7 Foods that Fight Fat

The secret to long-term weight loss is regular physical activity coupled with wholesome foods that do two things -- burn calories and curb hunger pangs.
Here are some common foods that can boost your weight loss regime.


Grapefruit

Nutritional nuggets

It is rich in Vitamin C.

Fat fight
Grapefruit pulp (not juice) is rich in pectin, which is a type of soluble fibre that absorbs water in the stomach and swells up like a sponge. This provides a sense of fullness and a feeling of satisfaction, thus reducing the craving for extra food.

Also, the soluble fibre lowers blood cholesterol.

Tasty bites

Grapefruit is best eaten everyday, as a snack in between meals without the addition of sugar or honey.

Green leafy vegetables

These include spinach (palak), fenugreek leaves(methi), drumstick leaves, radish leaves, colocasia leaves (alu bhaji), cauliflower leaves, cabbage, lettuce, dill leaves (sowa or shepu), etc.

Nutritional nuggets

They are good sources of Vitamins A, B, C, calcium and many antioxidants.

Fat fight

Besides being low in calories, they also contain a large proportion of water and fibre. This fills the stomach and prevents you from overeating. As a result, you can control your caloric intake which, in turn, prevents weight gain.

Tasty bites

While cabbage and lettuce can be eaten raw, the others need to be lightly steamed before being combined with other ingredients.

You need to start your meal with a quarter plateful of salad and then eat cooked forms of the other vegetables. This way, you will feel full and will automatically eat less.

A word of caution about salad dressings: do not toss your salad with mayonnaise or other rich salad dressings.


Pulses and legumes

This includes Goa beans (alsande), Bengal gram (white chana and red chana), black gram (urad), cow pea (chawli or lobia), field bean (avare), green gram (moong), green peas (vatana), horse gram (kuleeth), kidney beans (rajma), lentil (masur), moth bean (matki), pigeon pea or red gram (tur or arhar ) and soyabean.

Nutritional nuggets

Pulses are rich sources of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals and are low in fat. However, they also contain certain sugars that we are not able to digest well because of the lack of certain enzymes in our body.

When these sugars are digested by the micro-flora in our lower intestinal tract, it results in the production of gas and flatulence. Sprouting or germination reduces the content of these indigestible sugars.

Fat fight

Pulses keep you full longer due to the presence of both protein and fibre. As a result, you eat less.

Tasty bites

They are best consumed in sprouted form as the germination process causes the starch and protein to be converted into simpler, easily digested forms.

Sprouts are rich in Vitamins B, C and E and calcium, iron and phosphorus, all of which are necessary for a healthy body. Aim to have a small bowl everyday, either cooked or as a salad.



Low-fat/ skim milk
If you are on a weight loss diet and are avoiding milk, think again. Research studies have found that people whole ate dairy products lost 70% more weight than those who avoided it.

Nutritional nuggets

Milk is rich in calcium.

Fat fight

When there is adequate amount of calcium in the blood, fat cells get the message to burn fat rather than store it. If your calcium levels are low, your cells tend to store fat.

Skim milk is low in fat and rich in protein and calcium, both of which have a role in weight reduction and weight maintenance.

Tasty bites

For maximum benefit, you must have about three servings of low fat milk products. This could translate into two glasses of skim milk and a cup of curd. Instead of curd, you could also have a slice of low fat cheese (Britannia Slimz or other brands).

Olive oil
Used predominantly in the Mediterranean region, this oil has more than 10 health benefits, the latest being its fat fighting abilities.

Fat fight

A study published in the British Journal Of Nutrition suggests Monounsaturated Fatty Acids found in olive oil enhances the breakdown of fats in fat cells. Research studies have also found that olive oil may influence body fat distribution, with less fat stored around the stomach.

Tasty bites

You can add olive oil when grilling fish, chicken and other meats, sauteing vegetables, curries, etc. Generally, it is not used for deep-frying.

It's a good substitute for saturated, fat-rich butter, ghee and margarine. Olive oil in your diet can result in a small but significant loss of both body weight and fat mass.

Instead of butter, you can sprinkle a few drops of warmed olive oil on your toast.

You not only get heart-friendly fats but will also eat less. An American study found that substituting butter with olive oil resulted in a person eating less slices of bread. This may be because olive oil has a stronger flavour and we feel satisfied faster with it than with butter.

Kokum or Gamboge
Kokum is the most commonly used souring agent in the Konkan and Malabar regions of India.

Nutritional nuggets

Kokum contains 10 percent malic acid, as well as a little tartaric acid and citric acid.

Fat fight
During the last few years, there has been a great interest among scientists regarding kokum as an anti-obesity agent. Kokum contains hydroxycitric acid (HCA) and can help lose weight without damaging side effects.

Preliminary results suggest that HCA in kokum, increases the body's production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter (brain chemical) which is said to regulate appetite, thereby controlling caloric intake. When combined with a healthy diet and exercise, HCA appears to speed up weight loss.

Artificial versus natural

Natural food stores and health food shops in Western countries now stock kokum or HCA capsules. This is still not available in India. However, we should not abandon the practice of drinking and eating kokum.

Tasty bites

Kokum can be added in our daily diet to curries, vegetables like ladies finger (to reduce the stickiness) and in chaat snacks (such as bhel).

You can also soak two to three dried kokum fruit in a glass of water for a few hours. Then, sweeten it with half a teaspoon of honey. Season with cumin seed powder. Drink everyday. It is not only a good digestive; it will also help you lose weight.

Dried kokum can be used as a garnish to give a sour flavour to curries, while fresh kokum can be used to prepare a refreshing beverage known as xarope de brindao or kokum squash.


Fish
This is only for non-vegetarians.

Nutritional nuggets

Fish is a natural source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals (the latter are highest in oily fish such as mackerel, cod, herring, hilsa and sardines).

Fat fight
The combination of protein and fat is what makes a person feel full for longer. Most health conscious people tend to completely cut out fat from their diets. As a result, they end up eating more as they feel hungry sooner.

The presence of a small amount of fat along with protein keeps one feeling full longer, thereby reducing the overall calorie intake. Additionally, fish is also beneficial for the heart.

Tasty bites

Consumption of about 100 gm or one medium sized fish is recommended twice a week. The form in which fish is consumed is very important.

Have gravy preparations or grilled fish (lightly brushed with olive oil) rather than fried fish. The latter is rich in calories, which only promotes weight gain.

source: email