Nutritious foods that help you with weight control promote optimum health, as opposed to foods high in salt, fat, sugar and cholesterol, which send you in the other direction. The more beneficial dietary fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals in a food source, the lower the proportion of those risky nutrients that threaten your equilibrium.
In addition to providing more essential vitamins and minerals, you'll find the so-called nutrient-dense foods lower in calories as well. The USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans define these as foods that supply large amounts of dietary fiber, potassium, calcium, magnesium, iron and vitamins A, C and E.
Low-fat Protein Sources
While most American diets get plenty of protein, they get plenty of fat along with it, threatening weight control. The USDA Dietary Guidelines counsel choosing low-fat protein sources most often, such as nutrient-dense fish or lean meats. Nutritious foods include salmon, beef chuck and skinless poultry, cooked without fat. Fish with fewer than 100 calories in 3-oz. servings include cod, sole, haddock, orange roughy and canned tuna, according to the USDA Nutrient Database.
Nuts, such as Brazilnuts, and seeds, such as sunflower seed kernels, provide significant protein in 1-oz. servings. Other plant-based protein foods with low calories and low fat per 1 cup include whole-grain cereals, cooked grains, such as barley and rice, some breads and baked goods, potatoes and sweet potatoes, dark green vegetables and cooked dry lentils and beans, such as black beans, as per the USDA.
Low-fat Dairy Products
While reducing fat assists in weight control, it also protects your cardiovascular system. The American Heart Association suggests choosing only reduced-fat or fat-free dairy products, to limit dietary fat every day while satisfying nutritional needs.
Non-fat, 1 percent and low-fat milk, yogurt and cheeses epitomize nutritious foods with low calories. These major sources of calcium are also low-fat protein foods. The USDA reports that 1 cup of milk also provides potassium and vitamins A, B, C, D and E, including folate.
Nutrient-Dense Fruits and Veggies
In general, orange and leafy green vegetables have high nutrient content and low calories. Most fruits have similar benefits, and both fruits and veggies provide significant dietary fiber. According to the National Institutes of Health, fiber foods encourage natural weight control by making you feel full on fewer calories.
Some of the most nutritious foods in this category include squash, sweet potatoes, broccoli and spinach. Cooked spinach, for instance, offers large amounts of iron, potassium, magnesium, calcium, dietary fiber, folate and vitamins A, C and E. High-fiber fruits, such as pears, oranges and all kinds of berries, have high vitamin C content, as per the USDA.
Member Comments