The key to weight loss lies with the food choices that we make every day.
Whether we lose or gain weight depends solely on our energy intake, however, it is much easier and sustainable to eat fewer calories when you can also control your hunger.
This is why it is important to make the right choices and pick foods that provide enough satiation.
Such foods are usually higher in fiber or proteins, or both. In this article, we will go over 25 of the most suitable foods for a diet to help you control your body weight.
We will explain why they aid in weight loss as well as mention some of their most prominent health benefits.
- Almost all veggies are great to aid weight loss
- Fruits can provide great satiation, despite their sugar content
- Eggs and dairy products are suitable as both weight loss meals and snacks
- Lean protein sources can help you keep your muscle when losing weight
- Seafood provides satiation thanks to healthy fats and high-quality proteins
- Seeds and grains are some of the best sources of dietary fiber
- Other foods and drinks can also boost weight-loss
- To sum it all up on friendly foods to aid weight loss
Almost all veggies are great to aid weight loss
1. Cruciferous vegetables
These include cauliflower, cabbage, kale, garden cress, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and similar green leafy vegetables.
The properties that make them perfect for weight loss is that they are very low in calories while rich in micronutrients and fiber.
Fiber is proven to help increase satiation and prolong the feeling of fullness after a meal (1).
Introducing a salad rich in fiber before a meal is shown to reduce the energy intake afterward and aid weight loss (2).
Apart from being healthy and rich in micronutrients, cruciferous vegetables are also shown to be beneficial for cancer prevention (3).
Also, some of them such as broccoli have decent amounts of protein compared to other vegetables.
Take-Away:
Vegetables such as cabbage, kale, and broccoli are great sources of fiber and even some amounts of protein and rank amongst the top weight-loss food choices.
2. Peppers
Both sweet and chili peppers are extremely healthy food options that aid weight loss.
Chilli peppers contain capsaicin which is the reason for their spiciness. It also has positive effects on satiety and food intake reduction as shown by scientific evidence (4).
Other studies also show that capsaicin might improve thermogenesis and fat burning (5).
Sweet peppers, on the other hand, contain powerful antioxidants such as carotenoids and capsanthin (6).
They are also some of the richest sources of vitamin C.
Because of their anti-inflammatory properties, they might decrease the risk of oxidative damage and cancer.
Take-Away:
Peppers are good to aid weight loss and pack whopping amounts of vitamin C and other antioxidants.
3. Boiled potatoes
Despite potatoes being rather high in carbohydrates, they are incredibly satiating when consumed boiled.
They are actually the top-ranking food on the satiety index of common foods (7).
This is caused by the protease inhibitors contained in potatoes, which ultimately leads to reduced energy intake and aids weight loss according to studies (8).
Potatoes are also very good sources of vitamin C and potassium.
Take-Away:
Boiled potatoes are arguably some of the most satiating types of food products.
4. Mushrooms
Mushrooms are extremely low in calories – they contain only 22 calories for 100 grams of product and only 3 grams of carbohydrates.
This makes them low energy-dense and great to be implemented in any weight-loss diet.
Mushrooms are also rich in antioxidants and have been extensively studied for multiple possible health benefits (9).
They are also rich in vitamin B3, known as vitamin PP or niacin.
Take-Away:
Mushrooms provide good satiation while having a low energy density.
Fruits can provide great satiation, despite their sugar content
5. Avocado
Unlike most fruits, avocado is full of fats. These fats are healthy unsaturated ones, similar to olive oil.
Avocadoes are also rich in water and fiber, so despite the fat content, they are not very calorie-dense.
A hundred grams of avocado has just 160 kcals, 15g of fats and 9 grams of carbohydrates.
The fat contained helps with the absorption of other nutrients when combined in salads such as carotenoids and other antioxidants (10).
Take-Away:
Avocadoes are fruits with a lot of healthy fats and antioxidants that provide satiation and improve the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.
6. Citrus
Citrus fruits include lemons, oranges, grapefruits, and others.
A study shows that along with other fruits and vegetables, citrus fruits are inversely associated with weight change – higher the consumption, lower the weight (11).
Oranges also scale quite high on the satiety index of common foods.
Another study showed that eating grapefruit before meals significantly reduces energy intake and results in weight loss (12).
