According to HealthLine, men should be aiming for a daily consumption of 2,500 calories. The figure for women is 2,000 calories. Many people are consuming far more than the daily recommended number of calories. Are there foods that may help people limit their caloric intake to safer levels?
In order to answer this question, we spoke to Dr. Thomas Taylor. Dr. Taylor is a bariatric surgeon who is highly experienced in gastric bypass and gastric sleeve surgical procedures. He serves on the board of the American Diabetic Association. He has written several books, including “Overcoming Obesity.”
The following are some foods that Dr. Thomas Taylor believes help satisfy our body’s hunger while providing full nutrition, rather than simply adding empty calories, devoid of much nutrition content.
Yams –
Men’sHealth touts sweet potatoes as a really good food for weight loss. They are full of nutrients such as phytonutrients, vitamin A, potassium and 24 grams of carbohydrates. Yet, they are only 103 calories and are full of fiber. Fiber helps our bodies have the feeling that we are full, so it helps in weight reduction. They are so wonderfully sweet, you can skip the butter and sour cream, which will help your weight loss efforts.
Whole Wheat Bread –
As in the case of yams, the Mayo Clinic advocates that people who are trying to lose weight eat foods that have a larger portion size while providing fewer calories. Such foods naturally make us feel full. Whole wheat products, such as whole wheat bread, are higher in fiber and provide us quite a bit of energy, while allowing us to consume less calories. Whole wheat products are also higher in protein than white bread, for example. Additionally, whole grains have minerals such as selenium, potassium and manganese that are correlated to lower incidence of weight gain and abdominal obesity.
Fruit –
Whole fruit is also very filling, and it satisfies your cravings for sweets. According to HealthLine, apples and oranges are very filling, and their fiber slows your digestion down, so you feel full longer and eat less of other foods.
Avocado –
In the case of avocados, both the fat and the fiber content make you feel and stay full. They are loaded with vitamin C and E and other plant nutrients. They don’t contain much sugar. A study cited by WebMD found people who ate half of an avocado as a part of their lunch were able to skip eating or snacking for three hours.
Cottage Cheese –
Cottage cheese is a good high protein food that is lower in fat and in calories. It has about the same effect of making one feel full as though they had eaten eggs.
Protein Bars –
Dr. Taylor advises people who desire to lose weight that they can replace a meal from time to time with 20 grams of protein bars. The bars tend to have a good balance of protein, carbohydrates and fats. The best bars on the market are around 20 to 30 grams and contain high-quality protein. They can be very sating of one’s appetite. They are not a replacement for food on a regular basis, though.
Greek Yogurt –
HealthLine advocates that people who would like their food to make them feel sated for longer consider eating Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is thicker than other types of yogurt and has a higher protein content. Researchers had women participating in a study about their level of feeling sated after eating yogurt. They found that the women who ate high-protein Greek yogurt felt sated longer and were able to put off eating dinner longer than those who had eaten other types of yogurt.
Trail Mix –
Consumer Reports recommends that people eat trail mix because it is dense in nutrients and protein. They suggested that people eat their trail mix while drinking water in order to slow their consumption and help the dried fruit expand in their stomachs. Another tip is to avoid salty trail mix by reading the nutrition label on the back of the package.
Oatmeal –
People who begin their day with oatmeal feel full, yet oatmeal is low in calories. HealthLine suggests that people avoid other ready-to-eat breakfast cereals because they don’t tend to satisfy hunger as well. We feel full when we eat oatmeal due to both the fiber content and the fact that it soaks up so much water relative to its own weight.
Meat –
High-protein foods satisfy our hunger and boost our metabolism; both are crucial for weight-loss programs. Lean beef is a good choice for weight reduction.
Vegetables with Hummus Dip –
Hummus is made with chickpeas, a legume, as its main ingredient. Legumes help us feel sated because they are high in protein. Eating such a high-protein food helps weight-loss efforts because it can also simultaneously help people boost their metabolism. The addition of vegetables to dip adds fiber to slow down our eating and helps us eat more vegetables each day.
Coconut Oil –
Unlike other types of fats, coconut oil tends to sate people’s appetites without negative consequences, such as contributing to high cholesterol. One can replace many types of oil they are already using for coconut oil.
Popcorn –
Air-popped popcorn is very high in fiber and very dense. It helps satisfy cravings for food in a safer manner and with less calories than popular, yet fattening snacks, such as potato chips.
Dr. Thomas Taylor recommends that his patients focus on high-fiber, lower calorie foods that will help sate their hunger more effectively. It is also important that people on weight-loss programs avoid slathering butter, sour cream and other fatty condiments on their food because those condiments tend to be harmful fats. Anyone who is willing to eat simple, inexpensive, whole foods, as advocated in this article will find it easier to stick to their diets.