3 Underrated Superfoods for Weight Loss

Posted by Igor Klibanov in Body, Nutrition, Super Food

I want to hire a publicist. Why? Because certain foods are complete nutritional powerhouses, but they don’t get much press because they’re kind of ordinary. They’re not exotic or fancy. But boy, do they have powerful effects on your health and body composition.

Unlike the “latest and greatest”, like Acai berries, Goji berries and Noni berries, these superfoods aren’t mysterious. They don’t have a lot of legends around them. There’s no press. No one will make the claim that the superfoods below ripen only once every 37 years, in a remote area of the world, and need to be picked by leprechauns at just the right moment. But make no mistake about it. They are just as nutritious if not more so compared to the mysterious. Except unlike the mysterious, these are tried, tested and true.

Without further ado, here are the 3 underrated superfoods we recommend most frequently to our weight loss clients.

Beans and Lentils

Here’s the coolest part: after eating these, you’ll be known as “the sniper.” For obvious reasons. Think about it for a sec. Now laugh. OK, sorry, bad joke.

But really, I recommend beans and lentils to my clients with high frequency for a few reasons:

They are a fibre powerhouse. An adult needs about 25-38 grams of fibre per day. Simple red kidney beans have about 16 grams per cup. What is fibre good for? For one thing, how about weight loss? For another thing, it keeps you regular. Additionally, fibre helps with detoxification. The fibre binds to toxins, and helps take them out of your body.

If I had to pick just one key to optimal body composition and good health, I’d say eat at least 35 grams of fibre per day. Fortunately, I’m not forced to rely on just a single strategy, so I have other tools in my toolbox. But this one is very powerful.

Beans have a very low glycemic load. That means that they don’t raise your blood sugar very quickly, and they don’t raise it very high either. So if you’re the type of person who gets moody when you skip meals, or shaky if meals are missed, or you have sugar cravings, beans will put a halt to that in a hurry.
They are filling. If you have a large appetite, beans will satisfy that hunger without the side effect of making you fat.

Broccoli and Its Cousins (Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage and Cauliflower)

Contrary to popular belief, broccoli is not very rich in fibre. One cup of broccoli only has about 2 grams, which is very little. Some people also have the mistaken belief that it’s high in protein. It’s not. One cup only has 3 grams. A person needs 60-120 grams per day. It’s also not very high in calcium as is often said.

So if it’s low in fibre, protein, and calcium, why are we recommending it? Here are a few reasons:

It has a lot of volume without a lot of calories. So it occupies a lot of space in your stomach, without fattening you up.
It has a natural chemical in it called “indole-3-carbinol.” Never mind the name. But notice the effect: it helps shrink man boobs. Wait. Don’t go running to the store yet. Finish reading this newsletter, and then run. Man boobs are caused by an excess of estrogen in men, and indole-3-carbinol helps you properly get rid of that estrogen. Now you can sprint to the grocery store. For women, I3C helps reduce breast cancer risk.
Like beans and lentils, it also has a very low glycemic load. It almost doesn’t elevate your blood sugar at all, which helps control sugar cravings. Oh yeah, it also makes your love handles smaller.

Sardines

Sardines are awesome. Here are a few reasons:

They are rich in omega 3 fats. These are the heart-healthy, brain-healthy, mood-elevating fats. One can of sardines has over 1300 mg of omega 3. That’s more than you’d typically find in a fish oil capsule. Also, if you have cravings for fatty foods, sardines help keep those cravings at bay.
They have a lot of protein. One can has 23 grams. Pretty good.
Their bones are inside. People think that you need calcium to make bone. And that’s true. But you also need a lot of other vitamins and minerals, including vitamin D, vitamin K, phosphorus, strontium, iron, selenium, and others. Guess which food has those? That’s, right! Sardines.

So what are you waiting for? Incorporate these 3 foods into your diet, and watch the pounds melt off.