Americans spend about thirty billion dollars on weight loss products every year, many of which haven't even been clinically proven to work. Instead of looking for pills, powders, and potions, just visit your local supermarket to find foods to help you achieve a healthy weight. Research proves that there are at least a dozen different foods that will help curb hunger and deter your cravings for fat, sugar, and salt. Additionally, these foods can increase your metabolism so you will burn more calories. These foods also provide beneficial nutrients and disease-fighting elements to ensure a healthy, happy life.
You will usually find that healthy foods fill you up and taste great. One of the best things you can have for breakfast is oatmeal with cinnamon. Some benefits, aside from the mere 110 calories and 2 grams of fat, are the antioxidants, fiber and minerals, such as phosphorus and magnesium. Cinnamon helps control insulin spikes and lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels as well as blood sugar. This is very helpful to people who have type II diabetes. The good news is it only takes a small amount, 1/4 teaspoon, to reap big results.
Because it is low in calories and high in vitamin C, E, folic acid, lycopene, and disease-fighting carotenoids, salad is a clear choice for a healthy lunch. Beans are excellent for appetite suppression, keeping blood sugar stable, weight loss, and lowering cholesterol according to many diets. Other less-noted appetite suppressors include tofu and chicken noodle soup. You may not think of hot red peppers in conjunction with weight loss; however, a recent Japanese study showed that capsaicin, found in hot red peppers, increases metabolism and suppresses the appetite.
Foods best for snacking range from pears to nuts. Pears are reported to have up to six grams of fiber and apples have 3 grams, making it a filling choice. A handful of nuts may contain 165 calories, a relatively high number, but studies show snackers who eat nuts are thinner and healthier. People who eat 500 calories worth of peanuts daily eat less at mealtime. Additionally, their metabolic rates measure eleven percent faster. As an added bonus, peanuts also provide benefits to the immune system. Other great nut choices are walnuts, which contain cancer-fighting omega-3 fatty acids and pecans, which have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease by eating 10-20 a day.
Besides seeking out the best foods, you should also seek out the best drinks. Drinking eight glasses of water daily is the best thing for your body. Pure water helps digestion, renews your skin, nourishes your cells, and keeps your system lubricated. Another smart drink for weight loss is milk. A high-calcium diet promotes fat burning versus fat storing, as several studies have shown. Because of antioxidants called catechins, green tea also promotes high metabolism, fat burning, and LDL cholesterol reduction. So maintaining a healthy weight and living a long and healthy life can be achieved by taking advantage of the types of food and drink that have high levels of nutrients and disease-fighting elements.