We have to remember that these health and weight loss benefits do not apply to fruit juices.
Juices lack the whole amount of fiber and contain more sugar, so they might even promote weight gain.
Furthermore, grapefruits might interact with some medications like lipid-lowering medications, antihypertensives, immunosuppressants, benzodiazepines, and others (13).
Take-Away:
Citrus fruits pack a lot of fiber and rank very high on the satiety index scale. However, we should be careful with grapefruit consumption if we take some medication.
7. Watermelon
Watermelon is 92% water. This, coupled with the fact that 100 grams of it have just 30 calories and it is full of unique ingredients, make watermelon a healthy food that can aid weight loss.
The fruit can quickly provide satiety because of the high water content
It also contains vitamin C and antioxidants such as lycopene (14).
Research claims that lycopene can reduce the risk of cancer, especially that of the digestive system.
Watermelon also contains the amino acid citrulline, which has a role in the production of vasodilators and can lower blood pressure (15).
Citrulline is also shown to improve athletic performance (16).
Take-Away:
Watermelons are great sources of nutrients, antioxidants, and specific amino acids.
8. Kiwi
Kiwifruit is amazing, compared to other commonly consumed fruits, for their nutrient density and health benefits.
They are exceptionally high in vitamin C, E and K, antioxidants, and fiber (17).
What is important to aid weight loss is that kiwifruits also boost sleep quality (18).
Sleep quality improvement is strongly correlated with improved weight management and fat loss (19).
Take-Away:
Kiwifruit, despite not being very popular, is one of the most nutrient-dense fruits out there.
9. Apples
Apples are fruits that scale very high on the satiety index of common foods due to the high content of fiber.
Because of the reduced hunger effect and low energy density of the fruit – just 52 kcals for 100 grams of apples – they are food that aids weight-loss.
Studies show that consumption of apples is associated with increased fat-loss (20).
Also, some of the products made by apples such as apple vinegar are further shown by studies to boost slimming down (21).
Other health benefits such as better control of blood sugar levels and improved management of diabetes are also suggested.
Take-Away:
Apples and apple vinegar are foods with a lot of health benefits, including improvement of weight loss.
10. Berries
Berries are some of the tastiest food choices we can make, as well as beneficial for weight-loss.
The juice of goji berries, for example, is shown by a study to aidweight loss compared to placebo (22).
Other studies show a significant decrease in the waist circumference of participants following a diet rich in blueberries (23).
There is some evidence showing that acai berries might also be associated with a reduction of body weight when regularly consumed (24).
Furthermore, all berries are loaded with antioxidants, they are shown to improve blood pressure, blood sugar, and insulin response when consumed regularly.
Take-Away:
Some types of berries combine great taste with a high content of fiber and antioxidants.
Eggs and dairy products are suitable as both weight loss meals and snacks
11. Eggs
Eggs are good food for weight loss, especially during breakfast, as shown by some studies (25).
High-protein breakfast provides better satiation and alertness throughout the day compared to high-carbohydrate ones.
As it turns out, increasing your protein intake is proven by multiple studies to be reducing hunger, cravings and snacking (30).
They provide great satiation because of the high protein content, as well as a lot of vitamins and minerals from the yolk. Some of those are iron, vitamins A, E, K, and D.
The yolk also has a lot of cholesterol but it is not proven to be harmful when consumed in moderation.
A huge meta-analysis involving more than 28,000 people proved that consuming an egg every day with yolk does not raise health risks (26).
Another study also found that consuming 3 eggs with yolks daily for 13 weeks does not raise cholesterol in healthy participants since the endogenous synthesis is downregulated (27).
However, for people who already have health problems and disturbed endogenous synthesis, it is best to restrict dietary cholesterol as well.
Take-Away:
Eggs are very rich in high-quality protein, nutrients, and vitamins. Despite the high cholesterol content in the yolk, they are proven to be safe when consumed with moderation.
12. Cottage cheese
Cottage cheese is a high-protein food. It provides good satiety as well as a quality source of calcium.
Low-fat cottage cheese should be preferred as it has less than 90 kcals for 100 grams of the product. It also has more than 12 grams of high-quality protein such as whey.
Consumption of it along with other dairy products is proven to influence positively weight control as well as blood cholesterol and blood sugar (28).
