A plant-based diet may be lower in saturated fat than a diet that contains a lot of meat, and it may also be beneficial if you are trying to lose weight. Although no single food leads to weight loss, certain fruits and other plant-based foods may help you lose weight because they fill you up without contributing too many calories to your diet. Eat moderate amounts of nutrient-dense foods for the best nutrition and weight control.
Fruits
Almost all types of fresh fruit are good for weight loss because they are low in calories and high in dietary fiber. Eat apples, oranges, tangerines, berries, grapes and pears as snacks or as dessert. Dried fruits, such as raisins, dried apricots and prunes, are high in fiber and potassium, but they are not good choices for weight loss because they are high in calories, with a 1/4 cup serving weighing in at around 80 to 100 calories. Olives and avocados are healthy because of their monounsaturated fats, but eat them in moderation on a weight-loss diet because they're high in calories.
Vegetables
Vegetables can help you lose weight because they are low in calories, with only about 50 calories in 1 cup of cooked broccoli. Have leafy green vegetables, such as spinach or romaine lettuce, in salads as a side dish or as the foundation of a large, low-calorie entree. Raw vegetables, such as cherry tomatoes, celery sticks and cauliflower florets, make low-calorie snacks, and you can make a meal larger and more filling, without many extra calories, by adding cooked vegetables, such as tomatoes and carrots to pasta sauce or bell peppers and broccoli to a stir fry.
Whole Grains
Although their calorie content is similar, whole grains may help you lose weight when you choose them instead of refined grains, such as white bread or pasta. Whole grains have a lower glycemic index than refined grains, so you may feel full for longer and eat less at your next meal. Examples of whole grains include oatmeal, barley and bulgur, and more processed choices include whole-wheat pasta, bread and breakfast cereals.
Beans and Lentils
Beans and lentils are healthy plant-based foods for weight loss, not only because they are low in calories and high in dietary fiber, but they are also high in protein, which is a filling nutrient. Instead of high-fat meats, such as steak or dark-meat turkey with the skin, choose lentils or beans such as lima, navy, garbanzo, pinto or black beans, with 6 to 10 g protein per 1/2-cup, cooked. Beans and lentils are not complete proteins, so eat them with whole grains, such as a bean burrito on a whole-wheat tortilla or beans with brown rice. This forms a complete protein with all of the amino acids you need to get from your diet.
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