When you are eating calorie consciously, it’s important to choose your ingredients well. And sometimes, two ingredients can be better than one.
It’s often a misconception that only certain foods or specific items on your plate can help you slim down faster.
While all foods have weight loss benefitting properties, having two foods, or mixing food groups together can help you harness the best nutrients and get to your goal faster.
Additionally, pairing the right foods can also help burn calories faster, achieve satiety better and most of all, deprive you. Not to forget, they add a great load of taste to your plate!
We tell you about some weight-loss-friendly food combinations that shall help you get to your goal faster.
1. Rice and lentils
These humble meals make for an excellent weight-loss benefitting combination! While pulses and lentils are rich in proteins and help achieve satiety, adding rice can make for a good energy-giving carb source. If you want to switch up the taste, try having quinoa or daily!
2. Oatmeal topped off with nuts and seeds
There’s more than one reason why oatmeal makes for one of the best weight-loss aiding breakfast (or dinner if you will!). That being said, having oatmeal the right way, topping off oatmeal with quality ingredients, and not sugar sources can make the food option even better. For example, make sure that you are adding fibre and antioxidants rich nuts and seeds, such as almonds, walnuts, chia seeds to the same. The same goes for yoghurt with fruits and nuts.
3. Green tea and lemon
Filled with catechins and other rich antioxidants, green tea can be a good detoxifier and low-calorie drink to energize you. Having as many as 3-4 cups a day can do wonders in stabilizing blood pressure and keep weight in check. Additionally, adding lemon juice to it can revv up its benefits. Adding lemon, in a drink can help absorb the nutrients better and make it taste even better!
4. Vegetables with paneer/chicken
Not only is it important to have healthy veggies on a daily basis, but a lot of veggies also weigh low on carbs and great for weight loss. However, the next time you include veggies in your meal, do remember to add a nutrition-rich protein source to it, such as paneer, tofu or simply chicken! Paired with non-starchy, fibre-rich veggies, they make for a wholesome meal that delivers great benefits.
5. Coffee with cinnamon
Coffee is one of the favourite low-calorie drinks for weight watchers to have. If you are worried about finding a good sugar substitute, spice up your cuppa joe with a dash of cinnamon. It is loaded with antioxidants and has inflammation-reducing properties, which have been linked to obesity and weight gain. Cinnamon also contains the satiety hormone, which makes you feel full and even reduces the cravings and hunger pangs, controlling your diet in the long run. There is also the hidden benefit that lies in its aroma.
6. Potatoes with pepper
Potatoes earn a bad rep for being a carb-laden source which makes you fat. That’s not completely true. You will be surprised to learn that potatoes are more fibre-rich than oatmeal or brown rice. Not only can potatoes, if had in moderation, release energy and keep you fuller, teaming up potatoes with pepper seasoning can also speed up your weight loss mission. Pepper contains an essential extract, piperin which lowers cholesterol and speeds up weight loss.
Remember to have smaller portions, and toss them in a healthy oil source, or bake them if you prefer. In a similar manner, pairing up chicken with cayenne pepper can also make for an excellent combination that is worth trying.
7. Eggs with coconut oil
Eggs are one of the best weight loss-aiding foods which are also rich in proteins, Omega-3 and multivitamins. Now, if you are worried about the extra fat substituted by butter, try preparing your eggs in coconut oil. A traditionally-used fat source in Indian kitchens, coconut oil contains MCTs (Medium Chain Triglycerides) which doesn’t raise cholesterol extensively and doles benefits for your overall health.
