Dietary products for weight loss: how to choose the healthiest and most delicious ones

Do you want to know what you need to eat to lose weight without harming your health? You will find a list of the 20 best foods for weight loss in this article.

List of 20 Best Foods for Weight Loss Not all calories are created equal. Different foods can have completely different effects on hunger, hormones, and the number of calories you burn. In this article, we will talk about the 20 best products for weight loss, the effectiveness of which is proven by science.

Eggs

Previously, eggs were avoided because of their high cholesterol content. However, recently everything has changed. Recent studies show that eggs do not negatively affect blood cholesterol levels and do not lead to heart attacks. Moreover, they are one of the best foods for weight loss. Eggs are high in protein and healthy fats. They are very filling and low in calories. In 2008, J. W. Wander published an article in the international journal Obesity, “Egg Breakfast Enhances Weight Loss,” which cited data from numerous studies. Thus, one of them, which involved 30 obese women, showed that eating eggs for breakfast instead of sandwiches increased satiety and the amount of food eaten over the next 36 hours. According to another 8-week study, eggs for breakfast increased weight loss during a reduced-calorie diet (compared to sandwiches). Eggs are a real storehouse of nutrients. They will give you everything you need during your fat burning diet. Moreover, the yolks contain almost all the necessary vitamins, macro- and microelements.

Features of dietary nutrition

If you are planning to start losing weight with a diet, check out these important recommendations:

1. There is no need to count calories in foods. No matter how strange it may seem, this indicator does not significantly affect the effectiveness of the diet (unless we are talking about sports nutrition). It is much more important to pay attention to the glycemic index.
2. Products in any diet you choose can be replaced; you just need to make sure that the indicators of the substitute are equal to the indicators of the replaced ingredient.
3. If there are contraindications or allergic reactions to any product, you should exclude it from the diet.
4. If you decide to lose excess weight, you will have to give up flour products and fried foods.
5. You should not replace a healthy product with one that is poorer in microelements.

Dieting while losing weight does not necessarily require you to make sacrifices in the form of giving up pleasurable foods. From products that promote weight loss, you can prepare not only healthy, but also very tasty and varied dishes.

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Greenery

Nature's greens - spinach, parsley, dill, etc. - have several properties that make them an excellent choice during a weight loss diet: they are low in calories and carbohydrates, but rich in fiber. Eating greens is a good way to increase your food intake without increasing your caloric intake. Many studies show that low-energy foods and diets lead to lower calorie intake. Green leafy vegetables are rich in various vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. In particular, they contain calcium, which, according to D. Teagarden, helps burn fat (D. Teagarden. “Calcium intake and losing weight or fat”).

Meat dishes

Hot meat dishes are rich in amino acids and protein, which is important when building muscles. It is recommended to give preference to low-fat varieties of poultry and meat, offal and minced meat. Vegetables are served as a side dish for the meat dish.

A chicken in the oven

Per 100 grams of finished dish – 120 kcal.

A chicken in the oven

Recipe No. 4
Cooking method:

• Wash the fillet, cut into small pieces, add salt, add herbs and spices, and leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
• Wash, peel, cut and salt vegetables.
• Place vegetables and fillets in a sleeve, sprinkle with olive oil, bake for 40 minutes at 220 degrees.

Ingredients: - chicken fillet - 350 g; - zucchini - 1 pc.; — tomato – 2 pcs.; — carrots – 1 pc.; - olive oil - 2 tbsp. l.; - rosemary, parsley, dill, basil - optional; - salt, spices - to taste.

Chicken casserole

There are 160 kcal in 100 grams of casserole. Suitable for serving for breakfast or lunch.

Chicken casserole

Recipe No. 5
Cooking method:

• Boil broccoli for 5 minutes.
• Beat eggs and milk in a separate bowl.
• Grind the onion in a blender and add to the minced meat.
• Wash the bell pepper and cut into rings.
• Grease a baking sheet with olive oil, add bell peppers, broccoli, and minced chicken.
• Pour in the egg-milk mixture, sprinkle with grated cheese, bake for 40 minutes at 180 degrees.

Ingredients: - minced chicken fillet - 300 gr.; - broccoli - 500 g; — onion – 1 pc.; — chicken egg – 2 pcs.; — milk 0.5% — 150 ml; — bell pepper – 2 pcs.; — hard cheese — 50 g; - greens - optional; - spices, salt - to taste.

