Not all
calories are created equal.
Different
foods go through different metabolic pathways in the body. They can
have vastly different effects on hunger, hormones and how many calories we
burn.
Here are the
20 most weight loss friendly foods on earth, that are supported by science.
1. Whole
Eggs
Once feared
for being high in cholesterol, whole eggs have been making a comeback.
New studies
show that they don’t adversely affect blood cholesterol and don’t cause heart
attacks.
What’s more…
they are among the best foods you can eat if you need to lose weight.
They’re high
in protein, healthy fats, and can make you feel full with a very low amount of
calories.
One study of
30 overweight women showed that eating eggs for breakfast, instead of bagels,
increased satiety and made them eat less for the next 36 hours (3).
Another 8
week study found that eggs for breakfast increased weight loss on a calorie
restricted diet compared to bagels.
Eggs are
also incredibly nutrient dense and can help you get all the nutrients you need
on a calorie restricted diet. Almost all the nutrients are found in the yolks.
Related:
Pastured, Omega-3 & Conventional Eggs: What’s The Difference?
2. Leafy
Greens
Leafy greens
include kale, spinach, collards, swiss chards and a few others.
They have
several properties that make them perfect for a weight loss diet.
They are low
in both calories and carbohydrates, but loaded with fiber.
Eating leafy
greens is a great way to increase the volume of your meals, without increasing
the calories. Numerous studies show that meals and diets with a low energy
density make people eat fewer calories overall .
Leafy greens
are also incredibly nutritious and very high in all sorts of vitamins, minerals
and antioxidants. This includes calcium, which has been shown to aid fat
burning in some studies.
3. Salmon
Oily fish
like salmon is incredibly healthy.
It is also
very satisfying, keeping you full for many hours with relatively few calories.
Salmon is
loaded with high quality protein, healthy fats and also contains all sorts of
important nutrients.
Fish, and
seafood in general, supplies a significant amount of iodine.
This
nutrient is necessary for proper function of the thyroid, which is important to
keep the metabolism running optimally.
Studies show
that a huge number of people in the world aren’t getting all the iodine they
need.
Salmon is
also loaded with Omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to help reduce
inflammation, which is known to play a major role in obesity and metabolic
disease.
Mackerel,
trout, sardines, herring and other types of oily fish are also excellent.
4.
Cruciferous Vegetables
Cruciferous
vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts.
Like other
vegetables, they are high in fiber and tend to be incredibly fulfilling.
What’s more…
these types of veggies also tend to contain decent amounts of protein.
They’re not as
high in protein as animal foods or legumes, but they’re high compared to most
vegetables.
A
combination of protein, fiber and low energy density makes cruciferous
vegetables the perfect foods to include in your meals if you need to lose
weight.
They are
also highly nutritious, and contain cancer fighting substances
5. Lean Beef
and Chicken Breast
Meat has
been unfairly demonized.
It has been
blamed for all sorts of health problems, despite no good evidence to back it
up.
Although
processed meat is unhealthy, studies show that unprocessed red meat does NOT
raise the risk of heart disease or diabetes.
According to
two big review studies, red meat has only a very weak correlation with cancer
in men, and no correlation at all in women.
The truth
is… meat is a weight loss friendly food, because it’s high in protein.
Protein is
the most fulfilling nutrient, by far, and eating a high protein diet can make
you burn up to 80 to 100 more calories per day.
Studies have
shown that increasing your protein intake to 25-30% of calories can cut
cravings by 60%, reduce desire for late-night snacking by half, and cause
weight loss of almost a pound per week… just by adding protein to the diet.
If you’re on
a low-carb diet, then feel free to eat fatty meats. But if you’re on a
moderate- to high carbohydrate diet, then choosing lean meats may be more
appropriate.
6. Boiled
Potatoes
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White
potatoes seem to have fallen out of favor for some reason.
However…
they have several properties that make them a perfect food, both for weight
loss and optimal health.
They contain
an incredibly diverse range of nutrients, a little bit of almost everything we
need.
There have
even been accounts of people living on nothing but potatoes alone for extended
periods of time.
They are
particularly high in potassium, a nutrient that most people don’t get enough of
and plays an important role in blood pressure control.
