The foods you eat play a central role in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. Eating healthful, nutrient-dense foods provide your body with the nutrients needed to survive, without the added calories and preservatives found in unhealthful processed foods. Following a calorie-controlled diet, rich in organic, nutritious foods, can help you lose weight, especially combined with a regular exercise program.
Vegetables and Fruits
One type of organic food that can promote weight loss are vegetables and fruits. As relatively calorie-sparse and nutrient-dense foods, fruits and vegetables should be cornerstone of any weight loss diet. Organic vegetables are grown without the aid of potentially harmful herbicides and pesticides, and may not contain the trace amounts of these chemicals potentially found on non-organic produce. Consume fresh produce at each meal to help you read the nine servings of fruits and vegetables recommended by the Harvard School of Public Health. When cooking your vegetables, choose cooking methods -- such as grilling, steaming or roasting -- that do not require added oil, to avoid eating excess calories.
Chicken and Turkey
Organic chicken and turkey may also form an important part of a weight loss diet. Chicken and turkey represent lean proteins -- rich sources of protein, without the saturated fat found in other types of meat. Choosing lean meats over higher-fat cuts of meat means you can avoid the calories found in animal fat, while still consuming protein that helps keep your body running. The University of Illinois reports that following a diet rich in lean meats can allow for weight loss without the loss of important muscle tissue, helping you stay healthy as you lose weight. Consume organic poultry regularly to provide a source of lean protein and facilitate weight loss.
Milk
Organic milk and dairy products can also make up part of a healthy weight loss diet. Milk contains healthy proteins and carbohydrates to provide your body with energy, as well as essential vitamins and minerals. Among these minerals is calcium, which makes up a component of your bones and teeth, and which can aid weight loss. A study published in "Obesity Reviews" in 2009 indicates that following a diet high in calcium -- such as one that includes organic milk -- can affect fat absorption in the digestive tract, increasing the amount of undigested fat excreted from your body. To reap the benefits of organic dairy products, choose non- or low-fat milk as a source of calcium without consuming high levels of saturated fat.
References
- Harvard School of Public Health: Vegetables and Fruits
- University of Illinois: Effects of a higher protein weight loss diet on body composition, metabolic disease risk and physical function in postmenopausal women
- Obesity Reviews: Effect of calcium from dairy and dietary supplements on faecal fat excretion: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
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