The 5 Best Weight Loss Foods of All Time

Super-slimming foods

by Kathleen Mulpeter 

If you're trying to shed pounds, consider this the ultimate guide to what you should be putting on your plate. These good-for-you foods contain powerful nutrients and antioxidants that have been shown to help your body lose weight, feel full for longer periods of time, and have more energy. As a bonus, many have added benefits, too, such as preventing various diseases or reversing the signs of aging. 

Here are 50 weight loss superfoods to start incorporating into your diet, plus delicious ways to prepare them from Health's contributing nutrition editor Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD.

Almonds

Almonds are a great source of mono- and polyunsaturated fats, which can help lower your cholesterol and keep you slim. They also contain fewer calories than most other varieties of nuts (just 163 calories for 23), as well as plenty of fiber and vitamin E. According to a study in the International Journal of Obesity, people who added a daily serving of almonds to a low-calorie diet lost more weight than those who followed the same diet but ate a carb-heavy snack such as crackers instead. 

To reap the benefits, Sass recommends using almonds to crust a lean protein such as salmon or sprinkling them onto salads and cooked veggies. "You can also whip them into smoothies or use nut butter as the base for a savory sauce seasoned with garlic and ginger," she says.

Apples

Apples contain pectin, an ingredient that naturally slows digestion and encourages feelings of fullness. Studies show that eating a whole apple with your meal (as opposed to apple juice or applesauce) is a natural appetite suppressant, helping you consume fewer overall calories without feeling deprived. Sass likes using shredded apple in slaws and stir-fry, or mixing them into burger patties to add moisture.

Apples are also a good source of antioxidants, vitamin C, and fiber. Just be sure not to skip the skin, which contains much of the fruit's nutritional benefits.

Avocados

Is there anything avocados can't do? This creamy super food (loaded with monounsaturated fats, potassium, magnesium, folate, and vitamins C and E) has been linked to improved vision, good heart health, and a reduced risk of certain cancers. And avocados can also help whittle your middle: according to one study, people who regularly consume them weigh less and have smaller waists than those who do not. Another study found that women who eat half an avocado at lunchtime might experience reduced food cravings later in the day.

There are countless ways to enjoy the fruit (yes, technically it is one), but you can't beat the classic combination of whole-wheat toast with mashed avocado, lemon juice, and sunflower seeds. Sass also recommends whipping avocado into a smoothie, pureeing it with herbs and citrus juice to make a creamy salad dressing, or adding it to a veggie omelet.

Bananas

Although they're best known for containing potassium, bananas are also a great source of resistant starch, a type of starch that's important for weight loss. Your body digests resistant starch slowly—helping you feel full for longer—while simultaneously encouraging your liver to switch to fat-burning mode. And no need to wait for them to become completely ripe; bananas actually contain more of this calorie-torching ingredient when they're still a little green.

Even more reasons to add a bunch to your shopping cart: Bananas can help regulate blood pressure, ease digestive problems, replenish nutrients after a workout, and may even help prevent strokes in older women.

Black beans

Black beans are a member of the pulse family, a food group that's been shown to help burn calories, reduce belly fat, and curb appetite. Just one cup of black beans packs 15 grams of protein without the saturated fat you often find in other high-protein sources, such as red meat.

"Black beans work great in both savory and sweet dishes," says Sass. "You've probably had black bean soup, but you can also make black bean brownies or whip them into puddings and smoothies."

Source: www.health.com