Vegetables are the perfect diet food. Naturally low in calories and fat, veggies are a tasty way to fill up without contributing to weight gain. Additionally, vegetables are bursting with dietary fiber. Eating fibrous foods while losing weight can help keep your appetite under wraps, MayoClinic.com reports. Consider including these vegetables for losing weight as part of your reduced-calorie diet.
Yams
The glycemic index is a measurement of how rapidly a carbohydrate-rich food ends up as blood sugar inside your body. Eating foods with a low glycemic index can help make weight loss easier by reducing appetite, according to the August 2008 "Clinical Nutrition." In a group of 30 dieters, those that cut calories and chose low glycemic index foods like yams lost 20 percent more weight than those that ate a diet that was heavy in high glycemic index foods. Yams have a glycemic index of only 32 -- significantly less than other starchy veggies like carrots or white potatoes -- Harvard University reports.
Beans
Beans are a vegetable that are especially rich in dietary fiber. A single 1/2-cup serving of Adzuki beans contains more than 12 g of fiber, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fibrous beans can boost the results you get from dieting, the November 2010 "Advances in Nutrition" reports. Beans can be used in stews, soups tossed over salads or as a base for chili. Beans also contain significant amounts of protein and can be used as a low-calorie substitute for fatty meats like pork and beef.
Spinach
Spinach is a versatile vegetable with an exceptionally low energy density. The high-volume, low-calorie combination in spinach may help curb appetite more than other vegetables, according to the November 1995 issue of the "International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition." Consider using spinach as a base for salads instead of low-fiber lettuce.
Cucumber
Cucumbers are one of the lowest calorie vegetables in the food supply. A 1/2-cup serving of chopped cucumber contains less than 10 calories. Cucumber can be sliced as a low-calorie snack, chopped into salads or grilled with light olive oil. Keep the skin on your cucumber to maximize its fiber content.
References
- Mayo Clinic: Energy Density and Weight Loss: Feel Full on Fewer Calories
- Harvard University: Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load for 100+ Foods
- PubMed.gov: Energy-restricted diets based on a distinct food selection affecting the glycemic index induce different weight loss and oxidative response
- Advances in Nutrition: Pulse Consumption, Satiety, and Weight Management
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Vegetable of the Month: Beans
- PubMed.gov: Satiety effects of spinach in mixed meals: comparison with other vegetables
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