Weight loss before or after childbirth is a gradual process, and it’s essential to focus on a balanced diet and regular exercise to achieve your goals while ensuring you meet your nutritional needs. Indian cuisine offers a range of superfoods that help in weight loss and support your overall health.
Superfoods are nutrient-dense foods that offer numerous health benefits, and some of them can aid in weight loss by boosting metabolism, controlling appetite, and promoting fat burning. Here are 15 superfoods that can be beneficial for weight loss:
15 Super Foods That Help In Weight Loss
The below list of superfoods helps in weight loss and is easily available in every Indian household. You must have read about similar superfoods that boast of broccoli, avocados, and even grapefruits. These foods are definitely amazing but are neither easily available nor pocket friendly. Superfoods that help in weight loss are not supposed to be expensive! The below list will help you identify super-foods sitting just in your kitchen.
1. Garlic
Most of us use garlic for flavor, but do you know that it is also a super healthy food that can help you lose fat? One can’t go without mentioning garlic when it comes to superfoods that help in weight loss. Garlic normalizes fat levels in your body, while also reducing the cholesterol and tummy infections that can lead to ingestion.
2. Cloves
Cloves improve the production of insulin, hence keeping blood sugar levels normal. This will reduce your hunger and your craving for sweets especially if you are diabetic or have borderline sugar in your blood. Use them when you make rice or pulao
3. Cardamom
Cardamom is great for digestion. It helps break down the food and helps the body absorb nutrients, thus accelerating the metabolic process. Add a few pods to your daily cooking or just add it to your tea
4. Cinnamon
There are two kinds of cinnamon – the stronger cassia barks and the softer Ceylon barks. While both varieties are good for health, Cassia cinnamon in large quantities can be harmful to your body. Although more expensive, see if you can get hold of Ceylon cinnamon, powder it, and sprinkle it on your tea. It can reduce blood sugar levels thereby regulating your metabolism and burning fat.
5. Oats
Oats (we are talking about the unsweetened variety!) are rich in fiber. As a complex carbohydrate, it keeps you full for long, boosts your metabolism, and cuts the risk of type 2 diabetes. It is, thus one of those less expensive superfoods that helps in weight loss. There are many ways to incorporate oats into your diet. You could simply make a porridge out of it, or make multiple breakfast items like oats dosa and upma.
6. Millets
Another complex carbohydrate, millet is a coarse grain that is again high in fiber content. Apart from helping lose fat, it also helps control cholesterol. Replace atta rotis with those made from either one of the following or a make your own multi-grain atta by mixing them – ragi, jowar, and bajra.
7. Buttermilk
Very low on calories and fat, this superfood makes an awesome mid-day snack. It hydrates you while also giving your body essential nutrients and energy. It also keeps you from reaching out to unhealthy snacks.
8. Curry leaves
Here is another ingredient that is very prominent in South Indian cooking. These super leaves can reduce LDL levels, burn fat deposits, and detox your body. Add them to your curries and chutneys and have them rather than keep them on the side.
9. Green tea
By now most of us know the goodness of green tea. The catechins contained in green tea signal your body to go on a fat-burning spree. It is also packed with antioxidants. Trust us and replace your milky sugary tea with a cup of green tea every day. You will not regret it.
10. Honey and Lemon
Much has been talked about lately about drinking this combination with water first thing in the morning. And we swear by it too! The combination helps burn fat, speeds up metabolism, and detoxifies your body by purifying your blood. Add lemon to lukewarm water, wait for it to cool down, and then add a spoon of organic honey in it and slurp your way to fitness!
11. Mustard oil
Replace your current refined oil with our very own mustard oil which not only contains less saturated fat but also contains antioxidants and essential vitamins – all of which will keep you get healthy and fit.
12. Turmeric
As mentioned before spices we Indians use in our daily cooking are superfoods! Turmeric, for instance, contains, a constituent called curcumin that is great for the heart and hence great for blood circulation, which in turn aids weight loss. Additionally, turmeric also helps control cholesterol levels, decrease the risk of clots, and reduce blood pressure.
13. Spinach
Like many other green leafy vegetables, spinach adds so much bulk to your tummy hence keeping you away from hunger pangs. Preferably buy organic spinach. If this is not easily available to you, ensure you wash the spinach leaves very well in water and vinegar. You can either use it in salads, blanch, puree, and add it to curries, or even just cook it and mix it with your atta to make parathas.
14. Lentils
Lentils are a great source of protein and fiber with very low carbohydrate and fat content. Be it kidney beans or rajma or dal moong, they are excellent sources of proteins and also great sources of many other vitamins and minerals as well. Having a multigrain or millet roti along with a bowl of dal curry makes a healthy dinner
15. Flax seeds
Most diet programs have flax seeds as a regular component. This superfood is rich in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids which will keep you full for long. You can sprinkle flax seeds or flax seeds powder into literally anything like your dosa batter or atta – it will accelerate your metabolism, which will keep fat storage at bay
Cabbage is yet another super-food that keeps your bowels healthy and helps you lose weight. Nothing expensive and everything is within your reach. If you are looking to shed some kilograms and are not the one to stick to a diet, these superfoods are a must for you. Start including these superfoods in your diet TODAY.
Now you have an idea about Indian superfoods that help in weight loss. Click here to read about how to lose the baby’s belly.
