10 foods nutritionists confirm will help you lose weight

10 foods nutritionists confirm will help you lose weight

STICKING TO A diet can seem restricting, boring, bland—but if you broaden your hunger horizons, there are actually a ton of foods ripe to help you lose those last few lbs.

What qualifies as a weight loss food? You want items that have at least two of three features: high fiber content to help keep you full longer and aid in digestion, high protein content to keep you full and build muscle, and/or high micronutrient content to help reduce inflammation, repair workout damage, and keep you energized.

We talked to 11 nutritionists and compiled a list of the top 100 foods you should be noshing on to lose weight without getting bored.

Bean sprouts

“Sprouts are nutritional powerhouses: They are excellent sources of vitamin K, C, fiber, and other essential minerals,” Caspero says. Try adding them to salads, soups or Asian pastas (like lo-mein) to bulk up the meal for relatively few calories.

Dark Chocolate

We're happy to tell you eating dessert can actually help you lose weight—as long as it's dark chocolate. Folks who ate dark chocolate twice a week had a lower BMI than those who skipped it, according to a study in Internal Medicine. Pure cocoa boasts flavonoids and polyphenols, nutrients with potential antioxidant effects. While all kinds of chocolate have these to some extent, milk chocolate has less of the beneficial stuff—plus a ton of sugar added. Plus, since dark chocolate is more rich than milk chocolate, a little goes a long way, Caspero says. Look for 70% or higher dark chocolate. 

Watermelon

Watermelon is rich in the amino acid l-citrulline, and a study earlier this year in Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition & Metabolic Care found this may allow the fruit to help increase nitric oxide synthesis, decrease blood pressure, and improve blood flow—all of which would work together to improve exercise performance, says Tori Schmitt, RDN, LD, founder of YES! Nutrition in Ohio. “While more research needs to be done, we know that watermelon makes for a low-calorie snack full of potassium, vitamin C, and lycopene,” she adds. Try it in a smoothie: Blend watermelon with cucumber, lime, and vanilla whey protein powder, Schmitt suggests.

Broccoli

“With just over 2 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein per serving, broccoli helps you fill up without a lot of calories,” Schmitt says. Plus, broccoli is the king of glucoraphanin—a special phytonutrient that helps your body with its natural detoxification process, she adds. Enjoy raw broccoli as a snack served alongside guacamole or hummus, or throw a frozen bunch into your morning smoothie.

Green tea / Matcha

“Green tea and matcha offer a healthy alternative to high-calorie coffee drinks or ‘energy’ drinks loaded with sugar,” Schmitt explains. While it’s not the silver bullet to shedding fat, studies have shown a small increase in weight loss in people who add the tea to their daily diet. Also, be careful as some matchas—which are finely ground powders of green tea—are actually adulterated and mixed with sugar, Schmitt points out. The easiest way to tell? The powder should be vibrant green like grass, not yellowed or brown.

Oats

“Oats should definitely be a regular part of any weight loss diet,” Talbott says. Folks who ate oats on the reg had lower body weight, BMI, and body fat than those who skipped the grain, in a study out of Taiwan. Why? Probably because oats are a rich source of fiber—especially a type known as beta-glucan that can help regulate appetite, blood sugar, and cholesterol, Talbott explains.

Whole milk

“All types of milk are excellent sources of protein—fast-digesting whey, which is great for muscle building and fat-burning, and slow-digesting casein, which is great for appetite control,” says Talbott. Milk also contains special casein peptides, which are short protein chains that help with relaxation and cortisol balance, reducing your chances of “stress belly,” he adds. Whole milk is higher in fat than skim, but with that comes higher levels of CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), a fatty acid that stimulates fat-burning, he adds.

Pomegranates

Studies show that pomegranates can help to prevent obesity and its related conditions, like hyperlipidemia. What’s so special about the fruit? “Pomegranate juice has about three times the antioxidant activity of red wine and green tea,” Turoff adds. Good news for weight loss: Pomegranate is packed with dietary nitrates which have been shown to improve exercise by increasing blood flow and leading to a delayed onset of fatigue. Plus, pomegranate fruit seeds are also rich in polyphenols, a natural appetite suppressant, Elkin adds. How do you eat them? Elkin recommends adding pomegranate seeds to roasted vegetables.

Tomatoes

Putting more tomatoes on your plate can help you lose weight. “Tomatoes have been found to reduce inflammation and water retention in the body, as well as reversing leptin resistance, a protein that helps regulate your appetite and metabolic rate,” Bannan says. Tomatoes are also extremely low in calories, as one medium-sized fruit only has only 22 calories—helpful if you’re looking to drop a few pounds.

Peanuts

In the right portions, peanuts and peanut butter can be a snacking savior for weight loss. Research in Nutrition and Food Insecurity found that eating peanuts or peanut butter three times a week can help lower your BMI compared to noshing on it only once a week. And, according to a study from Purdue Univeristy, peanuts keep you full for roughly an hour longer than high-carb snacks. “Try swapping regular butter for peanut butter on your morning toast, or include a handful of peanuts with a piece of fruit for a snack with staying power,” Bannan suggests.