15 Real Super Weigh Loss Foods
You’ve probably heard this a thousand times: There simply is no shortcut to losing the kilos. If you want to rack up the points in the weight loss game, you’ve got to exercise and maintain a proper diet. Well, it’s only partly right. While it’s true that exercise is crucial, you can enhance the calorie burn by complementing your workouts with the right foods, says nutrition professor Dr Ken Fujioka of Stony Brook University in the US. Get cued in on how to boost your metabolism with the secret strength of these 15 tasty superfoods.
- HorseRadish – It may bring tears to your eyes but this spicy ingredient, which comes from the same family as wasabi. Can help dissolve the fats inside your cells. Danish research found it also prevents you from getting hunger pangs later in the day. Usage (As well as smearing it across your steak sandwich, try ladling a dollop onto your fish pie to net a narrower waistline.
- Grapefruit – Eat this daily as part of a 12-week weight loss plan, and you’ll shed 1.4kg. According to research at the Scripps Clinic in the US, “The chemical properties in this vitamin C-packed fruit reduce insulin levels, which promote weight loss.” Says Dr Fujioka. Usage (As well as smearing it across your steaks, chop and serve it with prawn curry, you can blend the juice with olive oil, coriander and pepper for a healthy sea bass marinade.
- Beans – Packed with fibre, they help you feel full because they double your levels of the hormone cholecystokinin. “This works as a natural appetite regulator by slowing the rate at which your stomach empties,” says dietician Lyndel Costain. Usage (Try baked beans, sprinkled with paprika, as a side with bangers and mash or take the fatty edge off a chorizo stew with butter beans.
- Spinach – These leaves help you cull calories by smuggling appetite-suppressing proteins into your body. Researchers at lLund University in Sweden found that the proteins, known as thylakoids, help to reduce the hunger hormones in your body after a meal. Usage (Slip some into a bacon and egg sandwich, or serve them with lighter meals to avoid the urge to snack later in the day.
- Coconut Milk – Although it is fatty, the fats it contains are essential for your metabolism,” says nutritionist Kate Cook. Research in the International Journal of Obesity found that after just one meal, it could increase metabolic rate by 5 percent. Use it Mix a can of coconut milk with cayenne pepper.
- Turmeric – Curcumin, the active ingredient in this Indian staple, helps to burn fat and aids digestion by breaking down high-protein foods. Research in The journal of Nutrition also found it suppresses the growth of fat tissue. Usage (As well as throwing it into your curries, use turmeric to season a rack of lamb, or mix it with ginger, garlic and cumin in a low-fat yogurt for a spicy dip at your next dinner party.
- Cinnamon – This Spice usually reaches your stomach on the Danish express, but it should be more widely used. Research by the US Department of Agriculture found consuming a quarter of teaspoon every day for six weeks significantly reduces your blood glucose and “bad” cholesterol. It also increases your ability to metabolise sugar. Usage (Substitute cinnamon for the sugar in your full-fat cappuccino, or target the calories in your Sunday roast by using it to season your beef.)
- Mustard – Spoon 20g into any meal and, a couple of hours later, your fat burning will have increased by up to 20 percent. “The metabolism-boosting effects are thanks to isothiocyanates, a type of chemical found in mustard, which dilates blood vessels and increase levels of the fat-burning hormone ephedrine,” explains Jeya Henry, professor of human nutrition at Oxford Brookes University in the UK. Usage (Upgrade your regular bacon sandwich to a first-class fat burner with a thin spread of mustard. Or mix a dollop or 2 into your shepherd’s pie before you pile on the mash.)
- Vinegar – “Vinegar helps control the rise in blood glucose and insulin levels after a meal, by slowing the rate at which your stomach empties,” says Costain. A study in Sweden, in which subjects were given diluted vinegar at breakfast found the sour stuff curbed their cravings and reduced their glucose and insulin levels by 25 percent. Usage (Stir a couple of tablespoons of red wine vinegar into a beef stew to tenderize the meat, or pour some balsamic into a pan of rice to make it less sticky when you serve.)
- Pineapple – This tropical fat fighter is a source of the enzyme bromelain, which breaks down protein and raises the body’s metabolic rate. Usage (Turn a chicken mayo sandwich into a fat buster by adding pineapple slices and jalapenos peppers. Also, men who ate jalapenos, in trials at Laval University in Canada, burned 1,000 more calories a day than those who didn’t.
- Black Pepper – As well as relieving heartburn symptoms and indigestion, pepper grinds away fats. According to research published in Nutrition Today, Piperine, the active chemical, puts your nervous system on high alert, which boosts the body’s metabolic process, resulting in more calories being roasted. Usage (Spice up a chocolate brownie mixture with a couple of grinds of peppercorns.
- Tomatoes – “Tomatoes contains vitamin C and citrimalicoxalie acids, which aids your metabolic process.” Says Cook. They also help the kidneys filter out large quantities of fatty deposits. Usage (Tackle the fat in dishes such as lamb curry by popping in a few slices of tomatoes.)
- Cayenne Pepper – Sprinkling this firecracker will defuse your appetite and heat up your metabolism by 20 percent. Says a study at Oxford Brookes University. Usage (Put a little fire in your belly by using it to season gut troublers like cheese pie, sticky chicken wings or creamy potato gratin.)
- Lemon Zest – The pectin found in lemon peel is a great source of fibre that helps weight loss by turning into a sticky gel when you digest it, preventing your stomach from absorbing sugar too quickly. The journal of the American College of Nutrition reports that it can also eliminate the urge to snack for up to 4 hours. Usage (Grate the zest and mix it into the marinade for your ribs, along with oil, thyme and mustard. Or use it to ease your June vacation’s indulgence by including it in the mixture for your mince pies or bread and butter pudding.)
- Celery – These low-calorie wonder sticks are high in fibre, preventing the urge to eat between meals. They also contain calcium, which helps to bind waste fasts and purge them from your body. Usage (Braise a handful of sticks in a quality cider to offset the calories in a roast chicken. Alternatively, eat them raw with a side dish of tomatoes, Tabasco sauce and vodka.)
Skin Fuel
3 foods to keep your skin In tip-top shape.- Penne Arrabiata fights skin cancer
- Sausage and baked beans fight Sunburn
- Sea Bass fights Prickly heat
