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The Best Superfoods for Weight Loss

Brown Rice

Brown rice is a heartier, fiber-packed alternative to less-than-super white rice. A half-cup serving contains 1.7 grams of Resistant Starch, a healthy carb that boosts metabolism and burns fat.

Plus, brown rice is a low-energy-density food, meaning it’s heavy and filling but low in calories. One study found that women who ate a higher-energy-density diet gained three times as much weight over six years than women eating a low-energy-density diet. Further, brown rice is rich in naturally-occurring oils, which are beneficial for the body as these healthful fats help normalize cholesterol levels.

Oats

Oats are rich in fiber, so a serving can help you feel full throughout the day. Just a half cup packs 4.6 grams of Resistant Starch, a healthy carb that boosts metabolism and burns fat. Oats fill the bill when it comes to reducing hunger and keeping you on your diet plan. The soluble fiber in oats fills you up by creating gels. The gels delay stomach emptying, so you feel full longer, which helps with weight loss.

Whether horse feed or muffins come to mind when you think of oats, you’re probably underestimating this truly healthful grain. A whole grain full of fiber, oats pack plenty of punch.

Avocados

This fruit is prized for its high nutrient value and is added to all sorts of dishes due to its good flavor and rich texture. Research has shown that avocado’s monounsaturated fatty acids are much more likely to be used as slow burning energy than stored as body fat. This steady energy and the feeling of satiety or satisfied fullness that you get from eating an avocado is one of the reasons they are so good at reducing hunger and appetite.

Kidney Beans

Beans, more particularly kidney beans, are one of many foods that are high in fiber. Just one cup of cooked kidney beans contains 45.3% of the recommended daily intake for fiber. The high-fiber content in kidney beans prevents blood sugar levels from rising rapidly after a meal. The beans help slow the speed of digestion, and the gradual flow of glucose in the blood stream helps to stabilize the blood sugar level.

Almonds

Nuts are another superfood rich in healthy fats that help you slim down. These days, the avocado has become an incredibly popular food among health conscious individuals.

Almonds in particular can help you shed pounds: In one study, people who added a daily helping of the nuts to a low-cal diet lost more weight than people who followed the same diet but swapped almonds for a carb-heavy snack like crackers. Snacking on nuts like almonds and omega-3 rich walnuts, instead of high carbohydrate foods is highly beneficial for weight loss.

Grapefruit

Even if you changed nothing else about your diet, eating half a grapefruit before each meal may help you lose up to a pound a week! A compound in the tangy fruit can lower insulin, a fat-storage hormone, and that can lead to weight loss. It’s also a good source of protein, and because it’s at least 90% water, it can fill you up so you eat less.

Green Tea

This steamy sip hydrates like water, which can help fill you up and shed pounds. Plus, the antioxidants in green tea will up your fat burn and calorie burn. One study found that five cups a day could help you lose twice as much weight, most of it around your middle.