Attention fitness buffs and dieteers: try out these two time-tested food types that can give your stomach a satisfying feel after a meal and yet would not send your calorie meter sky-rocketing. Two household words sum up these two wonder nutrient groups: the fiber group and the protein group. Fiber lends the first group of organic health foods their longevity in the stomach. Protein, the other nutrient, helps control the craving in between and during meals, boosts your body’s stamina, and can slightly increase your metabolism in the process. And now, for the warning: just like common foods we know, if you’re eating more than your body can afford, so to speak, you may find yourself on top of a weight gain, instead of the other way around.
Below are protein and fiber-based superfoods you may want to keep a tab on:
Green Tea – Catechins (helpful phytochemicals) in green tea, according to some scientists, may be some sort of trigger that stimulates the body to force out calories. Think also of the anti-cancer and anti-toxin properties of this life-giving drink. Broth- or any vegetable soup – Soups can help tone down hunger in between meals and help you feel full. Healthy soups can be made using either squash or tomato.
Reducing calories and weight loss – Low-calorie green salads – Having a low-calorie salad can help you feel full; the high fiber content may be the reason why you think you can fight the urges of a runaway appetite. So, keep the leaves and healthy oils, but better let go of those croutons, high fat dressings, and cheese!
Yogurt – If you still can’t keep off the nagging (and unfounded) feeling that dairy products will only hamper your efforts to promote weight loss, you may change your mind by trying a light yogurt. It fights off hunger pangs due to its combination of protein and carbohydrate. Bottoms up once more also because yogurt contains “live” bacteria that helps balance intestinal health.
Beans – The secret why beans are one of the members of a superfoods diet is that behind beans are a great combination of fiber and protein; beans also help you feel a fuller stomach.
Water – Water is your body’s lifeblood, and it cannot be passed up in most discussion about superfoods. Not only is it a great zero-calorie and zero-additive beverage, it helps flush toxins from the body, and of course, it can also help you feel full especially if its temperature is high. So when those hunger pangs strike, grab first a glass of water instead of that snack.
High-Fiber, Whole-Grain Cereal – In any meal, whole grains does amazing things to help boost the nutritional worth of your meal. For starters, try having a bowl of higher-fiber whole-grain cereal as breakfast or a snack.
– Menachem Green