Salmon

Fatty fish like salmon are incredibly healthy foods. It has a relatively low calorie content, but satisfies well, leaving you feeling full for several hours. Salmon contains a lot of protein, healthy fats, and all sorts of important nutrients. Fish and seafood are rich in iodine. This microelement is necessary for the normal functioning of the thyroid gland and promotes optimal metabolism. Scientists say that a large number of people in the world do not get enough iodine. Salmon is high in Omega-3 fatty acids. According to American researchers K. Lumeng and A. Saltiel, there is a direct connection between obesity and metabolic diseases: Omega-3 acids help reduce inflammation, which plays a significant role in the development of obesity and metabolic disorders. Mackerel, sardines, trout, herring are also healthy and healthy foods.

Cruciferous vegetables

Broccoli is one of the cruciferous vegetables. Cruciferous vegetables include cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower. Just like other vegetables, they are rich in fiber and fill you up quickly. Moreover, cruciferous vegetables are a good source of protein. They do not contain as much protein as animal foods and legumes, but more than other vegetables. The combination of protein, fiber and low energy content makes cabbage an excellent fat-burning diet item. Cruciferous vegetables are also rich in vitamins, microelements and contain anti-cancer substances.

How does lifestyle affect metabolism?

Friends, we have learned which foods help you lose weight the fastest. We got acquainted with products that have a beneficial effect on accelerating metabolism and losing weight. But, as they say, “Not by bread alone”! Some lifestyle adjustments will help us improve our metabolism no less effectively than the healthy products discussed. To get the most benefit from the products listed, follow the guidelines below.

1. Get your calories from the right foods.
   Products should speed up metabolism, saturate the body with a full set of nutrients - minerals, vitamins, proteins, carbohydrates, healthy fats. The types of foods are as important as the number of calories they contain. If we eat fruits with an energy component of 200 calories, the body will receive the necessary vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. If we eat a cake or pie with sweets with the same energy value of 200 calories, the concentration of sugar will jump sharply, which will serve as an extra step towards obesity. (The article “What should you eat to lose weight?” explains in detail about the two types of anabolic process, which convert incoming calories either into fat or into useful energy).
2. Choose foods rich in protein, foods with the lowest glycemic index possible. This choice will protect against sudden increases in unacceptable concentrations of sugar and insulin in the blood. When you start eating protein-rich foods (it will be doubly useful if you eat breakfast like this), your endocrine system can easily cope with maintaining normal insulin concentrations throughout the day. It is also important to remember that protein foods are one of the key factors in preserving your muscles and muscle mass in your body. If there is a lack of protein, the catabolic process (breakdown) of your muscle tissue will take over. Metabolism will slow down even more, and a vicious circle will start.
3. Make sure you are getting the daily amount of calories your body needs from food. Physical activity with insufficient calorie intake will force the body to enter starvation mode, saving energy. A reflex replenishment of fat reserves will begin.
4. As Dr. Galina Grossman recommends, set a suitable diet for yourself and try to stick to it. Divide your daily diet into 3–4 meals. A regular, rhythmic eating schedule lets the body know that everything is fine. For more information about the rational organization of your diet, read the article “How to eat properly to lose weight at home.” A well-established diet will have a very good effect on your metabolism.
5. Many experts strongly discourage resorting to artificial supplements to speed up your metabolism. But some supplements, coupled with a balanced diet, can only provide benefits. Nutrition expert Hall talks about supplements such as radiol and ashwagandha, for example. These supplements can activate the production of adrenaline, which is good at speeding up metabolism.
6. Try to regulate your sleep. During sleep, cells are renewed and charged with energy. A good night's sleep will bring vigor, health, protection from daytime stress, which will have a beneficial effect on metabolism. The effect of stress on the tendency to become overweight in women has been proven by several scientific studies.

Lean beef and chicken breast

Meat is unfairly blamed for many health problems. Processed meats may not be considered a healthy diet, but unprocessed red meat does not increase your risk of diabetes or heart disease. According to two large review studies, eating red meat is associated with little to no increased risk of cancer in men and is not associated at all with cancer in women. Meat is a good food for weight loss because it is rich in proteins (proteins). Protein is the best filler, and protein foods can cause you to burn an extra 80-100 calories per day. A high-protein diet causes sustained reductions in appetite, ad libitum calorie intake, and body weight, despite compensatory changes in daily plasma leptin and ghrelin concentrations, concluded American scientist D. Weigle. Increasing your protein intake to 25-30% of your total daily calories can reduce your appetite by 60%, reduce your desire for late-night snacking by half, and cause you to lose almost a pound of weight per week (simply by adding protein to your diet). If you're on a low-carb diet, you can feel free to eat fattier meats. But if you're on a moderate to high carb diet, choose lean.

