Not all calories are equal.
Different foods go through different metabolic pathways in your body.
They can have vastly different effects on your hunger, hormones, and the number of calories you burn.
Here are the most weight loss foods on earth that are backed by science.
1. Whole eggs
Once feared for high cholesterol, whole eggs are back.
Although eating large amounts of eggs raises levels of bad LDL cholesterol in some people, they are one of the best foods to eat if you need to lose weight. They are rich in proteins and fats and are very saturated.
One study in 30 obese women showed that eating eggs for breakfast, rather than bread, increased feelings of fullness (fullness) and made participants eat less over the next 36 hours.
Another eight-week study found that eating eggs for breakfast increased weight loss on a calorie-restricted diet, compared to bread.
Eggs are also incredibly nutrient-dense and can help you get all the nutrients you need on a calorie restricted diet. Interestingly, egg yolk contains almost all nutrients.
2. Leafy greens
Leafy greens include kale, spinach, collard greens, Swiss chard and a few others.
It has several characteristics that make it ideal for a weight loss diet, such as being low in calories and carbohydrates and loaded with fiber.
Eating leafy greens is a great way to increase the size of your meals without adding to the calories. Several studies show that meals and diets with a lower energy density make people eat fewer calories overall.
Leafy greens are also incredibly nutritious and very rich in many vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals, including calcium, which has been shown to help burn fat in some studies.
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Leafy greens are an excellent addition to your weight loss diet. Not only are they low in calories, but they are also high in fiber, which helps you feel full.
3. Salmon
Fatty fish like salmon are incredibly healthy and very satisfying, keeping you feeling full for several hours with relatively few calories.
Salmon is rich in high-quality protein, healthy fats, and various important nutrients.
Fish – and seafood in general – may provide a significant amount of iodine.
This nutrient is essential for proper thyroid function, which is important to keep your metabolism working optimally.
Studies show that a large number of people do not meet their iodine needs.
Salmon also contains omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to help reduce inflammation, which is known to play a major role in obesity and metabolic diseases.
Mackerel, trout, sardines, herring and other types of fatty fish are also excellent.
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Salmon is rich in protein and omega-3 fatty acids, making it a good choice for a healthy weight loss diet.
4. Cruciferous vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts.
Like other vegetables, it’s high in fiber and tends to feel incredibly full.
Moreover, these types of vegetables generally contain decent amounts of protein.
They are not as high in protein as animal foods or legumes but are still high compared to most vegetables.
The combination of protein, fiber and low energy density make cruciferous vegetables the perfect foods to include in your meals if you need to lose weight.
It is also of high nutritional value and contains anti-cancer materials
5. Chicken breasts and lean meats
Meat has been unfairly demonized.
It has been blamed for many health issues even though there is no good evidence to support these negative claims.
Although processed meat is unhealthy, studies have shown that unprocessed red meat does not increase the risk of heart disease or diabetes.
According to two large review studies, red meat has a very weak relationship with cancer in men and no relationship at all in women.
The truth is that meat is a weight loss friendly food because it is high in protein.
Protein is the most filling nutrient, and eating a high-protein diet can make you burn up to 80-100 extra calories per day.
Studies have shown that increasing your protein intake to 25% of daily calories can reduce food cravings by 60%, cut your desire for late-night snacking in half and lead to a weight loss of approximately one pound (0.45). kg) per week.
If you are on a low-carb diet, feel free to eat fatty meats. However, if you are on a moderate to high-carb diet, choosing lean meats may be more appropriate.
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Eating lean, unprocessed meat is an excellent way to increase your protein intake. Replacing some of the carbohydrates or fats in your diet with protein can make it easier for you to lose the extra fat.
6. Boiled potatoes
White potatoes seem to have lost their popularity for a reason.
However, it has many properties that make it an ideal food – both for weight loss and optimal health.
They contain an incredibly diverse range of nutrients – a little of just about everything you need.
There are even accounts of people subsisting on nothing but potatoes alone for long periods of time.
They are particularly rich in potassium, a nutrient that most people don’t get enough of and that plays an important role in controlling blood pressure.
On a scale called the satiety index, which measures how filling different foods are, boiled white potatoes scored the highest of all foods tested.
What this means is that by eating boiled white potatoes, you will naturally feel full and will eat less other foods.
