A balanced diet is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Within every dietary group, though, there are good and bad foods -- those that help people lose weight and those that will lead to weight gain. The bad news is that no one food, or food type, is going to lead to sustained weight loss, but it is true that certain foods will promote weight loss to a greater degree than others. The good news is that weight-shedding foods can be found in unlikely places.
Apples
Apples contain pectin, a dual-acting enzyme that dramatically reduces hunger and prevents the absorption of fat. Pectin acts to lower the amount of cholesterol absorbed by the liver and slows the increase of blood glucose levels, making it beneficial for people suffering from diabetes as well.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal contains fiber, which aids the digestion of fat and leaves you feeling fuller for longer. Because oatmeal is a slow- releasing carbohydrate, and if eaten before exercise, it will boost energy levels while you are working out.
Spinach
According to Gayle Povis Alleman, M.S., R.D., Densie Webb, Ph.D., R.D., and Susan Male Smith, M.A., R.D., spinach not only contributes to weight loss, it also prevents obesity-related diseases, including cardiovascular disease and strokes. This is thanks to its high lutein content. Spinach is yet another food packed with fiber, resulting in the prevention of fat absorption by the body. It is also full of lipoic acid, which helps to regulate blood sugar levels and guard against diabetes.
Salmon
Salmon is low in saturated fat and low in calories. It is also a rich source of protein, making it a weight-loss friendly replacement for meat. Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, a polyunsaturated fat that has been proven to lower cholesterol and improve heart function.
Eggs
Leucine, an amino acid abundant in eggs, has been found to promote weight loss. It does this in three ways: by reducing the loss of lean tissue, by increasing the loss of body fat, and by stabilizing blood sugar levels. Donald K. Layman, Ph.D., professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois, suggests that increased use of high-quality proteins such as eggs at breakfast may play a significant role in triggering weight loss.
Chilies
Adding chilies to a meal not only suppresses appetite, it also increases metabolism, providing a double dose of weight-loss inducing benefits. Because chilies have a high capsaicin content--the ingredient that makes the chili hot--it triggers activity in the sympathetic nervous system. This, in turn, leads to an increase in metabolic rate and a decrease in the urge to eat sugary or fatty foods.
Yogurt
According to research published in the "International Journal of Obesity," "In just 3 months, 16 obese men and women on a reduced calorie diet that included three daily portions of yogurt lost 61 percent more fat and 81 percent more abdominal fat than 18 obese subjects assigned to a diet with the same number of calories but little or no dairy products and low amounts of calcium."
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