Guide to the top 20 diet foods for weight loss

January 29, 2024

When it comes to shedding some pounds and getting in shape, following a healthy diet is probably the most effective way. However, this leads to a very common yet crucial question - what to eat to lose weight. A safe strategy to lose or maintain a healthy weight is to understand what your gut, metabolism, and your body overall need to function efficiently. Therefore, to help you plan your diet better and make your weight loss journey easy, here’s a lowdown of 20 best diet foods for weight loss and how you can include them in your meals.

Top 20 Foods For Weight Loss

Leafy Greens

Leafy greens like Swiss chard, collards, kale, and spinach are low in calories and carbohydrates, and high in fiber, which makes them ideal diet food for weight loss. Consuming leafy veggies is an excellent way to raise the portion size of your meals without adding extra calories. In addition to being nutrient-dense, green leafy vegetables are also high in calcium, several vitamins, antioxidants, and other minerals that have been shown to support fat-burning and metabolism.

Salmon

Iodine is important for producing hormones that regulate metabolism and influence the breakdown of fats. Fish and seafood in general can provide a substantial amount of iodine. Salmon is a great source of essential nutrients, healthy fats, and high-quality protein.

Inflammation is a major contributing factor to obesity and metabolic disorders. Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to help in reducing inflammation, which in turn helps manage weight. Hence, salmon can be a great addition to your weight loss diet.

Cruciferous Vegetables

Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage are some cruciferous vegetables you can add to your list of diet foods for weight loss. They tend to be quite filling and high in fiber. Moreover, these kinds of vegetables typically have good protein content. Because they are high in protein and fiber, cruciferous vegetables are an excellent choice for any diet plan when trying to lose weight.

Beans & Legumes

Legumes and beans like lentils, kidney beans, and black beans may help with weight loss. According to studies, these foods generally have high levels of fiber and protein, two nutrients that make you feel full in a smaller serving.

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Cottage Cheese

Cottage cheese has very little fat and extremely few carbohydrates per calorie making it a perfect addition to your list of diet foods for weight loss. Adding cottage cheese to your diet for weight loss can be beneficial because it has a low-calorie count, and is enriched with proteins. You can also opt for Greek yogurt as it is high in protein and contains low amounts of fat.

Eggs

Eating wholesome foods that satisfy your hunger is one of the keys to weight loss. If you eat eggs, especially in the morning, it should keep you full until lunchtime. Eggs are also significantly low in calories, and provide high-quality protein and a range of vitamins and minerals.

Avocado

Avocados are packed with good fats, while most fruits are heavy in carbohydrates. They contain a lot of monounsaturated oleic acid, which is the same kind of fat as in olive oil, that aids in weight loss. Avocados are not as high in energy as you may expect because they are high in water and fiber.

Zucchini

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Like other weight-loss-friendly fruits and vegetables, zucchini is low in calories and high in fiber. These kinds of foods keep you feeling full for longer. You can lower your overall calorie intake and help your weight loss journey by substituting zucchini for empty-calorie snacks or large portions of meals.

Apple Cider Vinegar

While apple cider vinegar is often used in vinaigrettes and salads; some people enjoy drinking diluted ACV to lose weight. According to several human-based research, apple cider vinegar may help in promoting weight loss. When vinegar is taken concurrently with a high-carb meal, people tend to feel more full and consume 200–275 fewer calories during the rest of the day.

Broccoli

To achieve effective weight loss, it's crucial to expend more calories than you consume. Broccoli, being a superb low-calorie and high-dietary-fiber option, contributes to this goal. Additionally, carotenoids, a plant chemical naturally present in broccoli, may play a role in promoting fat-burning and supporting weight loss.

Nuts

When you are thinking of snacking, ask yourself ‘What to eat to lose weight’. Try to go for nuts like almonds, pistachios, cashews, etc as they are not as fatty as you might think despite their high-fat content. With their balanced levels of protein, fiber, and good fats, they make a great snack for those on a diet for weight loss. According to studies, eating nuts can also help improve metabolic health, promoting weight loss.

Whole Grains

While some cereal grains are unquestionably unhealthy, there are a few whole grains that are fairly high in protein and high in fiber, like quinoa, brown rice, and oats. Brown and white rice have significant levels of resistant starch, especially if the rice is cooked and then allowed to cool down before eating. Oats have beta-glucans, soluble fibers in abundance in oats, that have been shown to keep you full and help improve metabolic health. Quinoa's high protein and fiber content speeds up the metabolism, which in turn helps lose weight faster.

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Fruits

Fruits are delicious! Fruits are healthy! And luckily for us, some even have certain qualities that help with weight loss. Fruits like apples, watermelon, and pomegranate include natural sugar, but they are high in fiber and water, which decreases appetite and keeps you feeling full. Additionally, the fiber in them helps slow down the rate at which sugar enters the bloodstream.

Soups

As mentioned above, people tend to eat fewer calories when following low-energy-density meals and diets for weight loss. Foods high in water content, such as fruits and vegetables, are typically low in energy density. However, if you want a simple yet healthy meal, you can opt for a vegetable soup. Studies indicate that consuming the same food as a soup as opposed to a solid meal increases feelings of fullness and reduces calorie intake by a significant amount.

One thing to remember while making soup to add to your weight loss diet is to avoid adding cream or coconut milk, as it might make it considerably higher in calories.

Chia Seeds

Chia seeds have gained popularity as a great weight loss food due to their nutritional profile. Packed with fiber, protein, and omega-3 fatty acids, these tiny seeds provide a sense of fullness and curb unnecessary cravings, promoting reduced calorie intake which leads to weight gain.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is known to suppress hunger; it helps extend feelings of fullness and prevent food cravings. Coconut oil has medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which are well-known for their ability to suppress hunger and improve the body's fat-burning mechanisms. It also promotes gut health by providing a source of beneficial fatty acids that support digestion and microbial balance.

Flax Seeds

Flax seeds are a well-known powerhouse of fiber. Foods high in fiber help you feel fuller for longer after consumption. If you're reducing your calorie intake to lose weight, this can help suppress your cravings. You can add a teaspoon of ground flax seeds to six and eight ounces of hot water. You can also sprinkle them in your cereal, yogurt, soups, and smoothies.

Blueberries

Due to their high fiber content, blueberries are a great food for weight loss. Consuming foods high in fiber makes you feel fuller, which suppresses your hunger and encourages you to eat less. Blueberries are an excellent volumizing snack for dieters, with only 80 calories per cup.

Lentils

Eating more lentils may aid in weight loss or maintaining a healthy weight. Legumes like lentils can be used as a high-calorie, high-energy dietary substitute to assist people in reducing their weight and avoiding or managing obesity. Eating lentils regularly may help control and prevent diabetes, according to research.

Green Tea

In addition to caffeine, green tea has an antioxidant flavonoid known as catechin. Studies indicate that these two substances can increase metabolism. Both catechin and caffeine can raise the body's energy expenditure, and catechin can aid in the breakdown of extra fat.

Reference

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