Eat nutrient-dense, high-fibre foods for weight loss
It’s no surprise that what you eat can impact your waistline, and following a healthy diet is a key step to improving your body mass index, or BMI. While being mindful of portions is important, it’s also good to include plenty of nutrient-dense, high-fibre foods to help you reach your weight-loss goals.
Here are some foods that can help improve your body mass index, so make sure you write these into your weight-loss plan.
Eat your greens
Filling up your plate with a variety of vegetables is key to having a healthy BMI. Non-starchy vegetables are low in kilojoules, a source of folate, vitamins and minerals, and are high-fibre foods. Eating a wide range of veggies across the rainbow is beneficial to your health and a diet high in vegetables has been shown to lower your risk of chronic disease. Aim for at least five serves of non-starchy veggies every day.
Make fruit your sweet treat
Fruit contains natural sugars that are great for satisfying your tastebuds when you’re after something sweet. The sugars in fruit are bound to water, fibre, antioxidants and phytonutrients, which help slow the release of sugars into your bloodstream. Aim for two serves of fruit a day to reap the benefits.
Low-fat, low-kilojoule dairy
Dairy products like milk, yoghurt and cheese are excellent sources of calcium, which is needed for healthy bones and to prevent osteoporosis. Low-fat dairy products can help to improve your BMI as they are lower in kilojoules than full-fat varieties and help to keep you feeling fuller and more satisfied. Dairy products also contain protein and other essential vitamins and minerals.
Whole-some breads and cereals
The wholegrain breads and cereals food group includes foods like wholemeal bread and pasta, brown rice, buckwheat, barley and quinoa. Wholegrains contain the entire unprocessed grain and are higher in nutrients and fibre than regular processed grains. Eating wholegrains can help improve your BMI as high-fibre foods help keep you feeling full and is good for digestive health. High-fibre diets are also protective against certain health conditions including heart disease, diabetes and digestive disorders.
Don’t banish healthy fats
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are heart-healthy fats that should be included in your diet. These types of healthy fats can be found in foods like olive oil, avocado, nuts and seeds. If you want to improve your BMI, also look at reducing foods that are high in saturated and trans fats and added sugars, as these foods tend to be high in kilojoules and less nutrient-dense, so are considered unhealthy fats.
