Vegetables of various colours, from ruby red to verdant green, are well-known mealtime staples for their nutritional worth as well as for aiding in the attainment and maintenance of a healthy weight. However, some are superior to others.
When it comes to reducing weight, “it’s critical to mentally segregate vegetables into two categories: starchy and non-starchy,” says Joseph St. Pierre, DO, a medical weight loss specialist with Hartford HealthCare. As a result, we must eat more non-starchy foods.
Never Mind The Starch
According to Dr. St. Pierre, non-starchy vegetables have the ingredients needed to promote weight loss. This comprises:
- We feel fuller for longer because fibre takes longer to digest. vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients.
- Foods with a low glycemic index have fewer calories and carbohydrates.
- Drinking water hydrates the body and gives you a full feeling.
- Even though they contain more calories and carbohydrates than other vegetables, starchy vegetables like potatoes, corn, squash, and peas have health advantages.
Photo by Vitalii Pavlyshynets on Unsplash
Select The Best
According to Dr. St. Pierre, the following vegetables are the best for weight loss based on nutritional profiles:
- Zucchini. Zucchini can be added to meals in a variety of ways, including grilling, shredding, and air-frying for chips or fries. A medium zucchini has 58% of your daily vitamin C requirement.
- Cauliflower. Shredded cauliflower can be substituted for rice or pizza crust to simulate the texture of starchy carbohydrate sides like potatoes while providing no nutritional benefit. It is high in folate, vitamin K, and vitamin C.
- Brussels Brussel sprouts These little cabbages are ubiquitous crispy restaurant side dishes, often roasted with just a little salt and olive oil. They are high in omega-3 fatty acids and help to reduce inflammation.
- Spinach. Spinach is another chameleon vegetable; it may be used in omelettes, fruit smoothies, lasagna, and salads. It contains magnesium, potassium, B vitamins, and vitamin K.
- Cucumber. Cucumber peels are high in water and a good source of fibre, vitamin K, and potassium. Consider creative ways to use a salad bowl. Remove the seeds from one and use the resulting vessel to house tuna or lean deli meat. You can also make ribbons and fill them with food for finger food.
Meal Suggestions
“We recommend that patients eat a dish of non-starchy vegetables with each meal,” says the doctor. According to Dr. St. Pierre, the amazing nutritional advantages help patients to focus on their fitness and weight loss goals since they feel content. “They’re an important part of a healthy diet.”
