Unexpected foods that aid weight loss

The very concept of adopting a particular diet plan makes you feel deprived of some of your favourite foods.

In the initial stages, you readily accept the regime because at this point your determination to lose weight outweighs your cravings for food! But for how long can you control your urge for your favourite dishes!

The original "You" comes out and start going back to your old routine! This increased cravings lead to overeating and the very purpose of the diet plan gets lost. So how can you deal with this problem?

Omitting a food group totally is not a good idea, but you can check the portions of the so-called forbidden foods. You can still lose weight while including these items in your diet:

Breads are high in carbohydrates and people who are in a weight loss plan normally choose to avoid breads. But consumption of carbohydrates creates a feeling of comfort and satisfaction and you experience fewer cravings for food.

When carbohydrates get digested, the insulin hormone gets released. This hormone supports the channelling of an amino acid called tryptophan into the brain.

Here, in the brain, the amino acid gets converted into the neurotransmitter called serotonin. During an optimal serotonin level, you tend to feel calm and satisfied and your cravings for food decreases.

But low levels of serotonin causes a state of depression and you tend to indulge in overeating. Brown breads would be healthier options!

You might have been asked to leave pasta if you are on a weight loss plan.

A study conducted by the British Nutrition Foundation, has established that the foods with greater fluid content would make you feel fuller for a longer time period in comparison to the dry foods.

There is 70 percent of fluid content in cooked pasta and rice. Like other carbohydrates, digestion of pasta boosts up serotonin and thereby prevents overeating by promoting a feeling of fullness and satisfaction.

You can make a pasta recipe more nutritious by choosing the fibre-rich whole grain varieties.

You might have given up the idea of having potatoes at any meal of the day. The fact is that, when you take potatoes in fried forms, they do not help you in your weight loss process.

But baked or boiled potatoes can be included in your weight loss diet since these forms work on a different chemistry. 

A baked potato absorbs water and gets swelled. The starch gets converted into resistant starch which resists digestion.

The large intestine is the fermentation site for the resistant starch and the process leads to the synthesis of fatty acids which act as dietary fiber and prevent the body from burning carbohydrates. In this process, you burn fat.

A potato serving comparable to the size of a fist can be considered as a healthy portion to be included in your diet.

Peanut butter has high amounts of mono-unsaturated fatty acids and studies have shown that fatty acids prevent the accumulation of fat in the belly region by boosting up the burning of calories.

If you include a snack which consists of peanut butter, then it can make you feel full for a prolonged period of time.

Since peanut butter is high in calories, so you must restrict your intake to 2 tablespoonfuls.

One ounce (around 28 grams) of cheese comes with 100 calories and 5 grams of fat. So cheese is unlikely to be included in a weight loss diet. But cheese is a rich source of calcium, which helps the body to burn fat and calories.

When your body is deprived of calcium, it begins conserving calcium. This prompts your body to produce higher levels of a hormone called calcitriol, which leads to fat storage in the body by making fat cells bigger and fatter.

Extra calcium in your diet suppresses this hormone and your body breaks down more fat, and fat cells become leaner, trimmer.

You often experience cravings and the most favourite food that comes into your mind is chocolate! A study has revealed that around 97 percent of the women crave for chocolates.

It is better to enjoy small servings of a favourite treat rather than completely depriving yourself of it! Deprivation can ultimately lead to overindulgence!

Dark chocolates prove to be more satisfying than the milk chocolates. But you need to check your portion of intake. You can slowly relish the taste of each bite to satisfy your craving.

There were some old diet plans which excluded fruits from the list of weight loss ingredients. Fruits are low-calorie options to soothe a sweet tooth.

Fruits contain the natural sugar fructose, but it is not that harmful when compared to refined sugar. The fruits are high in water and fibre content and would give you a feeling of fullness for a long time.

Consider having three servings of fruits per day. Fresh melon, berries, grapes and citrus fruits would be great options to add in your daily diet.

So go ahead and enjoy the 'forbidden' foods in the midst of your weight loss plan. Going on a very strict diet plan or sacrificing your favourite treats can sometimes come in the way of your weight loss process.

You need not be perfect, but checking your portions allows you to satisfy your taste buds while still contributing to your weight loss goals!