7 Food Items That Help Burn Calories Without Exercise
Though many may not believe it, certain foods can help you burn calories faster and lose weight. To top it all, these foods are healthy as well. While some of these foods contain substances that increase body's metabolism and burn fat faster others make us feel full and stop us from eating frequently, thus reducing our calorie intake.
For example, just consuming fruits and vegetables will help you reduce weight. This is because fruits and vegetables are low in calories and high in volume. Eating them makes you full faster and provides essential nutrients to your body as well.
Read on to find about foods that aid in burning calories faster and help in reducing weight.
BlueberryBlue berries
Blueberries are high in insoluble fiber and antioxidants whereas they have a low calorie content as half a cup worth of blueberries supply only 40 calories. If you are trying to lose weight, you must take blueberries on salads or in smoothies.
Blueberries is also helps in preventing a lot of age-related ailments such as memory-loss, coordination and balance. It also helps in regulating blood glucose level and increase sensitivity to insulin. Patients suffering from diabetes are recommend to take blueberries as a part of their daily diet.
Celery
Celery is an excellent source of fiber that can help to keep you feeling fuller for longer, reducing the urge to snack.
It also helps in burning more calories than it contains.
Around 75% of a celery stick is actually water; the other 25% is fiber and other roughage. Due to high water content, celery provides you with far fewer calories than it will take for your body to digest the snack.
Celery is also a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin K. It is also a rich source of anti-oxidants, which help to improve cardiovascular health by reducing your chances of developing hardened arteries (and related heart problems like heart attacks and cardiovascular disease). Celery also helps in improving digestive health by promoting regular bowel movements.
Celery sticks may be enjoyed on their own, by dipping it in hot sauce to make a spicy snack, or by chopping it up for a salad.
Leafy Greens
Similar to celery, leafy greens, such as kale, are also largely made up of water, which is why they burn more calories than they contain. The water to fiber content in leafy greens is roughly 1:1 which makes them an excellent source of energy and helps to reduce the urge to eat sweet things.
Leafy greens also have lots of other health benefits.
For example, a juicy portion of kale is a rich source of anti-carcinogenic nutrients called glucosinolates. These are highly effective at reducing the risk of colon cancer as well as cancers of the prostate, ovaries, breast and bladder.
Watermelon
Watermelon is an extremely popular fruit with dieters as it is extremely low in calories and helps in losing weight.
It can be mixed with other fruits to form a refreshing fruit salad, or cut it into cubes and eaten on its own.
Watermelon is very rich in B vitamins, which increase the energy levels and reduce the need to eat extra foods. This helps reduce weight as you tend to eat more when you are feeling sluggish.
A watermelon contains virtually no fat and very few calories, which is another reason why you must eat watermelon if you are looking to burn calories.
Nutritionists also believe that watermelon aids in boosting the metabolic rate to a higher level than other fruits, due to the fact that it contains so much fiber and protein.
Watermelon is also a great source of lycopene, the antioxidant that helps in protecting the body against cancers of the womb, breast, colon and respiratory system.
Pink yogurt with blueberries Yogurt
Yogurts are generally higher in calories than other foods you may eat, but they help to regulate bowel movements, promotes maintenance and breeding of healthy cultures in the gut, and can even help to keep your bones strong.
However, one needs to be careful while choosing a yogurt. While certain yogurts are marketed as “low-fat”, manufacturers add large amounts of sugar in them to improve their taste. Conversely, others which are labelled as “sugar-free” may have added fat in them to create a creamy texture.
If weight loss is on your mind, try to find a yogurt that contains a healthy balance of sugar and fat (i.e. one that contains a reasonably small amount of both).
Alternatively, choose fat free yogurt that has no added sugar, and mix it with some dried fruit, nuts and cereal to create a tasty breakfast. Fat free yogurt is also an excellent addition to healthy smoothies (as a substitute for full fat milk).
Apples
Fruits are often a rich source of fiber to keep you full without tons of sugar, which can cause health problems. When it comes to fiber, apples are one of the richest sources in the fruit world. The fiber in the fruit keeps you full for a longer duration and controls your calorie intake.
Eaten in moderation, apples can be a rich source of powerful nutrients that can improve your quality of life.
Apples can help reduce the risk of breast cancer. In addition, they also help in lowering the risk of Alzheimer’s disease by protecting your body from the damage that can be caused by dangerous free radicals.
Adding fruits to your daily diet is sure to keep you healthy for long.
Broccoli
If you are trying to burn calories and lose some serious weight, Broccoli is one of the very best foods that you can eat, as it contains only around 30 calories per serving.
It is also rich in fiber, thus helping to keep you feeling full and satisfied. The protein content in broccoli is equal to that found in rice (while the calorie content is just a fraction of what is contained in rice).
Broccoli also helps you build your immune system as it improves the ability of your body to fight against invading infections. It is a rich source of beta-carotene, zinc and selenium, all of which are known to boost our body’s immune system.
It is also known to improve the blood circulation in the body as the carotenoid lutein in broccoli helps to prevent arterial hardening, which reduces the risk of suffering from a potentially fatal heart attack or stroke.
Broccoli should either be consumed raw or steamed, but should never be cooked. Upon cooking, it loses its nutrients, and ceases to be the superfood that provides many health benefits.