(11 January 2020)
Yet again, a new year has started and you must have taken your resolutions. One of the common New Year resolutions that we get to hear is #losingweight. One in 100 people does carry on their weight loss resolution and lose a few inches. However, for many, the struggle for losing weight is too much as they crave for good food, and cannot sacrifice their taste preferences. People, who rely on their taste buds for getting healthy, it gets a little difficult and thus they cannot lose weight. For these people, soups are the best way to adopt healthy eating habits and start their process of weight loss.
Superfoods for weight loss
Winter is the best time when you can prepare these weight-loss soups as they keep you warm and healthy. These soups can help you in eating less and burning more calories, while in some cases they can even reduce the amount of fat present in your body. There are some new age superfoods like barley, quinoa, moringa, coloured bell peppers, pumpkin, basil leaves, walnuts etc., which are loaded with fibre, flavonoids and antioxidants along with other essential micronutrients. These superfoods are only tasty but provide various health benefits like reducing the risk of diabetes, cholesterol, cancer and especially gut-related disorders.
Tips to make weight loss soups at home
Whenever you want to make homemade soups, you must ensure that the vegetables are pureed. Sheryl advises, “You can add vegetable broth to increase the nutrient content of the soup. Do not strain the soup to keep the fibre intact.” Keep the salt low and add a dash of lemon to increase the flavour and palatability.
She further says, “You can add a handful of boiled barley, quinoa to increase the satiety value as well the health quotient of the soup.” Some examples of healthy soups are tomato basil soup, roasted bell pepper soup, red pumpkin soup, broccoli walnuts soup, moringa soup.
Mistakes you should avoid
“One of the common mistakes people do while making soups is the use of oil. The amount of oil used in cooking veggies increases the calorie count and thus it is suggested to cook vegetables in less oil for a short time (till they are crunchy) to get the most of your vegetables,” says Sheryl Salis, Registered Dietician and Certified Diabetes Educator. to have one leafy vegetable every day as they are found in abundance this season. They are a good source of fibre, essential nutrients such as folic acid etc.
Other tips for weight loss
Make gradual and sustainable changes to your lifestyle when embarking on your weight loss journey. “Watch your portions and mind your moderation, as it’s the key to a healthy life. Also, you should eat till half full and do not stuff yourself completely,” says Sheryl.
When asked about what else one must do for weight loss, pat comes her reply, “Zip the lip and move the hip.” You must fill half of your plate with vegetables and the other half with superfoods like quinoa, moringa, walnuts etc.
Courtesy https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/food-news/