tablespoon almond butter with 2 tablespoon fat-free plain yogurt. Then you can also add a dollop to oatmeal for flavoring and supply of protein.
16. Avocado
A vitamin E source, with a 29 grams fat content, which is a hearty and healthy monounsaturated fat that increase satiety. Is also good for losing weight and a perfect party food.
An alternative for mayonnaise in sandwich spread, with lots of calories that can be paired with chopped vegetables.
17. Yogurt
Considered as a perfect food, the plain yogurt has its content of carbs, fat, and protein that can suffice hunger and keep the blood sugar steady.
An alternative also for mayonnaise in chicken and potato salad. Or just top it in baked potato with a squeeze of lemon juice. By using this, you have save 4.7 grams of fat per tablespoonful. The best yogurt to choose which has more protein, is the Greek yogurt.
18. Olive oil
Same as avocados, it has a healthy fat which improves satiety thus taming your appetite helping you to be slimmer. Studies show it also has anti-inflammatory properties which can help in chronic inflammation, which is linked to metabolic syndrome.
You can drizzle in your salad to boost your veggies’ antioxidant properties. A study shows that a few teaspoon of olive oil to a pasta with fresh basil and sauteed garlic, has lots of nutrients and antioxidants.
19. Chilies
Chilies can really spice up your meal, as well as your appetite and will crank up your metabolism. The content capsaicin, causes the body to burn extra calories for 20 minutes, after you eat chilies.
Stuffed with chilies then cooked with quinoa and marinara sauce then roast. If you want to mellow the chilies heat, you can grill it till its almost black. Then peel the skin, then puree the flesh. Add the puree to pasta sauce to give its taste a kick or add it as red pepper flakes to your favorite dish.
20. Parmesan
A low fat cheese, which is a bit rubbery. Studies showed that women who had one serving of whole milk or cheese everyday, are less likely to gain weight than those who do not.
Grate Parmesan cheese over roasted vegetables, or in a 1 oz portion with pear or apple.
