Superfoods For Weight Loss

Weight loss is something many people want to achieve, but aren’t really sure how to get started. If you want to lose weight, there are many different methods, from the types of workouts you should do to how much you need to eat.

In terms of your nutrition, you need to understand that there isn’t a right way or wrong way to go. The most important thing to keep in mind is that you find something that works for you specifically. A good place to start with weight loss is looking for the healthiest foods possible. This is where superfoods come in.

What Are Superfoods?

The most basic explanation is that superfoods are foods that have a higher amount of nutrients than most other foods. These aren’t just healthy, but contain a large amount of vitamins and minerals, like vitamin C and D, antioxidants, amino acids, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, protein, iron, and many others.

While all superfoods are good for you, some are better for weight loss and fat burning than others. Here is a list of the top 10 superfoods to try if you are interested in losing weight.

Spinach

There are a lot of vegetables that are great to add to your diet when you are trying to lose weight, but dark leafy greens are among the best ones. A good leafy green to start with is spinach, which is a superfood thanks to all the nutrients each serving has. Some of the top nutrients in spinach are potassium, fiber, and iron.

With spinach, you are getting a food that is low in fat and calories, and super low in carbs, but high in fiber. This means you get low net carbs if you are on a low carb diet, plus the vegetable can be enjoyed on any low fat diet, and with vegetarian and vegan diets.

Adding spinach to your diet is super simple, and depends on the types of foods you enjoy the most. If you like making omelets for breakfast, add in some spinach to the eggs and it will cook down. If you make smoothies or juice, add some spinach and the taste is covered up by the fruits you add. You can also add it to other greens for any of the salads you enjoy.

Green Tea

Most superfoods are going to be fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and spices, but that doesn’t mean drinks can’t be included! One of the top beverages that is a superfood for weight loss is green tea. Green tea is extremely beneficial for weight loss, helping to boost your metabolism, and help you to burn more fat and calories. It is often recommended to drink before workouts or even during the workouts if you choose iced green tea to be refreshing.

Green tea has a lot of important antioxidants and amino acids that give you more energy and will help you feel full longer. This can reduce cravings, keep you from indulging when you are trying to cut back, and even burn more fat throughout the day. The recommended amount is 3-5 cups of green tea every day.

Make sure when you choose your green tea, you don’t get something that is processed or contains additives. Most green tea is caffeine free, but some varieties do have a small amount of caffeine. Pay close attention to the label when you are purchasing it.

Apples

There are also some yummy fruits on the list of superfoods for weight loss, starting with apples. The reason the phrase ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor a way’ is so common is because of how nutritious these fruits are. They are low in fat and calories, low in carbs, and have a lot of phytonutrients and antioxidants. You will have less illness overall just by eating an apple every day.

For weight loss, apples help by not adding too many fat grams or calories to your foods, and providing a sweetness to keep you away from sugar and other sweets. They can also help to speed up your metabolism, which helps you to burn more fat for the rest of the day. Try apple slices with some peanut butter or almond butter, or enjoy sliced apples on your salads. Cinnamon is another superfood, which tastes great on top of sliced apples.

Chia Seeds

As mentioned previously, not all of the foods on the superfoods list for weight loss are fruits or veggies. Seeds like chia seeds also have a place on the list. If you have ever had a smoothie or bowl of oatmeal with small black seeds on them, those were probably chia seeds. These seeds are completely edible and come from Mexico. They also contain a lot of nutrients.

Some of the top nutrients in chia seeds are omega-3 fatty acids, protein, fiber, calcium, and of course lots of antioxidants. The fiber in chia seeds are good for your heart health, while the fatty acids help you to get more energy and burn more fat. Chia seeds are great for weight loss in many ways.

There are tons of ways to add chia seeds to your diet. Smoothie lovers often add them to their smoothie mixes in the morning, though you can also add them to your protein shake for before or after your workouts. You can sneak them in oatmeal or cereal, top salads, or mix them into your soup.

Almonds

We are going to talk about two types of nuts for weight loss, including almonds and pistachios. First are almonds, which are a popular superfood that fits in with just about any diet. In fact, almonds fit in with all of these popular diets:

Vegetarian and vegan

Raw diets

Low fat or calorie

Low carb, Keto, and Atkins

Paleo

Whole foods

Just one serving of almonds contains 5 grams of fiber. This will give you more energy and help you to burn more fat and calories. Almonds also contain a good amount of manganese, magnesium, calcium, iron, phosphorous, and vitamin E. As you can see, they are very nutritious!

