Foods that Help You Eat Less
The battle of the bulge can be tough but, equipped with the right tools, you can see the pounds fall off.
Registered dietician Frances Largeman-Roth, senior food and nutrition editor for Health magazine, shared some of the best foods that help to fight fat.
Photos: Foods to Curb Your Appetite
From Health Magazine's April 2010 issue:
Want to get more bang for your bite? These foods do double-duty -- they help you "blast" fat and make you feel full longer, so you'll eat fewer calories.
Eggs
78 calories each
An egg's not only a nutritional powerhouse; it's also loaded with protein that satisfies. Eat eggs for breakfast; they'll curb your appetite enough that you'll have about 330 calories less than usual throughout the rest of the day.
Bonus tip: For a healthy fried egg, brush a nonstick skillet with a smidge of oil or cooking spray. You'll get crispy edges without much fat.
Pine nuts
95 calories for 1/2 ounce (about 84 nuts)
Move over almonds! The heart-healthy fatty acids in pine nuts boost satiety hormones that make you feel full, according to Korean researchers. The same fatty acids also keep belly fat at bay.
Cheese
76 calories for 1 ounce
Go for fresh goat cheese or feta for a dose of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)-it helps you feel full and burn more fat. Cheeses from grass-fed animals have the most CLA, so buy ones labeled "grass-fed."
Skim milk
86 calories for 1 cup
Most of us think of milk as kids' stuff, but it boasts grown-up benefits. Milk's proteins (whey and casein) can make you feel more satisfied than sugary drinks. CLA in milk fights fat, too.
Oranges
59 calories each
An orange is one of the most satisfying grabs from the fruit bowl-thanks to all that fiber. Oranges were the highest-ranked fruit on the "satiety index," a list of 38 filling foods put together by Australian researchers. And fiber fights fat: people who eat more fiber have less flab.
Potatoes
161 calories each
High-carb spuds often get a bad rap, but they deserve to be a dieter's BFF. Three times as filling as a slice of white bread, potatoes top all of the foods on the satiety index. Plus, the resistant starch in potatoes help your body burn fat, too.
Dark chocolate
170 calories for 1 ounce
Just one more reason to indulge: nosh on dark chocolate and you'll eat less at your next meal, according to research from the University of Copenhagen.
Why? Compounds in chocolate slow down digestion and make you feel full longer. A small piece of chocolate (aim for the size of a business card) can also curb your cravings for salty, sweet, and fatty foods.
Largeman-Roth also shared these recipes to make these foods taste best.
RECIPES:
Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon, Spinach, and Chives
Prep: 10 minutes; Cook: 5 minutes
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup egg mixture over 1/2 toasted English muffin)
INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon olive oil
5 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 ounces thinly sliced smoked salmon, diced
1/2 cup (4 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, diced
1 cup chopped fresh spinach
3 whole wheat English muffins, split and toasted
1 tablespoon chopped chives (optional)
METHOD:
Heat oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Combine eggs and pepper in medium bowl; stir well with whisk. Pour egg mixture into skillet; cook 30 seconds or until mixture begins to thicken, stirring slowly with wooden spoon.
Stir in salmon and cream cheese; cook 30 seconds, smashing cream cheese lumps with spoon. Stir in spinach; cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts and eggs are cooked, stirring constantly. Top each muffin half with 1/2-cup egg mixture. Garnish with chives, if desired.
Nutritional Information
Calories: 210
Fat: 11g (sat 4g,mono 5g,poly 1g)
Cholesterol: 190mg
Protein: 13g
Carbohydrate: 15g
Fiber: 2g
Iron: 2mg
Sodium: 613mg
Calcium: 138mg
*Note: Nutritional analysis includes Sugars 3g.
Spring Salad of Roasted Asparagus, Goat Cheese, and Toasted Pine Nuts
Prep: 15 minutes; Cook: 11 minutes.
Yield: Makes 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup salad, 1 tablespoon vinaigrette, and 1/4 pound asparagus (about 6 spears]
INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, divided
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon hot water
8 whole jarred pickled beets, drained and quartered (about 6 1/2 ounces)
1 pound asparagus, ends trimmed
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
4 cups spring salad greens
1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted
1 ounce crumbled goat cheese
METHOD:
Whisk together 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in 1-tablespoon oil and then 1-tablespoon hot water until well blended. Toss beets in a small bowl with 1 teaspoon of the vinaigrette, and set aside.
Preheat oven to 450°. Toss asparagus with remaining 1/2-tablespoon oil in a small shallow baking pan. Arrange in a single layer in pan, and sprinkle with salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; roast in middle of oven, shaking pan occasionally, for 10 minutes or until lightly browned and just tender. Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar, and return to oven for 1 minute or until vinegar is reduced to a glaze.
Arrange salad greens, asparagus, and reserved beets on 4 plates, and sprinkle with pine nuts and goat cheese. Drizzle salad with remaining vinaigrette, and sprinkle with the remaining 1/8-teaspoon pepper. Serve immediately.
Nutritional Information
Calories: 144
Fat: 9g (sat 2g,mono 5g,poly 1g)
Cholesterol: 6mg
Protein: 5g
Carbohydrate: 14g
Fiber: 3g
Iron: 3mg
Sodium: 188mg
Calcium: 76mg
Roasted Potatoes with Citrus-Spiked Tapenade
Prep: 20 minutes, Cook: 20 minutes.
Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, cubed
1 pound small red potatoes, halved
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
12 chopped pitted manzanilla (or green) olives
12 chopped pitted Kalamata olives
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1/2 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Fresh rosemary sprig (optional)
METHOD:
1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Combine potatoes, 1 tablespoon oil, and next 3 ingredients (through pepper) on a pan coated with cooking spray; toss to coat. Bake at 450° for 20 minutes.
3. Combine the olives, 1 teaspoon oil, and remaining ingredients; toss with potatoes, and garnish, if desired.
CALORIES 132 ; FAT 5g (sat 1g,mono 3g,poly 1g); CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 13mg; CARBOHYDRATE 20g; SODIUM 308mg; PROTEIN 2g; FIBER 2g; IRON 1mg