One common frustration of trying to lose weight is sifting through the advice about what you should and should not eat. Some popular diets, such as the Atkins Diet, are based on restricting carbohydrates and therefore recommend limiting fruit and vegetables, which are primarily carbohydrates. Other diets recommend eating more fruits and vegetables. You can lose weight by drinking juice and eating vegetables, and for several reasons, you should include plenty of fresh foods as part of your weight-loss plan.
Energy Density
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one of the key factors in what foods are helpful for weight loss is energy density, which is the number of calories in a portion. Fruit and vegetables have high water and fiber content and comparatively few calories per portion. The CDC notes that vegetables tend to be lower in calories than fruit and that substituting vegetables for higher energy density foods can help you lose weight. For example, reduce the meat and cheese in your sandwiches and add extra lettuce instead.
Fat-Burning
Numerous vegetables and fruits have fat burning properties, notes “Fat Burning Foods.” Among the best choices for boosting your metabolism is spinach, which is high in fiber and iron and is especially beneficial when eaten with vitamin C, which promotes iron uptake. For example, eat a hearty spinach salad with a glass of 100% pure orange juice. Certain fruit juices, such as lemon juice, help break down fat.
Nutrition
While losing weight, you should stay healthy. Eating vegetables and drinking juice helps you obtain necessary vitamins and minerals. The “Juicing Book,” which notes that typical calorie-restricted diets can slow weight loss because they deprive your body of the nutrients it needs to burn fat. Fresh juices offer easily absorbed vitamins because your body doesn’t have to break down the pulp and fiber. You can juice a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, such as apples, oranges, carrots, celery, greens, berries and pineapples, which will provide essential nutrients.
Fiber
“Easy Natural Weight Loss” calls fiber the secret ingredient for weight loss because fiber-rich foods like vegetables and fruit fill you up, promote digestion and offer abundant nutrients. To maximize your fiber intake, eat plenty of watery vegetables such as spinach, cucumber, tomatoes and peppers. Juice, however, lacks fiber, so if you have a problem with feeling hungry, eat more vegetables or substitute some whole fruits for juices to keep your diet on track.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Can Eating Fruits and Vegetables Help People Manage Their Weight?; 2010
- “Juicing Book: All You Need to Create Delicious Juices for Your Optimum Health”; Carole Jacobs; 2010
- “Easy Natural Weight Loss”; Patrick Engelen; 2010
- “Fat Burning Foods: An A-Z List of Foods that Burn Fat to Start a Healthy Diet”; C Elias; 2010
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