Some types of cottage cheese might be high in sodium so we should be careful with the products we choose, as well as our total daily sodium intake.
Take-Away:
Cottage cheese is one of the best sources of whey protein, which is proven to improve hunger control. It is also rich in calcium.
13. Greek yogurt
Yogurt is a great healthy snack, shown by studies to aid weight loss (29).
Higher the protein and lower the calories – the better it is for satiation and weight control.
Low-fat Greek yogurt has less than 60 kcals per 100 grams of the product as well as at least 10 grams of quality protein.
It also has other health benefits such as a positive effect on our gut bacteria. This reduces flatulence and improves digestion.
Take-Away:
Greek yogurt can be used as a high-protein snack in order to improve satiety and reduce energy intake throughout the day.
Lean protein sources can help you keep your muscle when losing weight
14. Chicken breasts
Meat is one of the most satiating sources of protein. It goes great with many meals and the taste is favored by most.
There have been concerns about red meat and its relationship to cancer and heart diseases (31), however, there is no such connection between these conditions and white meat.
One of the best examples of healthy white meat is chicken breast. We should remove the skin after cooking to further reduce the content of fat, calories, and cholesterol in it (32).
A hundred grams of cooked chicken breasts without the skin have around 165 kcals and 30 grams of protein.
Take-Away:
Chicken breasts are healthy food overall which can improve satiety with its high protein content.
15. Turkey
Turkey meat has a very low-fat content. It has around 150-200 kcals per every 100g of meat while packing a whopping 30 grams of protein.
As we already mentioned, protein in the diet is crucial to provide satiation and boost metabolism.
Apart from having a great nutritional profile, it is also rich in B-complex vitamins, as well as selenium and zinc.
However, we should be careful with processed turkey meat because most of these products are rather high in sodium (33).
Take-Away:
Turkey is one of the leanest sources of meat. It provides a combination of great satiety and low-calorie content.
Seafood provides satiation thanks to healthy fats and high-quality proteins
16. Fish
Fish is not just a source of quality protein, but also of healthy fatty acids. Especially omega-3 fatty acids.
The best sources are cold-water fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, tuna, etc.
Omega 3 is an essential fatty-acid – our organism cannot produce it on its own so we need to consume it with our diet.
Studies show that the combination of high-protein and omega 3 greatly modulates satiety (34).
Furthermore, studies show that foods rich in omega 3 are beneficial for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases (35).
The group of autoimmune diseases includes rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, psoriasis, lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis, and migraine (36).
Omega 3 also lowers blood pressure (37), aids the treatment of asthma (38), and reduces symptoms of depression (39).
Take-Away:
Fish helps with hunger control thanks to its combination of high protein and healthy fats content such as omega 3.
17. Shellfish
Seafood other than fish includes clams, oysters, mussels, lobsters, shrimps.
They are also great sources of protein and still contain some omega 3 fatty acids but overall they are low in fat and thus – in calories.
Studies show that they are quite rich in selenium, iodine, potassium and vitamins D, A, E, and B12 (40).
Also, the evidence also suggests that despite the possible health concerns of seafood consumption such as toxins and heavy metals, the health benefits exceed the risks.
Take-Away:
Shellfish such as clams, mussels, and lobsters have high protein content, while a low amount of total calories.
Seeds and grains are some of the best sources of dietary fiber
18. Seeds
Some seeds are great for weight loss because of their high amounts of fiber and hunger-suppression effects.
The high fiber content of chia seeds, for example, can lead to forming a gel-like substance in your stomach and provide fullness and satiation (41).
Quinoa is another seed that is very high in fiber and provides prolonged satiation.
This type of seed is also relatively rich in good quality protein – 14 grams per 100 grams of product (42).
Take-Away:
Seeds such as chia and quinoa are some of the best sources of fiber out there.
19. Whole grains
Whole grains are another good fat-loss option because of their high-fiber content.
One of the most commonly consumed whole grains are oats and with a good reason.
They are quite high on the scale of the satiety index, and they also contain the soluble type of fiber called beta-glucan, which is shown by studies to improve satiety (43).
Furthermore, beta-glucan shows positive effects on conditions like insulin resistance and diabetes (44).
Take-Away:
Whole grains such as oats pack a large amount of fiber and a decent amount of protein.
