Weight Loss with Vegetables: Naturally Way For Your Health

It is well known that vegetables and foods possess very low calories. They do not add to body fat, whatever amount you eat. They do not increase body weight. On the other hand, if you eat these in plenty, then you will improve your health as these are loaded with nutrients like vitamins, carbohydrates and antioxidants.

Vegetables are low in fat and calories, a good source of dietary fiber and provide us with extra energy. All these features help control weight effectively. Being low in calories enables us to eat lots of vegetables without consuming excess energy, the high fiber content also helps fill the stomach faster limiting the total amount of food consumed.

The presence of many vitamins and other chemicals in vegetables supply the body with nutrients necessary to boost energy production within the muscle cells. This give us a natural feeling of vitality and the energy to become more active helping to burn more energy each day.  The needs to eat fruits and vegetables daily.

Vegetables are also low in sodium so they help reduce water gains. Sodium is present in virtually all processed foods, it causes the body to hold water within the interstitial areas of the body. It has been estimated that many average people may be holding up to 5 pounds of additional water caused from a high intake of sodium. Any reduction in sodium intake will help
lose water weight and if we eat more vegetables our sodium intake naturally lowers.

High levels of fruits, vegetables, greens and beans help you lose weight because they are low in calories, high in volume and high in critically important nutrients. On a very practical level they fill you up, without loading you up with fat and calories. And when your stomach is filled up with high volume, low calorie food, there is less room for other stuff. There is also a growing body of evidence that shows that plant-based foods help to control food cravings and overeating.

They are nutrient dense, which simply means they are packed with all sorts of good things for you, which is something most of us know. But what is new is the idea that a diet very high (much more than the recommended 5 servings a day) can help turn off our cravings for processed foods. They can short circut the food addiction cycle, and help provide a jolt to your weight loss efforts.

Types of Vegetables:

It is well known that vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other substances important for good health. But did you know that eating veggies can also be a powerful, healthy way to lose or maintain weight?

There are two types of vegetables: starchy and nonstarchy. Both types are part of a proper diet, but whereas nonstarchy varieties can be eaten in abundance, starchy selections contain more sugar, hence portion size need to be kept in check. Starchy vegetables include corn, peas, plantains, potatoes, squash, and yams. Nonstarchy vegetables are all of the rest including artichokes, asparagus, beets, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, cucumber, eggplant, leeks, mushrooms, onions, peppers, salad greens, spinach, tomato, and zucchini.

Vegetables Low in Calories:

The following are generally considered ‘free foods’ in the Diet World as they contain minimal calories, yet most are high in nutritional value:

• Carrots
• Cucumbers
• Radishes
• Fresh Green Beans
• Celery
• Cauliflower
• Cabbage
• Cherry Tomatoes
• Mushrooms
• Lettuce

We’re not suggesting you turn vegetarian, but simply up your intake of fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts and seeds. And, by doing this combined with other important diet strategies, you may lose weight naturally. Most plant foods are low-calorie, low-fat and very filling. And since they’re fresh and whole, you won’t be filling your body with processed ingredients.

It’s important to consume a wide variety of colorful plant foods to reap the health benefits. That’s because each contains different phytochemicals that work synergistically to combat disease. So the phytochemicals in the pink grapefruit you ate for breakfast, for instance, may fight disease more effectively when combined with the avocado in your salad at lunch.

Eating Vegetables for Fast Weight Control:

On top of all their other benefits, vegetables can help dieters not only lose weight faster but also keep it off if they continue consuming a diet rich in vegetables after they’ve reach their desired weight loss. For example, a cup of celery contains only 16 calories, a cup of broccoli 40 calories, a cup of cooked carrots 46 calories, and a cup of summer squash 30 calories (Healthy Family).

On the other hand, some vegetables are a bit higher in calories; for instance, the average-sized russet baking potato (approximately three inches in diameter) contains 150 calories, and the average baked sweet potato has 155 calories. (Healthy Family) There are, though, many delicious low-calorie potato recipes so weight watchers should not ban potatoes from their diets.

How to Cook Vegetables for Maximum Health Benefits:

In order to receive the maximum health benefits from vegetables, dieters need to keep certain guidelines in mind:

• Whenever possible, cook vegetables whole and without removing their peels or leaves since the peels and leaves are especially rich in vitamins and other nutrients.
• When selecting vegetables, remember, the darker the color, the higher a vegetable’s nutritional content.
• When cooking vegetables, use as little water as possible since many of the nutrients will be lost in the water.
• Do not overcook vegetables but cook them in the shortest possible time since overcooking results in nutritional loss.
• Serve prepared vegetables as soon as possible after cooking since they will lose some nutritional value during refrigeration.

In summary, if dieters consume more vegetables, they will lose those unwanted pounds and do so healthily, but in the process, they will gain maximum health benefits. Moreover, there are myriad delicious low calorie vegetable recipes available to help dieters incorporate more vegetables into their diets by preparing dishes that not only they will enjoy but also their families and even dinner guests.

Suggestions for Adding More Vegetables to your Diet:

• To incorporate more veggies into your diet, add some to the foods you already eat, such as omelets, lasagna, casseroles, soup, and pasta dishes.
• Frozen and canned varieties can be just as healthy, if not healthier, than fresh because they are packaged at the peak of freshness and retain more of nutrients. Keep in mind, however, that canned vegetables may be loaded with sodium. If you choose to use these, rinse them under some cold water before use to rinse off some of the sodium.
• Invest in a salad spinner. Just wash and dry your lettuce and store it right inside your fridge. It acts as a crisper and keeps the lettuce fresher for a longer period of time. You will always have fresh lettuce on hand for salads and sandwiches. It can also be used to wash and dry almost any fruit or vegetable.
• Vegetables are delicious, convenient, and versatile. Next time you’re shopping for food or looking for a new recipe, try a new veggie you’ve never had before. You just may surprise yourself.