If you allow potatoes to cool for a while after boiling, they will form large amounts of resistant starch, a fiber-like substance that has been shown to have various health benefits, including weight loss.
Sweet potatoes, turnips, and other root vegetables are also excellent.
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Boiled potatoes are one of the most filling foods. They are especially good at reducing your appetite, and will likely prevent eating later in the day.
7. Tuna
Tuna is another low-calorie, high-protein food.
It is a lean fish, which means that it is low in fat.
Tuna is very popular among bodybuilders and fitness models who are cutting, because it is a great way to increase protein intake while keeping total calories and fat low.
If you’re trying to focus on your protein intake, be sure to choose tuna canned in water, not oil.
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Tuna is an excellent, fat-free source of high-quality protein. Replacing other macronutrients, such as carbohydrates or fats, with protein is an effective weight loss strategy on a calorie-restricted diet.
8. Beans and legumes
Some beans and other legumes can be beneficial for weight loss.
This includes lentils, black beans, kidney beans, and others.
These foods tend to be rich in protein and fiber, two nutrients that have been shown to lead to satiety.
They also tend to contain some resistant starch.
The main problem is that many people have difficulties tolerating legumes. For this reason, it is important to prepare them correctly.
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Beans and legumes are a good addition to your weight loss diet. Both are rich in protein and fiber, which contribute to feelings of fullness and lower calorie intake.
9. Soup
As mentioned earlier, meals and diets with a lower energy density tend to cause people to eat fewer calories.
Most foods with a lower energy density are those that contain a lot of water, such as vegetables and fruits.
But you can also add water to your food, and make soup.
Some studies have shown that eating the same food turned into soup instead of solid food makes people feel more full and eat significantly fewer calories.
Just be sure not to add too much fat to your soup, such as cream or coconut milk, as this can greatly increase its calorie content.
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Soup can be an effective part of a weight loss diet. Its high water content makes it very filling. However, try to avoid fatty soups or oil.
10. Cottage cheese
Dairy products tend to be high in protein.
One of the best is cottage cheese, which — calories for calories — is mostly made of protein with very few carbohydrates and little fat.
Eating cheese is a great way to increase your protein intake. It’s also very satiating, making you feel full with relatively few calories.
Dairy products are also high in calcium, which may help burn fat.
Other low-fat, high-protein dairy products include Greek yogurt and skewer.
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Eating fat-free dairy products, such as cottage cheese, is one of the best ways to get more protein without significantly increasing your calorie intake.
11. Avocado
Avocado is a unique fruit.
While most fruits are high in carbohydrates, avocados are full of healthy fats.
They are particularly high in monounsaturated oleic acid, the same type of fat found in olive oil.
Although avocados are mostly fatty, they also contain a lot of water and fiber, which makes them less energy-dense than you might think.
Moreover, it is an ideal addition to vegetable salads, as studies have shown that its fat content can increase the absorption of carotenoid antioxidants from vegetables by 2.6 to 15 times.
They also contain many important nutrients, including fiber and potassium.
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Avocados are a good example of a source of healthy fats that you can include in your diet while you are trying to lose weight. Just be sure to keep your intake in moderation.
12. Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is incredibly popular in the natural health community.
It is often used in seasonings such as sauces or vinegar, and some people even dilute it in water and drink it.
Several human studies indicate that apple cider vinegar can be beneficial for weight loss.
Taking vinegar at the same time as a carbohydrate-rich meal can increase feelings of fullness and cause people to eat 200-275 calories less for the rest of the day.
A 12-week study in obese individuals showed that 15 or 30 ml of vinegar per day caused a weight loss of 2.6 – 3.7 lbs or 1.2 – 1.7 kg.
Vinegar has also been shown to reduce the rise in blood sugar after meals, which may have many beneficial health effects in the long run.
You can find several types of apple cider vinegar on Amazon.
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Adding apple cider vinegar to salad greens may help curb appetite, which could lead to even more weight loss.
13. Nut
Although they are high in fat, nuts are not as fattening as you might expect.
It’s an excellent snack that contains balanced amounts of protein, fiber, and healthy fats.
Studies have shown that eating nuts can improve metabolic health and even promote weight loss.
Furthermore, population studies have shown that people who eat nuts tend to be healthier and leaner than those who don’t.