20. Popcorn
Popcorn, despite being commonly consumed in the form of a rather high-calorie snack, is actually a type of whole grain.
Despite the high caloric content even when prepared with less fat – 360 kcals per 100 grams – it appears also to be suppressing hunger very effectively.
Studies show that popcorn is much more satiating compared to other types of snacks (45).
One of the reasons might be because of the high aeration in the popcorn (46).
Healthy popcorn options are those prepared in a pot or air-popper, not microwave or other variations with a lot of added fat.
Take-Away:
Popcorn, when prepared correctly, can be less caloric and very satiating and tasty snack.
21. Legumes
Legumes include beans, peas, lentils, etc.
A massive amount of studies on legumes shows that they greatly increase satiety while not packing too many calories (47).
This is due to the high fiber and protein content (48).
However, legumes contain some antinutrients, which require proper cooking in order to be neutralized.
Take-Away:
Legumes are rich in both protein and fiber, however, they contain some anti-nutrients which require soaking and proper cooking.
Other foods and drinks can also boost weight-loss
22. Dark chocolate
It might surprise you, but quality dark chocolate is actually packed with nutrients.
It has decent amounts of fiber, iron, and magnesium. Still, it comes with the addition of 600 kcals per 100 grams which is just way too many calories.
The reason why dark chocolate is a great food to aid weight loss is because it is a nice substitute for other much unhealthier sweets.
One of the best ways to avoid sweet snacks is to simply replace them with dark chocolate.
It is not only healthier but also less sweet, which reduces the chance of eating too many calories out of it.
The health benefits are numerous, including a reduction in blood pressure and cardiovascular mortality, and providing antioxidants (49).
Take-Away:
Dark chocolate is the best alternative to any sweets and sugary foods in your diet when aiming for weight loss.
23. Whey protein
While whey protein supplementation is not needed in a well-balanced diet, it can be useful to aid weight loss.
First of all, supplementation can provide great amounts of high-quality protein while minimizing caloric intake.
Secondly, supplementation with whey is proven to provide good levels of satiety even when compared to other proteins such as casein (50).
Evidence also suggests that whey supplementation prevents the loss of muscle, when on a restrictive diet (51).
Muscle mass is important as it is more metabolically active tissue compared to fat and makes up at least 30% of our body weight.
It also has a major role in glucose and fat metabolism and insulin sensitivity. We want to keep our muscle mass in order to maintain a quick metabolism.
Take-Away:
Whey protein supplementation is useful for providing good satiety when we don’t have time for a proper meal.
24. Coffee
Despite not being exactly a food, but rather a drink, coffee is the most effective fat-burner out there. This is due to the content of caffeine.
Caffeine is shown by studies to influence thermogenesis and increase the total energy burned by the body (52).
Another study shows that caffeine improves fat oxidation in particular (53).
Caffeine can also improve physical performance and contribute to even more calories burned.
A little known fact is that coffee is also the biggest source of antioxidants in western diets (54).
However, our bodies develop tolerance to the effects of caffeine rather quickly, and respectively the weight-loss and performance boosts diminish with regular consumption.
Take-Away:
Coffee is one of the very few effective fat-burners out there, proven to stimulate weight-loss and performance. However, tolerance can be developed quickly.
25. Soups
Another factor, apart from protein and fiber content, that can suppress hunger and help with weight control is the incorporation of water in the meal – turning it into a soup.
This also reduces the energy density of the meal and increases its volume, providing satiety.
Studies show that if we compared solid food to its soup variant, the latter provides the feeling of fullness much faster and this results in a reduced total amount of calories consumed (55).
Another study showed that consuming soup prior to a meal reduces the subsequent and overall energy intake (56).
The best options are vegetable and meat soups which are further packed with nutrients, fiber and protein.
Take-Away:
Because of the high content of water, soups are also very effective in providing satiety, while depending on the content they can be healthy and nutritious too.
To sum it all up on friendly foods to aid weight loss
Although all foods are suitable for weight-loss as long as we control our total caloric intake, some foods make adherence to our diet much easier.
These are foods that provide satiety by containing sufficient amounts of fiber, protein, or having air and water incorporated in them.
They are not only suitable for slimming down but should also be included in every healthy diet because of their numerous health benefits.
