Rethink your comfort foods
They're called "comfort" foods for a reason—they bring back warm
memories, tickle your taste buds, and soothe your soul. Though some
comfort foods are deep-fried, covered in cheese, or packed with sugar,
some can actually help you lose weight. Beat the battle of the bulge with the following cozy eats.
Hot chocolate
Cocoa is packed with antioxidants, which reduce your levels of
cortisol, a stress hormone that causes your body to cling to belly fat,
says Tara Gidus, RD, a nutritionist based in Winter Park, Fla. In fact,
one Cornell University study found that the concentration of
antioxidants in hot chocolate is up to five times greater than it is in
black tea. Hot chocolate's combination of carbs and protein can also
help your muscles recover faster from a tough workout, according to
research in the
International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism.
Adding a dash of cinnamon boosts your treat's health benefits even
more—it contains compounds that keep insulin out of the blood stream and
from storing fat, says Gidus.
Collard greens
A single serving of this hearty veggie adds up to a mere 46 calories.
A serving also packs more than your daily-recommended doses of vitamins
A and K, which can strengthen your immune system for a healthy
metabolism, says Jonny Bowden, PhD, a nutritionist and the author of
The 150 Healthiest Comfort Foods on Earth. Plus, a cup of collard greens contain 7.6 grams of belly-filling fiber.
Research from the US Department of Agriculture shows that eating
fiber-rich foods can lower your body's absorption of calories from
carbs.
Chicken noodle soup
"People who eat a broth- or vegetable-based soup before their meal
consume fewer calories overall," says Rania Batayneh, MPH, nutritionist
and author of
The One One One Diet. "The water in the soup helps
fill you up and boosts satiety, and just the act of eating soup helps
slow your eating down so that your body has time to notice feelings of
fullness." One Penn State study found that people who ate soup before
digging into their entrees reduced their total calorie intake by 20%.
Plus, chicken noodle varieties pack the protein, vitamins, and fiber you
need to rev your metabolism even after your meal.
Coffee
Your old friend joe can boost more than your mood. It can also boost
your metabolism, thanks to a healthy dose of the antioxidant chlorogenic
acid (CGA), which increases your body's use of fat for energy, Bowden
says. Research has also shown that the chemical compound can slow the
release of glucose into the bloodstream after a meal while lowering
insulin resistance to prevent weight gain. Opt for the strong stuff:
Several recent studies have found that caffeine in small doses before
exercise can improve performance and help your muscles recover in record
time.
Pot roast
The moment protein passes your lips, it starts fighting fat. Your
body has to work harder to break down protein and use it for energy,
which means you burn more calories as you digest it, Gidus says. It also
takes more time to leave your stomach, literally keeping your belly
fuller for longer. In one study published in the journal
Nutrition Metabolism,
dieters who increased their protein intake to 30% of their total diet
ate about 450 fewer calories a day. Over 12 weeks, that equals 11 pounds
lost—without doing anything else!
Oatmeal
One cup of warm, gooey oatmeal contains 4 grams of fiber and 6 grams
of protein, a combination that slows the digestion of carbs, reduces
your insulin response, and keeps you fuller for longer, says Batayneh.
In fact, a study published in the
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
evaluated 38 common foods and found that oatmeal was the third most
filling. When possible, opt for steel-cut oatmeal, which goes through
less processing than other varieties and as a result has a lower
Glycemic Index score, a measurement of how much a food increases your
blood sugar.
Roasted carrots
As a side or mixed in with your favorite meats, the high water and
fiber content in carrots fills you up fast. Roast them for a better
calorie burn: University of Arkansas researchers found that carrots
roasted at 104 degrees contain three times as many antioxidants as raw
carrots.
Red wine
In addition to being a heart helper, red wine may be a weapon against
excess weight. A 2009 report from the University of Ulm in Germany
suggests that resveratrol—the renowned antioxidant found in grape
skins—inhibits the production of fat cells. What's more, a substance
found naturally in red wine called calcium pyruvate helps fat cells burn
more energy, says Gidus. Meanwhile, in a 2011 study published in the
Archives of Internal Medicine,
women who had one or two drinks a day were 30% less likely to gain
weight than teetotalers. So drink up, but stick to just one glass—each
6-ounce serving contains about 150 calories.
Pumpkin
Don't let the pies fool you. One cup of this good-for-you gourd
contains a mere 46 calories and 3 grams of fiber, according to the USDA.
Plus, pumpkin is an excellent source of the antioxidant beta-carotene,
which fights the oxidative stress and inflammation in the body that's
linked to increased fat storage, Gidus says.
Chili
If soup is filling and protein builds muscle, then chili has all that
and more. The combination of the fiber from the tomatoes and the
protein from the beans and beef and prevents overeating. Plus,
capsaicin, the compound that gives cayenne, chili peppers, and jalapeños
their heat, can also torch fat, says weight-loss specialist and
board-certified internist Sue Decotiis, MD. Spices trigger your
sympathetic nervous system—which is responsible for both the
fight-or-flight response and spice-induced sweating—to increase your
daily calorie burn by about 50 calories, she says. That equals about 5
pounds lost over a single year.
Chickpeas
Whether you call them garbanzos or chickpeas, a half-cup serving of
these hearty legumes provides about 40% of your daily protein needs and
70% of your daily fiber intake, helping to stabilize blood sugar, control cravings,
and prevent overeating, Gidus says. They're also a great source healthy
unsaturated fats that can whittle your waistline. A 2009 study from the
University of Newcastle in Australia found that participants who
consumed the most unsaturated fats had lower body mass indexes and less
belly fat than those who consumed the least.
Roasted potatoes
Spuds don't have a waist-friendly reputation, but they're actually
full of nutrients, Gidus says. "White foods contain the disease-fighting
chemical allicin," she says. "This chemical, also present in garlic,
has been shown to fight inflammation
in the body, contributing to smaller waistlines." Plus, research shows
that calorie for calorie, white potatoes are more satisfying than any
other tested food.