Just make sure not to overeat, as it is still fairly high in calories. If you tend to overindulge in nuts and eat large amounts of nuts, it may be best to avoid them.
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Nuts can be a healthy addition to an effective weight loss diet when eaten in moderation.
14. Whole grains
Although cereals have received a bad reputation in recent years, some types are certainly healthy.
This includes some whole grains that are loaded with fiber and contain the right amount of protein.
Notable examples include oats, brown rice, and quinoa.
Oats are loaded with beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that has been shown to increase feelings of fullness and improve metabolic health.
Both brown and white rice can contain large amounts of resistant starch, especially if it has been cooked and left to cool afterwards.
Keep in mind that refined grains are not a healthy option, and sometimes foods with “whole grains” on the label are highly processed foods that are harmful and fattening.
If you are on a low-carb diet, you will want to avoid grains, as they are high in carbohydrates.
But there’s nothing stopping you from eating whole grains if you can tolerate them.
15. Hot pepper
Eating cayenne pepper may be beneficial in a weight loss diet.
It contains capsaicin, a substance that has been shown to reduce appetite and increase fat burning in some studies.
This substance is sold in supplement form and a common ingredient in many commercial weight loss supplements.
One study showed that eating 1 gram of hot red pepper reduced appetite and increased fat burning in people who did not eat peppers regularly.
However, there was no effect in people accustomed to eating spicy foods, indicating that a certain level of tolerance can build up.
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Eating spicy foods containing cayenne pepper may temporarily reduce appetite and increase fat burning. However, tolerance appears to build up in those who eat hot peppers regularly.
16. Fruit
Most health experts agree that fruit is healthy.
Several population studies have shown that people who eat a lot of fruit (and vegetables) tend to be healthier than people who don’t.
Of course, correlation does not equal causation, so these studies do not prove anything. However, fruits have properties that make them weight-friendly.
Although they contain natural sugar, they have a low energy density and take some time to chew. Plus, its fiber content helps prevent sugar from being released too quickly into the bloodstream.
The only people who might want to avoid or reduce fruit are those who are on a low-carb or ketogenic diet or have an intolerance.
For most fruits they can be an effective and delicious addition to a weight loss diet.
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Although the fruit has some sugar, you can easily include it in a weight loss diet. They are rich in fiber, antioxidants and various nutrients that slow the rise in blood sugar after meals.
17. Grapefruit
Grapefruit is one fruit that deserves to be highlighted. Its effect on weight control has been directly studied.
In a 12-week study in 91 obese people, eating half a fresh grapefruit before meals led to a 3.5 pound (1.6 kg) weight loss.
The grapefruit variety also reduced insulin resistance, a metabolic imbalance implicated in many chronic diseases.
Therefore, eating half a grapefruit half an hour before you eat some of your daily meals may help you feel full and eat fewer calories overall.
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Studies show that grapefruit may suppress appetite and reduce calorie intake when eaten before meals. It is worth a try if you want to lose weight.
18. Chia seeds
Chia seeds are among the most nutritious foods on the planet.
It has 12 grams of carbs per ounce (28 grams), which is pretty high, but 11 grams of it is fiber.
This makes chia seeds a low-carb food and one of the world’s best sources of fiber (44).
Because of their high fiber content, chia seeds can absorb up to 11-12 times their weight in water, turn into a gel and expand in your stomach (45).
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 nutritional composition, it makes sense that chia seeds would be a beneficial part of your weight loss diet.
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Chia seeds are very high in fiber which fills you up and reduces appetite. For this reason, they can be useful in a weight loss diet.
19. Full Fat Yogurt
Yogurt is an excellent dairy product.
Certain types of yogurt contain probiotic bacteria that can improve the function of your gut.
Having a healthy gut may help protect against inflammation and resistance to leptin, which is one of the main hormonal factors for obesity.
Make sure to choose yogurt with active live cultures, as other types of yogurt don’t actually contain probiotics.
Also consider choosing full-fat yogurt. Studies show that full-fat — but not low-fat — dairy products are associated with a reduced risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes over time (48).
Low-fat yogurt is usually loaded with sugar, so it’s best to avoid it.
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Probiotic yogurt can increase digestive health. Consider adding it to your diet for weight loss but be sure to avoid products with added sugar.