One way for a woman to drop those unwanted pounds is regular consumption of more fresh fruits and vegetables, especially as part of a healthy, varied diet.
Many fruits and vegetables actually fill you up by adding bulk to your diet without providing that many calories. To lose weight, you need to consume foods that are not only low in calories and carbohydrates, but that are abundant in nutrients. This is where fruit and vegetable are your best friends.
Fruit and vegetables are an incredible source of nutrients that your body needs for good health, including vitamins and minerals, fiber, iron, copper, magnesium, iodine, folate, manganese, phosphorus, zinc, omega fatty acids, and protein.. Fresh produce makes a healthy addition to your weight-loss plan, and the lower-calorie ones are especially good choices. A study found that a group of obese women were able to eat less and lose weight by simply reducing their fat intake and eating more fruit and vegetables.
Vegetables are defined as having low energy density, meaning they have few calories compared to their weight, so they fill you up without taking up too much of your daily calorie allowance. Examples of suitable green vegetables include zucchini, spinach, celery, green peppers, peas, artichokes, green onions, lettuce, cucumbers, green beans, broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts and cabbage. While each type of green vegetable varies in its flavor and calorie count, all are beneficial to your health.
The following are some of the recommended fruits and vegetables for weight loss.
Leafy Green Vegetables
Most leafy green vegetables are low-calorie and rich in dietary fiber. Fiber helps keep your digestive system working well, preventing constipation, and also helps you feel full for a relatively long time after a meal.
The Dietary Guidelines recommends that women consume about 25 grams of fiber daily.
Low-Calorie, High-Fiber Fruits
Eating fresh fruit, whole or cut up, is a healthy way to add flavor to your diet. Many types of flavorful fruits are also low-calorie, high-fiber foods, making them good choices for a weight-loss program. Good examples include berries such as strawberries, with 50 calories and 2 grams of fiber in a serving of eight medium berries. Citrus fruits are also good choices: for example, one-half of a medium grapefruit contains 60 calories and 2 grams of fiber, while one medium tangerine provides 50 calories and 2 grams of fiber.
Other Choices
Choose green peppers often in your salads: one medium pepper has only 25 calories but contains 2 grams of fiber. Another good choice is green beans, with 20 calories and 3 grams of fiber per 3/4 cup. Though apples and pears are a bit higher in calories than some other fruits, one large apple and one medium pear provides 130 and 100 calories, respectively, but they are also quite high in fiber. For a weight loss program, it is recommended to choose these healthy fruits as occasional snacks.