On a scale
called the Satiety Index, that measures how fulfilling different foods are,
white, boiled potatoes scored the highest of all the foods tested.
What this
means is that by eating white, boiled potatoes, you will naturally feel full
and eat less of other foods instead.
If you boil
the potatoes, then allow them to cool for a while, then they will form large
amounts of resistant starch, a fiber-like substance that has been shown to have
all sorts of health benefits… including weight loss.
Sweet
potatoes, turnips and other root vegetables are also excellent.
7. Tuna
Tuna is
another low-calorie, high protein food.
It is lean
fish… so there isn’t much fat in it.
Tuna is
popular among bodybuilders and fitness models who are on a cut, because it’s a
great way to keep protein high, with total calories and fat low.
If you’re
trying to emphasize protein intake, then make sure to choose tuna canned in
water, but not oil.
8. Beans and
Legumes
Some beans
and legumes can be beneficial for weight loss.
This includes
lentils, black beans, kidney beans and some others.
These foods
tend to be high in protein and fiber, which are two nutrients that have been
shown to lead to satiety.
They also
tend to contain some resistant starch.
The main
problem is that a lot of people have problem tolerating legumes. For this
reason, it is important to prepare them properly.
9. Soups
As mentioned
above, meals and diets with a low energy density tend to make people eat fewer
calories.
Most foods
with a low energy density are those that contain lots of water, such as
vegetables and fruits.
But you can
also just add water to your food… by making a soup.
Some studies
have shown that eating the exact same food, except made in a soup instead of as
solid food, makes people feel more satiated and eat significantly fewer
calories.
10. Cottage
Cheese
Dairy
products tend to be high in protein.
One of the
best ones is cottage cheese… calorie for calorie, it is mostly just protein
with very little carbohydrate and fat.
Eating
plenty of cottage cheese is a great way to boost your protein intake. It is
also very satiating, making you feel full with a relatively low amount of
calories.
Dairy
products are also high in calcium, which has been shown to aid in the fat
burning process.
11. Avocados
Avocados are
a unique type of fruit. Whereas most
fruit is high in carbs, avocados are loaded with healthy fats.
They are
particularly high in monounsaturated oleic acid, the same type of fat found in
olive oil.
Despite being
mostly fat, they also contain a lot of water, so they aren’t as energy dense as
you may think.
Avocados are
perfect as additions to salad, because studies show that the fats in them can
increase the nutrient uptake from the vegetables 2.6 to 15-fold.
They also
contain many important nutrients, including fiber and potassium.
12. Apple
Cider Vinegar
Apple cider
vinegar is incredibly popular in the natural health community.
It is
popular for use in condiments, like dressings or vinaigrettes. Some people even
dilute it in water and drink it.
Several
studies in humans suggest that vinegar can be useful for people who are trying
to lose weight.
Taking
vinegar at the same time as a high-carb meal can increase feelings of fullness
and make people eat 200-275 fewer calories for the rest of the day
One study in
obese individuals also showed that 15 or 30 mL of vinegar per day for 12 weeks
caused weight loss of 2.6-3.7 pounds, or 1.2-1.7 kilograms
Vinegar has
also been shown to reduce blood sugar spikes after meals, which may lead to all
sorts of beneficial effects on health in the long term (29, 30).
13. Nuts
Despite
being high in fat, nuts are not inherently fattening.
They’re an
excellent snack, containing balanced amounts of protein, fiber and healthy
fats.
Studies have
shown that eating nuts can improve metabolic health and even cause weight loss
(31, 32).
Population
studies have also shown that people who eat nuts tend to be healthier, and
leaner, than the people who don’t
Just make
sure not to go overboard, as they are still pretty high in calories. If you
tend to binge and eat massive amounts of nuts, then it may be best to avoid
them.
14. Some
Whole Grains
Despite
grains having gotten a bad rap in recent years, there are some types that are
definitely healthy.
This
includes some non-gluten, whole grains that are loaded with fiber and contain a
decent amount of protein as well.
Notable
examples include oats, brown rice and quinoa.
Oats are
loaded with beta-glucans, soluble fibers that have been shown to increase
satiety and improve metabolic health.