Water

The key to human health and longevity is water. If there is a lack of fluid in the body, metabolism slows down. In the process of research, scientists from Germany found that every 0.5 liter of water drunk speeds up metabolism by about 30% and causes the body to spend 24 kcal more.

It is recommended to drink 2.5-3 liters of water per day. More for athletes. If this volume seems unattainable to you, you should start small and gradually increase the volume of water you drink.

For people over 50 years of age, it is advisable to ensure that their kidneys are healthy before increasing their fluid intake.

Boiled potatoes

Potatoes are not very popular in the world of healthy eating. But this vegetable has several properties that make it an ideal food for both weight loss and health maintenance. It contains an incredibly diverse range of nutrients, with a little bit of everything you need. There are even stories of people who lived on potatoes alone for extended periods of time. Potatoes are especially rich in potassium, which plays an important role in controlling blood pressure, but which we often don't get enough of. The Satiety Index table shows that boiled white potatoes rank first among other foods in terms of their effect on satiety. This means that by eating boiled potatoes, you will be full and eat less of other foods. If you cook potatoes and then let them cool, they form large amounts of resistant starch, a fiber-like substance that has been shown to have all sorts of health benefits, including increased weight loss (A. Nugent, “The Nutritional Benefits of Resistant Starch”). starch"). Sweet potatoes (yams), turnips and other root vegetables are also very healthy.

Red beans

After eating a serving of red beans, a person is guaranteed to remain full for at least 3 hours. This effect is associated with a high fiber content, which the body will have to digest, expending energy.

Beans are recommended for women who want to not only burn fat, but also gain muscle mass. Group vitamins and zinc are responsible for this, which increase testosterone.

Another beneficial property of red beans is that they cleanse the intestines with the help of the resistant starch they contain. It destroys pathogenic microflora and is almost not digested.

Tuna

Tuna is a low-calorie, high-protein fish. It contains little fat. Tuna is popular among bodybuilders and fitness models who are cutting, as it is a great way to get plenty of protein while keeping overall calories and fats low. If you want to emphasize increasing your protein intake, be sure to choose tuna canned in its own juices rather than oil.

Soups

As mentioned earlier, low energy nutrition and diets cause us to consume fewer calories. Low-calorie foods tend to contain a lot of water. These are, for example, vegetables and fruits. But you can add water to your food by simply making soup. Eating foods in soup form rather than in a “dry” form results in increased satiety and the consumption of far fewer calories. This is the subject of an article by J. Flood, “Different Forms of Pre-Meal Soups Reduce Energy Intake,” published in Appetite magazine in 2007.

Dessert

Sweets are a favorite treat. The principles of proper nutrition require the exclusion of industrial desserts from the diet. It’s a great blessing that it is possible to replace store-bought cookies and sweets with healthy products made from fruits, cottage cheese, pumpkin, etc.

Curd dessert

100 grams contain 65 kcal. Additives vary depending on the fruit season. It is recommended to give preference to fresh ingredients.

Curd dessert

Recipe No. 6
Cooking method:

• Grind the cottage cheese through a sieve.
• Add yogurt, sweetener to taste, garnish with berries.

Ingredients: - low-fat cottage cheese - 200 g; - yogurt 1.5% - 100 ml; – strawberries – 100 g; - sweetener - to taste.

Strawberry marshmallow

100 grams of delicacy contains 78 kcal.

Strawberry marshmallow

Recipe No. 7
Cooking method:

• Wash the strawberries and puree with an immersion blender.
• Add gelatin to the mixture and let it brew for 1-2 minutes.
• Add sweetener and juice of half a lemon to the berry puree.
• Put the mixture on the fire, do not bring to a boil.
• Cool the mixture, beat with a mixer for 5-7 minutes.
• Cover the pan with parchment, pour out the mixture, and refrigerate for 3 hours.

