Preparations are underway for the arrival of Ramadan, which this year falls in the spring. Experts recommend that the grocery list during the holy month includes healthy and filling foods that help with weight loss. The Eat This Not That website published a report featuring 18 food choices that should be available at home before summer, alongside some tried and true items that are available year-round. Some can be consumed raw, cooked, or blended to prepare delicious smoothies. Here are the health benefits of the recommended food options:
1. **Radish**: According to a scientific review in the journal *Nutrients*, radishes can help ward off diabetes due to their ability to reduce free radical accumulation, enhance glucose absorption and energy metabolism, and decrease glucose absorption in the intestines.
2. **Apricot**: Apricots are an ideal alternative to riskier sweets. They contain 3 grams of fiber and 79 calories per cup and are packed with potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin A, which promotes good vision, a strong immune system, and reproductive health. Nutritionist Keri Gans states, "If the goal is weight loss, eating two apricots for a treat can provide great taste while consuming few calories."
3. **Peas**: Legumes offer impressive amounts of protein, about 9 grams per cup. Gans mentions that peas, along with fiber, are a nutritional goldmine of vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, B6, C, K, folate, riboflavin, thiamine, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, manganese, and iron.
4. **Mushrooms**: Mushrooms are one of the highest plant sources of vitamin D, providing 23% of the recommended daily value in one cup. A study found that low concentrations of vitamin D in a group of runners were a biological marker for increased inflammation.
5. **Strawberries**: Toby Amidor, a nutrition expert and author of *The Greek Yogurt Kitchen*, explains that "anthocyanins can help reduce belly fat accumulation." A cup of strawberries contains only 50 calories, along with 3 grams of filling fiber and significant amounts of vitamin C that boost metabolism.
6. **Shrimp**: While fish is always a great option for weight loss, the benefits of shrimp should not be overlooked. Gans notes that 100 grams of steamed shrimp contains only 84 calories and 17 grams of protein. Shrimp is also an excellent source of the antioxidant mineral selenium, which maintains heart health. A 400-gram serving of shrimp contains no more than 220 milligrams of cholesterol.
7. **Greek Yogurt**: As the weather warms, a cold bowl of Greek yogurt with low-sugar berries can serve as a refreshing suhoor meal rich in potassium, protein, zinc, and vitamins B6 and B12.
8. **Whole Wheat Pasta**: Gans states that a dish of whole wheat pasta with added spinach or grilled shrimp provides a high content of B vitamins, copper, selenium, magnesium, and manganese. It is also loaded with fiber and helps lower blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
9. **Baked Potatoes**: A medium-sized baked potato has around 110 calories, plus its potassium and fiber content is beneficial for lowering blood pressure, along with vitamins B6 and C that enhance brain function.
10. **Eggs**: There is nothing like a protein-packed egg to energize your body and diet. Amidor explains that a 2015 study at Purdue University found that adding eggs to salads increases the body’s ability to absorb carotenoids, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
11. **Hibiscus Drink**: The flavonoid compounds in hibiscus help combat bloating by counteracting the effects of the hormone aldosterone, which regulates water and electrolyte balance in the body.
12. **Spinach**: Spinach is rich in proteins that help build muscles, filling fiber, and vitamins A, C, and K. It also contains powerful appetite-suppressing compounds called thylakoids.
13. **Artichokes**: A medium cooked artichoke contains 10.7 grams of fiber, while half a cup of artichoke hearts contains 7 grams of fiber. These figures make artichokes one of the strongest fiber-rich foods that promote a feeling of fullness and contribute to weight loss.
14. **Red Leaf Lettuce**: Red leaf lettuce is one of the greatest weight-loss foods in the world, as one cup of red leaf lettuce contains only 4 calories. It is also rich in vitamins A and K.
15. **Arugula**: Arugula leaves are among the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet, containing just 2 calories per half cup.
16. **Papaya**: Papaya is famous for its digestive enzyme, which can help alleviate bloating easily and provide a feeling of fullness for an extended period.
17. **Cauliflower**: Cauliflower is packed with nutrients that aid in weight loss, such as fiber and vitamin C. One cup of chopped cauliflower contains 320 milligrams of potassium, which can help ward off high blood pressure and eliminate bloating by flushing out excess water and sodium.
18. **Beets**: According to a study published in *Nutrients*, the antioxidants in red beets and their anti-inflammatory properties, along with their beneficial effects on blood vessels, help prevent cardiovascular diseases and cancer while also reducing high blood pressure, inflammation, and oxidative stress.
