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Weight Loss Food

Knowing which weight loss food to eat is considered by some to be one of the soundest weight loss tips there are.

Well, following the last post here at Weight Loss Go, which talked about the incredible power of swimming as a weight loss method, we can move on now to the diet side of losing weight.

There are many edible substances that can be labeled as weight loss food, so I'll go through and look at some of the better known ones here, so as not to make things too confusing. By confusing, I mean I'm not going to delve into some of the strangely named foods that are difficult to get hold of.

I'm sticking with easy to obtain, generally well known foods that anyone can use to lose weight with.

Cruciferous Vegetables

First of all, one of the great weight loss food groups is the "brassicas" (cruciferous vegetables). These are mostly green leafy vegetables that are packed full of healthy vitamins and minerals as well as antioxidants and immune system boosting substances that not only boost health but help you fight off diseases.

If you don't know them by their collective name, then you're sure to know them by their individual names. Here they are:

• Broccoli (Calabrese)
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Kale
• Radish
• Swede
• Turnip
• Kohl Rabi

These are probably the best known of the brassicas and easiest to obtain in supermarkets and greengrocers. Others include Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Kohl Rabi, Mustard, Rape, Red Cabbage, Winter Greens etc.

The great thing about the brassica family of weight loss food is that they all contain few calories and can be eaten in bulk and not cause weight gain. In the case of Cabbage, it has been found to actually induce weight loss by increasing metabolism while not providing as many calories as the body needs to eat and digest it!

In fact, most vegetables act as weight loss food as they all improve health and increase metabolism which is one of the factors necessary to lose weight. When eaten raw, vegetables provide the most in the way of nutrients and roughage and in most cases actually taste a whole lot better. I defy anyone to tell me that a cooked carrot tastes better than a raw one!

Some you Cook, Some You Don't

Of course, some vegetables do need to be cooked. In the case of potatoes, some caution should be exercised as depending upon how you cook them they can be beneficial to weight loss diets, or they can be a weight gain nightmare. The best way to eat them is baked in their skins and lightly salted with some cottage cheese as a topping. This is a snack that is very low in calories and high in vitamins and dietary fiber. So avoid fries or potatoes sautéed in oil or worse, fat or lard! If you must mash them don't add a mound of butter or cream. It's mostly common sense, really so if a topping sounds like it will make you gain weight, it probably will!

There are also vegetables from the beet family that should be cooked and have their place as weight loss food. These include Beetroot, Swiss Chard and Leaf Beet and all have good blood cleansing properties which help boost overall health.

Remember, to lose weight effectively, you need to be healthy and have a whole body approach to weight loss, so you need to include as many different foods into your diet.

Meat

If you are not vegetarian, you should consider cutting down on, or out completely some meats which are linked to weight gain. Pork, ham, bacon etc are all fatty meats that can, if eaten in any great quantity, regularly, cause you to gain weight. Not so much for the meat itself, but for the hidden toxins that are lurking inside, thanks to questionable intensive farming practices.

But that's a whole other article waiting to be written!

Same goes for beef, although you can get very lean cuts of steak that are okay as long as you keep portions to a reasonable size. Chicken and turkey are generally okay as is lamb in reasonable portions.

Note: If at all possible, opt for meat that comes from grass fed animals and you'll go a long way to limiting the impact of chemical toxins.

Most fish are also ok as weight loss food as long as they're not cooked in heavy sauces or fired in unhealthy oils. When it comes to cooking, with all meats and fish, grilled or barbecued is best as these methods of cooking allows any excess fats to fall away.

Other weight loss food includes of course many fresh fruits, such as apples, pears, oranges, plums, peaches, apricots, berries etc and are all best eaten raw for the full health giving properties and dietary fiber. Most fruit contains high levels of fructose (fruit sugars) which the body can easily turn into glucose for a quick burst of energy, so snacking on a healthy piece of fruit is a great way to sustain your exercise routine too!

So there you have it. Weight loss food comes in many guises and in the main are good for you as long as you exercise common sense when it comes to their preparation and serving.

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Posted on Tue, 06 Jan 2009 in Diet | 2 Comments