Best Foods for Dieters to Eat Healthily

It can be difficult to get started on a new healthy diet. There are a plethora of diet foods to pick from, and the media continually sends us conflicting messages about which foods are good.

Fortunately, a qualified dietician is on hand to rapidly explain down the greatest diet foods for people who want to live a healthy lifestyle. I’ll also give you some tips on how to include these items into your diet quickly and easily.

Dieting can be downright difficult, especially if your diet includes foods you don’t particularly enjoy. After all, how much cabbage soup can a person stand? The good news is that there are thousands of diet foods that are healthy, taste great, and can help you stick to your weight loss plan.

Visit any grocery store to witness the explosion of lower-calorie, lower-fat, or portion-controlled options.

The basis of a healthy diet

The Guidelines will give you the basics of a healthy diet. Use them to build your own food plan, factoring in specific nutritional requirements based on your age and gender. This summary guide to the Australian Dietary Guidelines, and these basic tips, will get you started:

  • Eat a wide variety of foods from the five food groups: 
    • plenty of colourful vegetables, legumes/beans
    • fruit
    • grain (cereal) foods – mostly wholegrain and high fibre varieties
    • lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds
    • milk, yoghurt, cheese or their alternatives, mostly reduced fat. (Reduced fat milks are not suitable for children under the age of two years.)
    • Drink plenty of water.
  • Limit foods high in saturated fat, such as biscuits, cakes, pastries, pies, processed meats, commercial burgers, pizza, fried foods, potato chips, crisps and other savoury snacks. 
  • Replace high fat foods containing mostly saturated fat with foods containing mostly polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Swap butter, cream, cooking margarine, coconut and palm oil with unsaturated fats from oils, spreads, nut butters and pastes, and avocado.
  • Limit foods and drinks containing added salt, and don’t add salt to foods in cooking or at the table.
  • Limit foods and drinks containing added sugars, such as confectionery, sugar-sweetened soft drinks and cordials, fruit drinks, vitamin waters, energy and sports drinks.
  • Limit alcohol. Drink no more than two standard drinks on any day to reduce your risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury over your lifetime, and drink no more than four standard drinks on any occasion. For women who are pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant, or breastfeeding, not drinking alcohol is the safest option.

Together with following the healthy eating guidelines, aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity, such as walking, every day.

The eight ideal diet foods for a healthy body are listed below.

1. Nuts

Nuts have a negative rep because of their high-fat content. That is, however, what makes them so fantastic! Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, as well as fiber, are abundant in nuts. These nutrients aid in post-meal satiety and keep dieters fuller for longer.

Nuts have been demonstrated to assist boost your health in addition to keeping you full. Nuts, for example, were proven to help with blood glucose control, weight loss, and heart health in one study. [1]

One thing to keep in mind with nut consumption is that because of their high levels of fat, they have a lot of calories. It’s important that when you are eating nuts, you do so in moderation. The American Heart Association recommends that you consume about four servings of unsalted nuts per week.

One serving of nuts is equal to a small handful of whole nuts (1.5 ounces). If you choose to use nut butter instead, a serving size is two tablespoons.[2]

2. Lean Protein

You must consume adequate protein if you are dieting or trying to gain muscle. Personal trainers, publications, and nutrition experts all preach this message, but what foods are they really talking about?

You should concentrate on lean protein sources if you wish to improve your protein intake. Chicken breast and lean beef are examples of this.

Beef and pork are not considered lean protein sources since they contain more saturated fat (an unhealthy type of fat that you should aim to reduce your intake of).

Protein, in addition to helping you grow muscle, is also more difficult for our bodies to digest, which means we burn more calories doing so.

The “thermic effect of food” is the term for this. We store fewer useful calories when we eat lean protein because our bodies have to work harder to digest it than when we eat carbohydrates or fat. [3]

3. Fish

Fish is a high-protein, low-fat food, similar to chicken breast or lean beef. While some fish, such as salmon, have a higher fat content, these lipids are similar to those found in nuts and are therefore healthy. Other nutrients, such as Omega-3 fatty acids, are provided by the fat in fish.

