Recommended Diet Foods

Recommended diet foods are selected based on their nutritional value and the ways in which they can enhance your exercise efforts. The foods you eat while on a diet should provide high-quality protein, complex carbohydrates, fiber and healthy fats to help you maintain a moderate caloric intake and, therefore, manage your weight. Additionally, diet foods should be versatile so you can enjoy them for any meal, thus breaking up monotony, which helps you stick with your diet.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal should be included in your diet because of its high fiber content. The soluble fiber in oats is digested slowly, leaving you fuller longer with less urges to snack. Also, oats are a primary source of complex carbohydrates on which your body feeds for energy and endurance. When digested before your workout, oats have been shown to favorably increase your metabolism and enhance athletic performance, thus increasing your calorie-burning potential.

Eggs

One egg provides 12 percent of the recommended daily value of protein, according to research on Incredible Egg online. Additionally, eggs provide all essential amino acids--those that must be obtained from food--and high-quality protein that, like oatmeal, helps you stay fuller longer. Your exercise routine combined with your diet is supported by the protein in the egg to improve muscle strength and repair and preserve muscle tissue before or after exercise.

Quinoa

A vegetarian staple, wheat and gluten free, and a low-glycemic food, quinoa deserves a spot on the list of recommended diet foods. One serving of quinoa provides nine essential amino acids, 25 fat calories and a rich source of complex carbohydrates for energy. Quinoa can be enjoyed by people with food allergies, and it will not spike blood sugar levels.

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is one diet food that should be enjoyed in moderation. It is made from peanuts so it contains healthy fats, but it is high in calories. Although peanut butter can add to your waistline, few other foods can match it when it comes to versatility. One serving provides carbohydrates for an energy boost as well as protein and healthy fats to keep you full. Also, peanut butter can be enjoyed at any meal--spread on a whole grain bagel for breakfast, on raw vegetables for lunch or eaten alone. Enjoy natural peanut butter because it does not contain added sugar, sodium or hydrogenated oils.

Salmon

Heart-healthy fats are important when dieting, and salmon is one source from which to obtain them. The omega-3 fatty acids in salmon help reduce inflammation of the blood vessels surrounding the heart, thereby reducing your risk for heart attack or stroke. Salmon is low in saturated fats--50 percent less than chicken; low in cholesterol-raising trans-fatty acids; and high in protein. Salmon is also low in calories--183 total calories per serving--which can help reduce your daily caloric intake while providing you with the heart-healthy benefits.

Bananas

A medium banana contains roughly 100 calories, mostly in the form of fruit sugar and complex carbohydrates. Bananas are a recommended diet food because they contain 500 mg of potassium to help lower blood pressure, soluble fiber to keep you fuller longer, and they are flavorful and easy to digest.