Rice, both
brown and white, can also contain significant amounts of resistant starch,
especially if cooked and then allowed to cool afterwards (36).
Keep in mind
that refined grains are a disaster, and sometimes foods that have “whole
grains” on the label are highly processed junk foods that are both harmful and
fattening.
If you’re on
a very low-carb diet then you’ll want to avoid grains, because they are high in
carbohydrates. But there’s nothing wrong with eating some of the healthier
grains if you can tolerate them and are not on a low-carb diet.
15. Chili
Pepper
Eating chili
peppers may be useful on a weight loss diet.
They contain
a substance called capsaicin, which has been shown to help reduce appetite and
increase fat burning in some studies.
This
substance is even sold in supplement form and is a common ingredient in many
commercial weight loss supplements.
One study
showed that eating 1 gram of red chilli pepper reduced appetite and increased
fat burning in people who didn’t regularly eat peppers
However,
there was no effect in people who were accustomed to eating spicy food, indicating
that some sort of tolerance can build up.
16. Fruit
Most health
experts agree that fruit is healthy.
Numerous
population studies have shown that people who eat the most fruit (and
vegetables) tend to be healthier than people who don’t.
Of course…
correlation does not equal causation, so those studies don’t prove anything,
but fruit do have properties that make them weight loss friendly.
Even though
they contain sugar, they have a low energy density and take a while to chew.
Plus, the fiber helps prevent the sugar from being released too quickly into
the bloodstream.
The only
people who may want to avoid or minimize fruit are those who are on a very
low-carb, ketogenic diet, or have some sort of intolerance to fructose.
For the rest
of us, fruits can be an effective (and delicious) addition to a weight loss
diet.
17.
Grapefruit
One fruit
that deserves to be highlighted is grapefruit, because its effects on weight
control have been studied directly.
Young Girl
Holding Sliced Grapefruit
In a study
of 91 obese individuals, eating half a fresh grapefruit before meals caused
weight loss of 3.5 pounds (1.6 kg) over a period of 12 weeks.
The
grapefruit group also had reductions in insulin resistance, a metabolic
abnormality that is implicated in various chronic diseases.
So… eating
half a grapefruit about a half hour before some of your daily meals may help
you feel more satiated and eat fewer overall calories.
18. Chia
Seeds
Chia seeds
are among the most nutritious foods on the planet.
They do
contain 12 grams of carbohydrate per ounce, which is pretty high, but 11 of
those grams are fiber.
This makes
chia seeds a low-carb friendly food, and one of the best sources of fiber in
the world.
Because of
all the fiber, chia seeds can absorb up to 11-12 times their weight in water,
turning gel-like and expanding in your stomach.
Although
some studies have shown that chia seeds can help reduce appetite, they have not
found a statistically significant effect on weight loss.
However,
given their nutrient composition, it makes sense that chia seeds could be a
useful part of a weight loss diet.
19. Coconut
Oil
Not all fats
are created equal.
Coconut oil
is high in fatty acids of a medium length, called Medium Chain Triglycerides
(MCTs).
These fatty
acids have been shown to boost satiety compared to other fats, as well as
increase the amount of calories burned.
There are
also two studies, one in women and the other in men, showing that coconut oil
led to reduced amounts of belly fat.
Of course…
coconut oil still contains calories, so adding it on top of what you’re already
eating is a bad idea.
So this is
not about adding coconut oil to your diet, it is about replacing some of your
other cooking fats with coconut oil.
Extra virgin
olive oil is also worth mentioning here, because it is probably the healthiest
fat on the planet.
20. Full-fat
Yogurt
Another
excellent dairy food is yogurt.
Yogurt
contains probiotic bacteria that can improve the function of your gut.
Having a
healthy gut may potentially help protect against inflammation and leptin
resistance, which is the main hormonal driver of obesity.
Just make
sure to choose full-fat yogurt… studies show that full-fat dairy, but not
low-fat, is associated with a reduced risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes over
time.
Low-fat
yogurt is usually loaded with sugar, so it is best to avoid that stuff like the
plague.
Kris
Gunnars, Authority Nutrition.
