Good weight management has many other benefits than just looking good. The body needs to be in shape in order to function properly. The storage of excessive amounts of fat can hinder the proper function of some bodily systems and too much weight has been linked to a higher risk in developing different health conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and even cancer.
Diet programs and pharmaceutical drugs that promise faster weight loss have flooded the market and it has become too difficult to choose which product can give you the best results. Some weight loss products may result to other health complications; finding a foolproof plan to shed off the excess weight may be difficult when taking this approach. The better approach is to lose weight the natural way.
Different studies have found that some foods like fruits and vegetables contain compounds that helps promote better metabolism and burn excess fat from food. It may sound unlikely but eating more of the right kind of foods can be a more effective way of losing weight than restricting yourself to a 500-calorie diet.
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Grapefruit
A recent study conducted by scientists from Louisiana State University revealed that people who ate even just a half of a grapefruit for three times each day managed to lose 4 pounds in a period of 12 weeks. Although the grapefruit’s actual mechanism of action with regards to weight loss has not been identified, it is believed that the fruit’s acidity helps slow down digestion rate, helping the person feel full for a longer period of time.
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Salmon
Researchers from Iceland reported that fish, apparently, isn’t just good for the heart – it is good for the belly, too. They said that the omega-3 fatty acids present in fish help the person feel full for an extended period. In the study, people who consumed salmon reported still feeling full after two hours have elapsed compared to those who did not eat salmon. Researchers discovered that consuming foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids raised the levels of leptin in the blood. Leptin is a hormone that promotes the feeling of fullness.
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Beans
Scientists who conducted the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey discovered that people who ate beans have a 23 percent lesser chance of having large waists compared to those who have never eaten them. The group of bean eaters also showed lower levels of systolic blood pressure. This is because legumes are rich in fiber which helps fill the belly faster. These are also rich in potassium, an important mineral in regulating blood pressure levels. This is according to Victor Fulgoni III, Ph.D., one of the researchers.
Soybeans are rich in fat but these are the fats people would want to have in their body. Eating soybean products lowers the body’s cholesterol levels and promotes better health by supplying it with good and unsaturated fats that helps lower the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Soybeans also contain omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants that protect the cells from oxidative stress. In weight loss, soybeans contain genistein that inhibits the production of fat cells. Studies also found that genistein makes fat cells smaller.
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Lemons and Oranges
Citrus fruits like lemons and oranges are foods that are rich in antioxidant vitamin C. But studies show that they are also effective in managing weight and in preventing obesity. Lemon contains vitamins and minerals that strengthen the immune system. People with intestinal, renal, stomach and hepatic health problems are advised to eat as much oranges in a day.
A study conducted by The University of Western Ontario found that a flavonoid from citrus fruits like lemons and oranges have significant effects in preventing excessive weight gain and obesity; note that having excess weight can exacerbate the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Lemons and oranges contain a flavonoid substance called naringenin. The researchers used mice subjects with metabolic syndromes to observe the effects of naringenin in order to observe its efficacy in treating metabolic syndromes and to improve the body’s metabolism. A control group was also used to test the results. In their study, the researchers found that naringenin prevented the elevation of cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood. This effect also helps prevent the development of the cells’ resistance to insulin and reset glucose metabolism to its normal performance.
The researchers said their study was different since the results were not relative to the subject’s calorie intake. This means that a person can achieve the weight loss benefits of eating citrus fruits without limiting his diet to a few calories. Though the regulation of calorie intake is still advised in order to better lose weight, the consumption of lemons and oranges directs the attention from calorie restriction to improving the body’s metabolism rate.
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Low-Fat Dairy Products
A research conducted by a team of scientists from the University of Tennessee found that filling up with dairy products can help people lose more weight. They had observed that obese adults who ate more low-fat dairy products lose more weight than the study participants who ate less. The study was published in an issue of the Obesity Research Journal.
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Vegetables
Vegetables should be a staple in every meal since these are considered to be, without a doubt, one of the most important weight loss foods there is. Its main components are water and fiber, with minimal carbohydrate content. This helps you feel full faster minus the extra calories. Furthermore, vegetables are packed with phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals.
Examples of must-eat vegetables include spinach, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, cucumbers and asparagus.
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Quinoa
Quinoa can be an excellent substitute for rice or pasta. Dry quinoa look like sesame seeds. However, once cooked, it turns into something that is fluffy with a bit of crunch. RealAge researchers have commended quinoa’s nutritional profile. They said that one quinoa cup contains more protein than what is contained in a quarter-pounder hamburger. It also contains more calcium compared to one quart of milk. Plus, it is packed with B vitamins, magnesium, iron and other minerals.
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Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper is touted as one of the most potent natural food ingredients in managing weight. Studies show that cayenne pepper has the ability to suppress appetite, stimulate thermogenesis and improve metabolic rate. It contains a substance called capsicum that helps burn fats faster and improves the processing of cholesterol in the body. A few pharmaceutical drugs contain appetite suppressants in order to help a person lose weight. Cayenne pepper can also produce this effect.
In his book,The Perricone Weight-Loss Diet, Nicholas Perricone cited a study of a group of Japanese and Canadian researchers that found that capsaicin in cayenne peppers tend to influence a person’s craving for food. But in order to get this benefit, a person needs to consume large doses of cayenne peppers. Due to the availability of capsaicin food supplements, people can take advantage of the weight-loss benefits of cayenne pepper without getting lip-burns for eating too much spicy foods.
A group of researchers from Denmark found that the supplementation of cayenne pepper along with other natural substances like green-tea extract and caffeine can increase thermogenesis or the process of burning fat. The study was published in the International Journal of Obesity. Cayenne pepper was also observed to improve the body’s metabolic rate by a team of researchers from the Oxford Polytechnic Institute in England.
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Cinnamon and Ginger
The USDA conducted a study which found that consuming as little as ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon can improve the body’s sugar metabolism; they found that sugar is burnt 20 times faster with the presence of cinnamon. This is also beneficial especially to people with increased sugar levels or to diabetes patients.
Studies show that eating ginger can expand the blood vessels and increase the body’s temperature and metabolism by 20 percent. It is also effective in helping the body detoxify and in improving blood circulation.
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Garlic
Garlic has countless health benefits which includes reducing the risk of cancer and diabetes. Excessive weight gain is usually associated with high cholesterol levels in the blood; garlic can lower cholesterol levels while promoting the accumulation of more good cholesterol.
A combination of these foods can make up your effective weight loss diet plan. Make sure to add more than the usual amounts of these foods in your diet in order to get the best of what they have to offer.
