Weight loss is one of the top searches on the internet today - and the pandemic perhaps has something to do with it. We’ve been spending more time indoors and meal timings have gone for a toss.

Getting enough exercise is important - but physical activity coupled with high-fat and low-fibre foods won’t do you any favours when it comes to achieving your weight loss goals.

You need to eat nutrient-dense weight loss foods. Nutrition and food for weight loss is as important as physical activity. Here is a list of weight-loss friendly foods and the best foods for weight loss easily available in India. 

15 Weight Loss Foods To Add To Your Diet

1. Moong Dal:

‍This tops our healthy food list for weight loss. It is packed with dietary fibre, potassium, manganese, calcium, iron, folate, and several other vitamins. Including nutrient-dense moong dal in your lunch or dinner menu helps you feel full.

It’s also light on the stomach and easily digested. Moong dal is one of the best weight loss foods that you can include easily in your diet on a daily basis.

2. Cashew Apple Juice:

‍Cashew apples (the pink fruit of the cashew nut) help in the production of blood, support heart health and promote weight loss. It helps to burn fat, especially around the belly.

The best way to have it is by making cashew apple juice. Take 2 cashew apples, one 1-inch piece of ginger and 2 garlic cloves. Grind it all together and drink!

3. Leafy Greens:

‍Spinach, kale, methi, bathua - there’s a wide variety of leafy greens to choose from, all of which are excellent weight loss foods. Greens are low in fat, carbs and calories and high in fibre.

They are useful to increase the amount you eat without increasing calorie intake. They are also rich in certain vitamins and minerals that aid in fat burning, like calcium.

‍

‍

4. Karela:

‍Bitter gourd or karela is one of the best local weight loss foods. It has high water content and no calories, which keeps your weight in check. It is also rich in vitamins and minerals like zinc, magnesium, folate, phosphorous and potassium.

The iron and calcium content in karela helps maintain blood sugar levels in the body, which is why it is often prescribed to diabetics. You can have it as a sabzi or as juice.

5. Cauliflower:

Cauliflower is becoming popular as a grain alternative and is also considered one of the more easily available weight loss foods you can include in your diet.

Gobi is also high in fibre contains a fair amount of protein and is energy-dense, making it a good food to keep you full and help you lose weight. 

6. Nuts:

Nuts are a powerhouse of nutrition, even though they are considered a fatty food.

They can improve metabolic rate and even promote weight loss when eaten in the right proportions.

7. Chia Seeds:

Chia seeds are a good source of fibre and Omega-3s. But what makes them one of the best weight loss foods? These tiny seeds contain 11 g of fibre per ounce (1 ounce = 28 grams). This high fibre content makes chia seeds very water absorbent.

Chia seeds can absorb up 12x their weight in water, expanding in your stomach and making you feel full and preventing you from bingeing.

8. Beans:

Rajma, chawli, and other beans are rich in protein and fibre, two factors that lead to increase levels of satiety.

When cooked and consumed properly, they are a good weight-loss food

‍

9. Eggs:

‍ Eggs are nutritious, wholesome, and help you obtain most of the nutrients you need if you are on a calorie-restricted diet, making them one of the most economical weight loss foods around.

High in protein and fat, they also fill you up and increase levels of satiety.

‍

10. Paneer:

We know paneer is cheese, but it is indeed a good weight loss food! Since it is composed of mostly protein and not much fat, it helps keep you full. It is also high in calcium, which is suggested to aid fat-burning.

Have some raw paneer sprinkled with black salt for a snack. 

11. Cinnamon:

Cinnamon is a warming spice and one of the more potent weight loss foods in your spice cabinet. It keeps blood sugar levels in check and controls the post-meal spike in insulin levels.

Have it with tea or add it to your dals and sabzis. 

12. Turmeric:

‍Haldi is a staple kitchen ingredient and a healthy food for weight loss. The curcumin in turmeric keeps fatty tissues at a minimum within the body.

13. Garlic:

Garlic doesn’t just add flavour to food, it also promotes weight loss and fights disease! Garlic is good for weight loss as it is an appetite controller.

It also protects against cardiovascular problems, diabetes, blood pressure and respiratory issues.

14. Apple Cider Vinegar:

ACV is becoming very popular these days, in the form of gummies and supplements.

Taking an apple cider vinegar shot has been shown to increase feelings of fullness and reduce blood sugar spikes after meals.

15. Chillies:

‍Chillies, when added to lime juice and other citrus concoctions, are considered a diet food for weight loss, but you don’t need to make juice to reap the benefits.

Chillies contain a substance called capsaicin, helpful in burning fat.

Weight Management With NBL

If you are looking for a long-term solution to your weight problems, you can consult with us - our weight management program is designed to help you achieve your goals without depriving you.

Learn more about the weight management program. 

FAQs:

What is the best food to eat to lose weight?

Weight loss foods include leafy greens, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and zinc-rich legumes like peas, lentils, chickpeas, and beans. You should also include mineral-rich seafood like tuna. If you don’t eat seafood, you can have spinach and sweet potatoes. 

What foods are bad for weight loss?

Fried foods, highly processed foods, packaged foods and refined sugar are bad for weight loss.

If I want to lose weight, is it better to eat less or be more active?

You should not reduce the quantity of food you eat, but indulge in more weight loss foods and less processed and junk food. It is important to have some amount of physical activity and to eat enough to fuel yourself. 

What are the 5 foods that burn belly fat?

Some foods that help burn belly fat include moong dal, cashew apple, green tea, citrus fruit and some types of berries. 

What nutrition is best for weight loss?

A diet rich in whole foods and fibre is good for weight loss.