These fatty acids may help to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, glaucoma, and mental health issues including depression and dementia. [4]

Fish can also be a great protein source for individuals who follow a plant-forward, Mediterranean, or pescatarian diet. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that adults in the US eat two to three servings of fish per week with one serving being about the size of your palm (4 ounces).

4. Whole Grains

While we’ve examined how protein has a significantly greater thermic effect on meals than carbohydrates or fats, it’s still important to include healthy carbohydrates in our diet. Dieters who want to achieve this should focus on whole-grain diets.

Whole grain goods are less refined than their refined equivalents, hence they contain more nutrients. Whole grains supply fiber to the body, which helps you feel fuller for longer and promotes satiety. Fiber can also aid in the reduction of cholesterol and the prevention of blood clots.

Whole-grain foods also aid in the body’s ability to maintain a constant blood glucose level, which is critical for all dieters but more so for diabetics. 

These foods also supply the body with various vitamins and minerals, such as iron, Vitamin B, magnesium, zinc, copper, and antioxidants.[5]

5. Legumes

While you may be familiar with the terms “nuts,” “lean protein,” and “whole grains,” the term “legumes” may be unfamiliar. Green peas, beans, chickpeas, and lentils are examples of legumes, which are a type of vegetable.

According to the American Diabetes Association, eating legumes on a daily basis can help prevent type 2 diabetes and improve blood glucose control in people who already have it.

They’ve also been proved to benefit heart health, and the study suggests they might help with weight loss, which is crucial for dieters. [6]

Some legumes, such as chickpeas and beans, can also be a good source of lean protein for people who want to eat a healthier diet.

6. Berries

As previously said, fiber is an essential component for dieters. It can help you stay full and satisfied after meals while also improving blood glucose stability and heart health. Berries are abundant in fiber, just like nuts and other grains.

Furthermore, berries provide antioxidants to our bodies, which are compounds that can help prevent cell damage. [7]

Antioxidants are better consumed in whole foods rather than pills, so go ahead and include some berries in your diet! If you’re still not convinced, consider these further advantages of fresh or frozen berries.

7. Dark Leafy Greens

Dark leafy greens are another excellent source of fiber and other vitamins and minerals. Kale and spinach, for example, are high in Vitamins A, E, C, and K. Many B-vitamins can also be found in dark leafy greens like broccoli and mustard greens.

Antioxidants are abundant in dark leafy greens, which, as previously said, serve to prevent cell damage. Antioxidants have long been suspected of aiding in the prevention of osteoporosis and inflammatory disorders. [8] These greens are also low in calories and carbs, making them ideal for weight loss.

It’s simple to incorporate dark leafy greens into your diet. They make a great salad basis, or you can use them to construct a sandwich or wrap.

8. Greek Yogurt

Dieters already know that Greek yogurt contains twice as much protein as regular yogurt, which has been shown to be beneficial to dieters.

Furthermore, greek yogurt contains fewer carbs than normal yogurt. [9] Greek yogurt also contains probiotics, which can aid to enhance gut health and decrease bloating.

When shopping for greek yogurt, seek one that is low in sugar to avoid consuming extra calories. If feasible, choose an unsweetened yogurt and flavor it with your own toppings like berries or almonds.

In Conclusion

It is not difficult to begin a diet while still keeping a healthy lifestyle. As we’ve already covered, there are a plethora of healthy foods that many of us consume on a regular basis. It’s very simple to start eating some of these foods if you don’t already!

If you’re searching for something a little less complicated, take a handful of nuts as a snack or cook some oatmeal for breakfast. These foods will help you stay full and will offer your body many of the nutrients it requires to stay on track with your diet.

Reference:

1. NCBI: Benefits of Nut Consumption on Insulin Resistance and Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Multiple Potential Mechanisms of Actions

2. Mayo Clinic: Nuts and your heart: Eating nuts for heart health

3. Healthline: How Protein Can Help You Lose Weight Naturally

4. Washington State Department of Health: Health Benefits of Fish

5. Harvard School of Public Health: Whole Grains

6. NCBI: Legumes: Health Benefits and Culinary Approaches to Increase Intake

7. John Hopkins Medicine: Berry Good for Your Heart

8. Agricultural Research Service: Dark Green Leafy Vegetables

9. UT Medical Center: The Benefits of Eating Greek Yogurt

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