Popular Diet Foods

Popular Diet Foods
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Foods high in protein, fiber and healthy fat are amongst the most popular when it comes to dieting. Incorporating just a few of these foods into your meal plan will help you to feel satisfied while reducing hunger cravings and maintaining stable blood sugar levels.

Greek Yogurt

Yogurt has long been a popular diet food, but Greek-style yogurt may be a healthier option. Many low-fat yogurts add as much as 35g of sugar per cup in order to enhance the taste. Greek yogurts usually have only 6g of added sugar. Regular yogurt has only 6g of protein, while Greek yogurt varieties have around 13g. The protein will help you to feel full longer while the reduced sugar content will keep your blood sugar levels lower.

Canned Salmon

Canned tuna may make a great protein-packed lunch but eating too much tuna may lead to high levels of mercury consumption. Take a break from tuna and give canned salmon a try. Salmon tends to be wild instead of farm raised, so you don't consume as many contaminants. A quarter cup serving of salmon packs 11g of protein and contains omega-3 fatty acids, great for reducing inflammation.

Baked Sweet Potatoes

Baked sweet potatoes contain about 4g of fiber. It can take the body hours to digest fiber, which means you'll feel full for a longer period of time. If you don't like sweet potatoes, apples and whole wheat bread have 4g and 5g of fiber, respectively.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is another popular diet food packed in fiber. Eating oatmeal for breakfast will help you to feel full longer, resulting in less cravings and more stable blood sugar levels. Regular oatmeal sweetened with real fruit is healthier than the sugary flavored packets sold in stores.

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter contains niacin, a chemical helpful in maintaining proper digestive health and for preventing bloating in your abdominal region. Peanut butter is high in fat, but contains healthy omega-3 fats. Leave the fat-free versions alone, instead opt for an unsweetened full-fat variety. Limit yourself to just 2 tbsp. per day.

Lean Turkey

Lean turkey is one of the lowest calorie sources of animal protein. Turkey contains a specific amino acid called leucine, which can help you to maintain healthy muscles while you're trying to lose weight. Protein takes longer to digest than other food sources, allowing you to burn more calories in digestion while feeling full longer.

References

Article reviewed by Contributing Writer Last updated on: Sep 2, 2010

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