As a dietician or nutritionist, you know that carbohydrates are anathema to serious dieters. But what’s making headlines these days is the renewed emphasis on so called super foods--foods like nuts, berries and whole grains that are packed with fiber, protein and important nutrients. These foods deliver a trifecta of benefits: they provide energy, shed pounds and can even help the body fight certain diseases.
Many experts now believe super foods are the key to successful weight loss. Lucy Danziger, author of "The Drop 10 Diet" has seen every fad diet for over a decade. In an effort to boost her physical performance—running, swimming and biking—she switched to super foods. In just under 6 months she lost 25 pounds. Eating superfoods turns dieting on its head. Instead of obsessing about what you can’t eat, you focus on what you should eat. "We're going to give you so many choices of what you can eat, you're not thinking about starvation," says Danziger.
Dr. Mehmet Oz, a renowned cardiothoracic surgeon, lists several super foods that help dieters look younger: pumpkin seeds, pomegranate juice, oatmeal and black currants. He advises dieters to curb cravings with fat-busting pine nuts. Often used in salads and sauces, pine nuts are full of pinolenic acid, a fatty acid that helps suppress hunger. Dr. Oz also notes that drinking white, oolong and yerba mate tea can help dieters drop a dress size.
Dr. Steven Pratt’s now famous book, "SuperFoods Rx: Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life," identified three qualities a super food must have: it must be readily available to the public; it must contain nutrients that are known to enhance longevity, and its health benefits must be backed by peer-reviewed, scientific studies. Making this list are salmon, broccoli, spinach, berries and green tea, along with 20 more one can find on his website, SuperFoodsRx.com. These foods are high in crucial nutrients and low in calories. "The most common thing I hear is how much weight people lost without trying to lose weight," says Pratt. "It's the non-diet diet. It's food you can eat for a lifetime."
Danziger regards superfoods as an energy booster and a way to feel and sleep better. "The better you feel, the more you do it," says Danzinger. “Your body will send an e-mail to your brain within minutes thanking it, saying, 'I'm going to do better. I'm not going to get sick anymore.' "
Dr Jacquie Lavin, Head of Nutrition and Research at UK's Slimming World, notes that, "By filling one-third of your plate with 'Superfree' foods (most fruit and vegetables) and making them your first choice between meals, you'll satisfy your appetite without feeling guilty and naturally limit your energy intake without counting a single calorie. It's a great way to enjoy a really healthy diet while making your weight loss easy."
When clients come to you for weight loss or nutrition advice, super foods can certainly be “on the menu.”
Photo courtesy of MorgueFile.com
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