The Best Vegetables to Eat for Weight Loss
By Jessica Bruso
A colander full of steamed vegetables. Photo Credit tycoon751/iStock/Getty Images
Eating more of any type of fruit or vegetable may help you slightly improve your weight-loss progress, according to a study published in "Nutrition Research" in April 2008. This is because many vegetables are high in fiber and low in calories, making them good choices for people who are trying to lose weight.
Lowest-Calorie Vegetables
Many nonstrachy vegetables are very low in calories. You can eat 1/2 cup of sliced cucumber or a cup of raw green, leafy vegetables, such as lettuce, spinach, chard or bok choy, for under 10 calories. A cup of cooked Napa cabbage; a cup of raw sliced mushrooms, radishes or celery; or 1/2 cup of cooked summer squash, okra or cauliflower all contain less than 20 calories.
High-Fiber Vegetables
People who get more fiber through their diet tend to weigh less and have less body fat than people who don't eat many fiber-rich foods, according to an article published in "Nutrition" in March 2005. Some of the vegetables highest in fiber per serving include artichokes, winter squashes, peas, sweet potatoes, potatoes, edamame, taro, cooked chard, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cooked turnip greens, which all provide at least 5 grams of fiber per serving. The nonstarchy vegetables -- broccoli, artichokes, chard, Brussels sprouts and turnip greens -- are lower in calories than the starchy vegetables, making them better options for weight loss.
Low-Energy-Density Vegetables
Eating foods that are low in energy density -- or calories per gram -- helps you feel full even when you eat fewer calories, making it easier to lose weight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Vegetables in general tend to be low in energy density, but nonstarchy vegetables are lower in energy density than starchy vegetables. Fill half of your plate at each meal with these vegetables, which include salad greens, carrots, green beans, cauliflower, broccoli, turnips, radishes, celery, pepper, eggplant, beets, artichokes and cabbage.
Other Considerations
Just adding more vegetables to your diet won't guarantee you'll lose large amounts of weight. To do this, you'll need to eat fewer calories and exercise more so you burn more calories throughout the day than you eat. Because vegetables are filling, they can help with this if you use them to replace other, less healthy foods that are higher in calories.