Ingredients: - strawberries - 200 gr.; — gelatin – 1 sachet; - sweetener - to taste; – lemon – ½ pc.

Low-calorie meals for weight loss will help you lose excess weight smoothly and safely without harming your health. They are easy and simple to prepare. The number of meals is determined individually - it can be split meals (6 meals) or the classic 3 times.

The diet can be original and varied, the main thing is the desire to change your figure for the better and show your imagination.

Low-fat yogurt

Another great dairy product is yogurt. It contains probiotic bacteria that can improve gut health. A healthy digestive system helps protect against inflammation and leptin resistance, which is a major hormonal factor in the development of obesity. Just choose non-fat yogurt. In his work “The relationship between high consumption of fatty dairy products and obesity, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases” M. Kratz has convincingly shown that full-fat (low-fat) dairy products are associated with a reduced risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes in the long term. Low-fat yogurts usually have a lot of sugar added, so avoid products like fire.

What is metabolism?

The cells of our body are complex chemical factories. There are thousands of chemical reactions going on there all the time. Nutrient elements entering the digestive system, under the influence of digestive juices, break down from complex organic molecules into small fragments (catabolic process). From the resulting fragments, as if from spare parts, cells, according to recorded genetic programs, collect the materials necessary for the construction and development of the body (anabolic process). This continuous process is called metabolism or metabolism.

The health, appearance, and vitality of a person depend on the pace and stability of metabolism.

That is, the primitive idea of ​​metabolism as a mechanism of digestion must be contrasted with its understanding as the entire set of biochemical processes that ensure the vital activity of the body, its dynamic stability (homeostasis), and its development.

Avocado

Avocado is a unique fruit. While most fruits are high in carbohydrates, avocados are rich in healthy fats. It is especially high in monounsaturated oleic acid (this fat is also found in olive oil). Although avocado has a high percentage of fat, it contains a large amount of water, so this fruit is not as high in calories as you might think. The perfect addition to a salad, research shows that avocado fat can increase your vegetable nutrient intake by 2.6 to 15 times. Avocados are also high in important nutrients, including fiber and potassium.

Apple vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is incredibly popular among nutritionists. It is often added to dressings and salads, such as vinaigrettes. Vinegar may be helpful for weight loss. Consuming vinegar with a high-carbohydrate meal can increase satiety and cause people to consume 200 to 275 fewer calories throughout the rest of the day. An experiment conducted in 2009 by T. Kondo involving obese Japanese subjects showed that consuming 15–30 milliliters of vinegar per day for 12 weeks resulted in subjects losing 1.2–1.7 kg of weight. Vinegar also reduces peak blood sugar levels after meals, leading to long-term health benefits.

Green tea

Green tea, unlike coffee, is considered a “healthy” drink. It is recommended for weight loss due to the catechins present in the composition, which serve as antioxidants.

Brew green tea correctly! cup put 1 tsp. tea leaves and fill with water, the temperature of which is 80-85 ° C. Wait 2-3 minutes and remove the tea leaves, otherwise the tea will taste bitter.

3-4 cups of properly brewed green tea per day will support normal metabolic rate and help you lose weight. You can drink the drink hot, warm or cold - the beneficial properties are preserved in any case.

Nuts

Despite their high fat content, nuts do not necessarily lead to weight gain. This is a great snack that contains a balanced amount of protein, fiber and healthy fats. Scientists have proven that eating nuts can improve metabolism and even lead to weight loss. People who eat nuts tend to be healthier and leaner than people who don't eat them. However, do not overdo it with nuts - they are still quite high in calories. If you find it difficult to control yourself and you overeat, it is better to stop consuming them.

Some whole grains

Although grains have gotten a bad rap in recent years, there are some types that are definitely healthy. These are whole grain cereals that are rich in fiber and contain a sufficient amount of protein. The most striking examples are oatmeal, brown (unrefined) rice and quinoa. Oats are rich in beta-glucans, a soluble fiber that has been shown to increase satiety and improve metabolism. Rice, both brown and white, can contain significant amounts of resistant starch, especially if it is refrigerated after cooking. Keep in mind that processed grains are clearly not fat burning. Sometimes the foods that are marketed are highly processed junk foods that are unhealthy and cause weight gain. If you're on a strict low-carb diet, you'll probably avoid grains since they're high in carbohydrates. But there's nothing wrong with eating some healthy whole grains as long as you can tolerate them and aren't on a low-carb diet.

