The Benefits of Superfoods: Fact or Fallacy

As we move forward into the 21st century the idea of superfoods is becoming a bigger part of the diet of more people. The benefits of these superfoods go beyond that of just providing health benefits or helping you lose weight. The true benefits involves a combination of being able to maintain a healthy body not only by losing weight but by helping you maintain that weight. The term superfood is one given to certain foods that contain an abundance of phytonutrients and are therefore believed to provide health benefits. The term is not a common one among dieticians and nutritionists because many dispute any claims that eating certain foods provide any health benefits. Weight loss benefits For those who may wonder if there are really some foods that will help you lose weight and keep it off, remember we are not talking about any kind of miracle food that will allow the fat to melt away. The foods to which we refer are those that can help you lose or maintain weight loss by helping you eat less or speed up your metabolism so that you burn more calories. These foods may also help you burn body fat in some cases. According to experts there are two food categories that fall into the superfoods that help you keep the weight off—not because they have any kind of miracle properties but because they have the ability to fill you up without adding unnecessary calories in the process. The two categories to which we refer are fruits and vegetables both of which contain minimal calories provided you don’t add additional toppings or other fatty substances. In addition to being superfoods for keeping the weight off, they are also supernutrients that can provide essential fiber for the body. Protein is also a supernutrient and though it is gaining popularity and acceptance as a substance that may act as an appetite suppressant, there is still a debate among experts about whether it is necessary to consume more than .4 grams for each pound of body weight. Protein has the ability to help boost your metabolism but when you eat more than your body requires you will gain rather than lose weight. Before you refer to the list of foods that will allow you to keep the weight off you need to remember that the key to weight loss is to burn more calories than you consume. With these foods you will not have a problem doing that if you substitute them for some higher calorie selections you may currently be eating. “Keeping it Off” Superfoods 1. Green Tea Research has shown that consuming a bottle of tea that includes green tea extract every day allows the body to lose more body fat than drinking ordinary oolong tea. The consensus of the researchers is that the catechins in green tea help stimulate weight loss. 2. Broth or tomato-based souprnAlthough most liquids containing calories are not as filling as solid foods, soups are the exception to this rule. Research has shown that when a person eats a low calorie soup before meals they will consume few calories throughout the day. 3. Low-calorie green salads If you consume a low-calorie green salad as the first course of your meal, you will feel fuller and thus be able to reduce the number of calories you consume during that meal. 4. Yogurt Though evidence is inconclusive at the present time, a study of obese adults who consumed three servings of six ounces each fat-free yogurt were able to reduce their total food intake by 500 calories daily and lose 81% more stomach fat than those who did not consume the yogurt. 5. Beans When you consume beans you stay full longer thus you will have the advantage of being able to reduce your food cravings in between meals. 6. Water Water finds its place among the superfoods because it can replace other beverages containing calories. People who drink high calorie drinks, especially carbonated drinks, tend to consume more food at meals than those who drink water. 7. Light diet shakes Though diet shakes are not the answer to losing weight consuming one shake per day may be helpful for those people who have difficulty changing the way they eat. If you choose diet shakes, be careful to choose those containing more fiber with less sugar. 8. High-Fiber, Whole-Grain cereal Replacing a meal, especially breakfast, with a serving a high-fiber whole-grain cereal with fruit will not only increase dietary fiber but promote weight loss. 9. Grapefruit Though there was some disbelief in the idea of grapefruit promoting weight loss, recent studies have shown there may be a basis to this former belief when a study found that participants who ate a grapefruit at each meal for 12 weeks averaged a weight loss of 3.6 pounds compared to ½ a pound for those who did not eat the grapefruit. Other Weight Loss Benefits Certainly we look at the way our bodies look—stomach and buttocks for women and the development of chest fat in men. The loss of body weight and as well as body fat will help reduce these problems for males and females, and the consumption of these superfoods as part of a reduced calorie weight loss program will allow that to happen. Adding these superfoods to your diet even if you don’t have a problem with your weight will help you keep the weight off and maintain a proper weight for optimum good health.