Top 10 Food Items to Include in Your Diet Menu & Help You Lose Weight

07. Jul, 2010 0 Comments

Did you know that Americans spend billions of dollars a year on weight loss products, diet plan purchases and fancy exercise machines – most of which do not even work? The problem is that even if there’s a willingness for them to lose weight, they cannot stick to a particular diet plan enough for them to experience results. If not that, then they are either not following the instructions enough – or the weight loss plan that they chose is not one which fits their lifestyle.

Top 10 Foods to Include in Your Diet Menu

There’s actually a better way for you to shed off the excess pounds that you have in an almost effortless way. What you need to do is include the right kinds of food on your weekly diet menu. These food items can help ease your hunger, eliminate your cravings for sweets, boost your metabolism and help you shed off the excess pounds that you have. These foods that you should include on your diet menu are healthy, too, which is a definite bonus.
1. Beans
Beans contain a digestive hormone called cholecystokinin, which is a natural appetite suppressant. Any recipe with beans in it will help you stave off hunger for a longer amount of time.

2. Curds
When curd is made from skimmed cow’s milk, it only contains 56 calories. They’re a great source of protein, calcium and vitamins – which taste great when served with slices of fruits.

3. Eggs
Instead of having a bagel or doughnut, start the day right by consuming eggs in the morning. Research shows that eating scrambled eggs over sugary breads can help eliminate food cravings as lunch time nears.

4. Grapefruit
What makes grapefruit a must-have ingredient in your diet menu is its phytochemical content, which reduces insulin levels and help your body convert calories into energy rather than sotre it as excess fat.

5. High Fiber Cereals
The goal of including these food items in your diet menu is for you to feel fuller, faster. When you consume high fiber cereals which are actually low in calories, that is exactly the effect that you will get: feel satisfied more quickly. Take your pick from oats, wheat or cornflakes which are low in sugar, chapattis and white rice upmas.

6. Lean Beef
Consuming a protein-rich diet which has lean beef leads to less hunger pangs while maintaining your calorie-burning muscles at the same time.

7. Pears
Snacking on pears or apples instead of junk foods will definitely help trim you down and quell your cravings for other snacks.

8. Salads
Rather than heading straight to consuming your main course, salads will make you feel full while giving you all the nutrients that your body needs at the same time. Include salad ingredients in your grocery list so that you can have a healthy diet menu. Examples of these goodies are tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, beetroots, lettuce and cucumber.

9. Soup
Another must-have in your diet menu is soup. Whether it’s a cup of simple chicken soup or a light, cream-based soup, your brain perceives it as filling so you won’t consume that much of your main course as compared to having a soup-less meal.

10. Sprouted Pulses
When pulses are sprouted, they become rich in fiber and vitamins. You can try Moong which sprouts quickly and can even be eaten raw – which is a great ingredient to include in your diet menu if you’re trying to lose weight. Other examples of raw sprouts include broad beans and rajma which only adds up to about 140 calories if you consume 50 grams per serving.

By including these ten food items in your daily or weekly diet menu, you can easily shed off the excess pounds without having to count calories or consume tasteless meals throughout the day.

Recipe Suggestion:

Asian Pasta Salad
(makes 12 servings)

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
2 tablespoons unsalted sunflower seed kernels
1 (8-ounce) package Chinese noodles, crumbled (such as ka-me)
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1/3 cup less-sodium beef broth
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup chopped green onions
1 (10-ounce) package angel hair slaw

Directions:
1.   Heat a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add almonds, sunflower seed kernels, and noodles to pan; cook 3 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring frequently.
2.   Combine vinegar, broth, sugar, oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk.
3.   Combine toasted noodle mixture, green onions, and slaw in a large bowl. Add vinegar mixture, tossing well to combine. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
4.   Use any combination of nuts and seeds. This salad would also be good with sliced bell pepper or shiitake mushrooms. Serve as an accompaniment to pepper steak or pork chops glazed with hoisin sauce. Look for the wheat noodles labelled as plain for this salad.