Chilli

Eating chili peppers may be beneficial for weight loss. This pungent vegetable contains a substance called capsaicin, which was shown in the study “The Effect of Capsaicin on Substrate Oxidation and Weight Maintenance Following Moderate Body Weight Loss in Humans” (M. Lejeune et al., 2004) to help reduce appetite and increase fat burning. Capsaicin is often used as one of the main ingredients in many sports nutrition products. Consuming 1 gram of red chili pepper reduces appetite and improves fat burning in people who do not regularly consume pepper. However, no effect was found in those who regularly eat spicy foods, indicating addiction in the body.

Fruits

Fruits are an excellent source of carbohydrates. Most nutrition experts agree that fruit is a healthy food. Numerous population studies have shown that people who eat the most fruits (and vegetables) tend to be healthier than those who don't. Of course, correlation does not equal causation, so these studies don't actually prove anything, but fruits have properties that make them one of the best foods for weight loss. Even though fruits contain sugar, they have low energy value and take time to chew. Additionally, fiber helps prevent sugar from being released into the bloodstream too quickly. The only people who want to avoid or minimize their fruit intake are those on very low-carb, ketogenic diets, or those with fructose intolerance. For others, fruit can be an effective (and tasty) addition to a weight loss diet.

Grapefruit

Grapefruit has been repeatedly studied in terms of its effect on fat burning. In K. Fujioka's study, "The Effect of Grapefruit on Weight and Insulin Resistance: Relevance to Metabolic Syndrome," which involved 91 overweight people, eating half of the fruit before meals resulted in a loss of 1.6 kg in 12 weeks. A group of participants who consumed grapefruit also showed a decrease in insulin resistance, a metabolic disorder associated with various chronic diseases. Thus, eating half a grapefruit half an hour before meals will help you feel full faster and consume fewer calories.

People's need for energy

The human body constantly expends calories to maintain vital functions, perform work, digest food, and sleep. Products serve as a source of energy for the body and replenish its losses.

To maintain health and maintain good health, nutritionists advise calculating your personal caloric intake or focusing on the data below.

Table No. 1 “Recommended energy requirements for the adult working population”

Interestingly, to maintain vital processes, men require 15% more calories than women performing similar work.

To determine your personal norm, it is recommended to calculate using the Harris-Benedict formula.

Daily calorie intake for women:

[66.5 + (13.7 * M) + (5 * R) – (6.8 * V)] * K.

Daily calorie intake for men:

[65.5 + (9.5 * M) + (1.8 * P) – (4.7 * V)] * K;

• M – body weight, kilogram;
• P – height, centimeters;
• В – age, years;
• K – activity degree coefficient (at low – 1.4; medium – 1.6; high – 1.8).

With insufficient body weight, the balance between energy consumption and energy expenditure shifts upward. If the desire to lose weight dominates, you need to eat less or exercise intensively. It is more effective to use both methods.

Chia seeds

Chia seeds are among the most nutritious foods on earth. They contain 42 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams of product, which is quite high, and 34 grams of them are fiber. This makes chia a low-carb food and one of the best sources of fiber in the world. Because of this amount of fiber, the seeds can absorb 11 to 12 times their weight in water, becoming gel-like and expanding in the stomach. Although some studies have shown that chia seeds help reduce appetite, they have not found a statistically significant effect on weight loss. Despite this, given the nutritional content, it is advisable to include chia seeds in your fat loss diet.

Whole grain products

Whole grain foods contain high amounts of fiber. To digest it, the body is forced to spend a lot of calories, this causes metabolic processes to accelerate.

Oatmeal is considered the ideal breakfast. It has a positive effect on the balance of blood glucose levels.

Natural vitamins and microelements are also preserved in whole grain products. This makes them even more useful.

Coconut oil

Not all fats are the same. Coconut oil is rich in medium-chain fatty acids (so-called medium chain triglycerides). These fatty acids have been shown to increase satiety compared to other fats and also increase the number of calories burned. Coconut oil leads to reduction of belly fat. Of course, coconut oil is high in calories, so eating more than what you already eat is a bad idea. So, it's not about adding coconut oil to your diet, but replacing it with some other cooking fats. Extra virgin olive oil is also worth mentioning because it is probably the healthiest fat on the planet.