It’s summertime… time for bathing suits, shorts, short sleeves. In other words, it’s time to pay closer attention to what we eat. But just because you are trying to lose weight doesn’t mean you have to give up good foods. In fact, some foods can even help you.
Here are five superfoods that will help break down fat and speed up your metabolism.
1. Avocados – Yes, this versatile fruit contains quite a bit of fat. But it has monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) that may help your body quiet hunger.1 Avocados are also packed with fiber and protein. Since they’re so creamy, they’re a great substitute for mayonnaise. A quarter or a half of an avocado is all you need to see the belly fat disappear. A quarter of a medium-sized avocado contains 65 calories.2
2. Grapefruit – You’ve probably heard of the Grapefruit Diet. And while we would never recommend something so extreme, there’s a reason this diet exists. Grapefruit actually lowers insulin in the body. The result? You’ll feel less hungry. Not only that, but they’re also high in fiber. So you feel fuller longer. Studies suggest that eating grapefruit will help you lose weight. People who ate grapefruit for 12 weeks lost an average of 3.6 pounds. Some even lost as much as 10 pounds.3 Grapefruit is 90 percent water so it will keep you hydrated and full. If you eat grapefruit just be aware that it may cause an interaction with any medication you are taking.
3. Broccoli – It helps fill you up because of its high fiber content. As a bonus, it is loaded with vitamins C and A, folic acid, and calcium. It also contains sulforaphane that helps fight and prevent cancer. Eat it raw when possible. Once cooked it loses some of its nutrients. But no matter how you eat it—raw, steamed, cooked—broccoli can help aid in your weight loss goal. One serving is less than 30 calories so you don’t even need to feel guilty for indulging.
4. Red Wine – Who knew losing weight could be so relaxing? Red wine blocks fat cells.4 It stops the process called adipogenesis, where early stage fat cells mature. Although the calories in alcohol are quickly absorbed into the body, they’re not stored in fat cells. Drinking a glass of wine can help boost your metabolism and calorie burn for as long as 90 minutes.5 The relaxing drink has also been shown to suppress appetite to prevent overeating.6 Because of its high sugar content you should keep your wine consumption light to moderate. Heavy drinking will result in weight gain. But a glass a night may help you shed those pesky unwanted pounds.
5. Chocolate – Yes! A little bit of dark (at least 70 percent cocoa) chocolate helps slow down your digestion. That helps you feel full longer and prevent you from eating more at your next meal. A study in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that men and women who ate chocolate more frequently had a lower body-mass index (BMI). The flavanols and other ingredients in chocolate help your metabolism work harder.7 Chocolate helps reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. It also reduces your blood pressure and cholesterol. This doesn’t mean if you eat a Snickers bar every day the pounds will just drop. Simple dark chocolate is the healthiest and best option. But of course as with everything… moderation is key.
You don’t have to forego delicious foods and drinks to drop those few extra pounds. These five foods aren’t your typical weight loss foods and they’re delicious.
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References:
1 http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20475957_4,00.html
2 http://health.usnews.com/health-news/diet-fitness/diet/slideshows/use-these-8-foods-to-help-you-lose-weight/3
3 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3439391.stm
4 http://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/research/2012/120404KimPiceatannol.html
5 http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20475957_10,00.html
6 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9566222/Red-wine-could-help-you-lose-weight.html
7 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2120695/An-excuse-eat-chocolate-Eating-small-regularly-actually-help-lose-weight.html