10 Superfoods for Weight Loss

We all love summer! And we all love looking and feeling great! But no one wants to be on one of those strict, unhealthy one-type-of-food-only diets. Physiology would like to offer up some tips on the foods that we slip into our diet that will help you look and feel great all summer long.

Almond butter: Helping to reduce blood sugar surges and belly fat accumulation, almonds help to prevent those dips that lead to hunger and tiredness. Thankfully, almonds and almond butter are easy to slip into your diet as a snack, topping, as a dip, or anytime you may usually reach for the peanut butter.

Apples: First they kept the dentist away, now we know that apples keep the fat away as well! As a healthy anytime snack the fiber and anti-oxidants in apples go a long way for your health. Sprinkle with your favorite spice for an interesting twist on your regular snack.

Blueberries: Blue colored berries take the benefits of berries up another notch! Delivering both anti-oxidants and fiber, fat won’t have a chance! We like to mix it up and throw cereal on top of our fruit before adding milk or yogurt. This way we focus on the blueberries rather than making them a occasional addition to our morning.

Buckwheat Pasta: Not only is buckwheat high in fiber, it’s a source of protein as well! With that combo, you’ll fill up faster, eat less, and slip into your favorite summer clothes in no time! Cook buckwheat pasta as you would rice, and toss in your favorite vegetables and lean protein. Alternatively, use buckwheat flour to whip up a batch of delicious (and healthier) pancakes.

Eggs: The protein in eggs keeps you fuller for longer periods of time, ensuring that you eat less of the unhealthy ‘fillers’ throughout your day. We love our eggs scrambled, poached, as omelets and even frittatas which allow us to throw some of these other superfoods into the mix as well.

Goji Berries: Tart and chewy, these berries are a surprising source of protein. They are packed full of amino acids and offer more beta-carotene than carrots. At only 35 calories per tablespoon, snack on them at leisure, or mix them with walnuts and raisins for a satisfying trail mix. They also make a great dessert topping (cover with boiling water and let them stand for 10 minutes) for low-fat vanilla yogurt.

Kale: This is the super-vegetable that packs a punch! Stocked with both iron and calcium, one cup of raw, chopped kale provides you with essential nutrients at only 34 calories. Mix chopped kale in with cooked black beans, sauté with vegetable broth and top with orange slices, or toss this in with quinoa for a delicious meal or snack. (If Kale is not to your taste, substitute with its cousin, spinach.)

Lentils: High in protein and fiber, lentils help to ‘beef-up’ a dish while adding a splash of color (if you use the faster cooking red and yellow ones). This is superfood has little effect on your blood sugar levels.

Oats: A meal which includes oats is not only healthy for you, but will also keep you fuller for longer. With little effect on your blood sugar, oats (even instant oatmeal) are digested slowly and score big points for fiber content! Eat oats for breakfast or a snack, and substitute anywhere else you would usually use bread crumbs.

Salmon (wild caught, Alaskan): Full of our favorite Omega-3 Fatty Acids, wild salmon will not only help you keep a conscious eye on your waistline, but on the environment as well. Omega-3s help to build muscle while decreasing belly fat and improving insulin sensitivity. We love it as sushi, seared, poached…in fact, any way you serve it!

So stock up and pig out…in the way that’s good for you. If you start incorporating these foods into your diet now, these foods will be a regular feature in your kitchen and a healthy delicious habit before you know it. Yum!

Let us know how you like to incorporate these foods into your diet.