The simplest way to enjoy almonds is by eating a handful of them. About ¼ cup is usually a single serving. However, you can also eat almonds in many other ways, from enjoying almond butter with your fruit slices, or topping slivered almonds on top of soups or salads. Get creative when deciding how you want to eat them.

Pistachios

The other nut that is on the top 10 list of superfoods for weight loss is pistachios. These green nuts are not only insanely delicious, they are also packed full of essential vitamins and minerals. You just want to be careful with how many you eat per day since they can be a little high in fat and calories. However, they are a healthy fat, so as long as you watch portion sizes, they can work well for you even while losing weight.

Like many other nuts, pistachios contain a lot of protein and fiber. In addition to these nutrients, they also have a good amount of zinc, vitamin E< potassium, and magnesium. You should have about an ounce serving, which is a handful of them. However, you should try to get a food scale so that you know exactly how many you are eating. Try putting each serving size in a different snack-size baggie to have better control over the amount you are eating.

Goji Berries

Another popular superfood is goji berries. Don’t be too surprised if they don’t sound familiar. They are more of a newer superfood, but quickly becoming more trendy in healthy crowds. Goji berries are very nutritious, containing a lot of antioxidants and other vitamins that you should have in your regular diet.

Goji berries are small, reddish-purple berries that are sweet and taste delicious with a lot of different foods and snacks. They are excellent for helping to control your appetite, which is going to help with weight loss by not causing you to indulge in other foods that aren’t great for you. They can also help to regulate your blood sugar levels, and because they are sweet, reduce your sugar cravings at the same time.

With goji berries, they are used in similar ways to pomegranate seeds. They can be added to juice or smoothies, mixed in with low-fat frozen yogurt or regular yogurt, or added to your salads. Salads with spinach or kale as the greens, sliced strawberries and goji berries, and a raspberry vinaigrette is perfect for warm days when you want a refreshing and healthy lunch.

Popcorn

Don’t worry – not all superfoods for weight loss are produce or seeds. You can also eat popcorn! This makes movie night with your family or friends a lot more enjoyable. You won’t feel like you are missing out when you can still enjoy some popcorn with everyone else. It is what you add to it that makes the big difference.

The popcorn on its own is not what you need to be concerned about, but rather the seasonings and melted butter you choose to add. When you get into the cheese and caramel popcorn, it becomes even more unhealthy. Try to eat plain, air-popped popcorn, going for the kind you cook on the stove instead of in a bag in your microwave. Measure out the portion size and know exactly how much you are eating. A little sea salt is all you need to season it just right.

Legumes

The #9 superfood for weight loss to try to add to your diet is legumes. These are great because they fit in with any type of vegetarian or vegan diet, as well as low fat and low calorie diets. Some low carb diets (depending on how restricting they are) have room for legumes.

Legumes are nutritious with a lot of protein and fiber for you. If you don’t eat meat, these are a good source of protein and iron without having to worry about missing out from not eating meat. Legumes not only contain a lot of nutrients, but they have been found to help lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and protect you from heart disease. This is helpful for general health, but also if you have these conditions from being overweight.

Legumes help with weight loss by filling you up and keeping you from craving other foods. If your appetite is the main reason you struggle with weight loss, try to add more legumes to your meals. Legumes can be used as a main dish or side dish, so they are really easy to work with. Here are some legumes to try out:

• Navy beans
• Chickpeas
• Red kidney beans
• Peas
• Lentils
• Adzuki beans
• Cannellini beans
• Butter beans

Tomatoes

Last up on the list is tomatoes, which are versatile and essential for a well-balanced diet. Tomatoes have a high amount of antioxidants, which as you know help to protect you against illness and disease. Tomatoes also have a good amount of potassium, and various other nutrients. They also contain vitamins like vitamin C, which is found in many other fruits as well.

Tomatoes help with fat burning, filling you up, and providing an easy, low-fat snack. Tomatoes also happen to be low in carbs, so Paleo, Atkins, and Keto people can also add them to their dishes.

Eating more tomatoes regularly is very easy to do. They are one of the most versatile superfoods on this list.

Here are some different ways to add more tomatoes to your diet:

• Enjoy salsa with slices of veggies or baked tortilla chips
• Make homemade tomato sauce to go on whole wheat pasta
• Slice up tomatoes for your sandwiches or wraps
• Make a big salad for lunch or dinner with sliced tomatoes in it
• Add more nutrition to hot sandwiches like tuna melts and grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato slices

Losing weight is not an easy process, but it is something that you learn from along the way. In addition to adding these top superfoods, look for other foods that help to burn more fat and give you more energy. These are two very important components of losing weight, then keeping it off once you reach your goal.