Vegetables that may help you lose fat!

CRUCIAL

This is an old post, written years back. So I may not necessarily agree with some of the things mentioned in here! For once. I would like to make it clear that just eating these vegetable wouldn’t contribute significantly to calorie expenditure. How much you are ‘up and about’ through the day and your calorie deficit, in general, will have a way bigger impact. So, look to sort these out first, eat a nutrient-dense, proteinaceous foods and then, eating these vegetables will really make a difference.

ORIGINAL POST

(First published on Oct 1st, 2012!)

Background

Vegetables can help you lose fat?! Never heard that one before, you might say. But there are vegetables that contribute to increased calorie expenditure and therefore, may melt away ‘excess lard’ from your tummy.

What vegetables are we talking about and how exactly do they manage to cause fat loss? Well, what follows is a list of these awesome vegetables (grouped together for your convenience). However, before we get into that, let us have a brief look at the way these vegetables cause fat loss.

How do these fat burning veggies work?

Foods contain micronutrients and macronutrients; micro meaning these are needed in ‘micro’ amounts (mg) for normal physiological processes. Macronutirents, as you may have guessed, are the ones needed in larger quantities (grams) by the body. Micronutrients are food constituents like vitamins, minerals, alkaloids and phytochemicals  whereas proteins, carbs, fat and water (not to mention alcohol) are macronutrients

Your genetic make-up, what you eat and level of physical activity, what you eat will go a long way in deciding if you are lean or fat. All these factors, in varying degree influence, your metabolic rate. It is quite obvious that you can’t do anything about your genes. However, the other factors are modifiable – in general, high protein content in food and enhanced levels of physical activity will keep fat off.

It is a well known fact that protein needs more energy to be absorbed, broken down into constituent amino acids and stored. Thus, compared to fat or carbs, they are more ‘thermogenic’. Another way to lose fat while maintaining lean mass is to replace carb calories with protein calories (especially during calorie deficit periods for goals like fat loss or competition preparation).

A similar mechanism of increased thermogenesis (more heat production) is also utilized by some vegetables – thus, these are very similar to proteins. What’s even more amazing is the fact that some of these vegetables go even further in their ‘metabolic bumping up role’ – more calories are required for their absorption and break down than the calories contained in them.

Veggies that cause fat loss

Here are some veggies that may help you burn excess calories take inches off your belly, if consumed regularly.

• Green Vegetables

Spinach, lettuce and kale

1. Low calorie content
2. ‘Negative calorific value’ thus great for helping you lose fat
3. Rich in fiber which blocks absorption of fat in the small intestine (wonder if this is always good for everyone; some amount of fat absorption is crucial for life. However, when your diet contains excess fat (esp. when coupled with excess carbs, then this may help)
4. Good for complete bowel emptying (on account of the fiber content)
5. Other goodies: vitamins et al.

 Nightshade Vegetables

Tomatoes, tomatillos, cayenne pepper, red pepper (not black), paprika, eggplant are some example

1. Plants belonging to the Solanaceae family  – vegetables, herbs, shrubs and spices form a part of this group
2. ‘Negative calorie value’; help fat loss
3. Beware of sensitivity to alkaloidal content of nightshade veggies though!
4. These may be contraindicated in hypothyroid patients

• Roots

Root vegetables like beet root, onions, carrots, radish, turnips and celery are awesome at helping you burn fat. In addition to reasons listed above, high alkaloidal content also helps in increasing metabolic rate and thus increase calorie expenditure.

• Cruciferous Vegetables

Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbages, cauliflower and the likes are what are called the cruciferous vegetables. These are fat burning on account of their low calorie and high fibre content as well as negative calorific property.  These may be contraindicated  – in addition to nightshade vegetables – in hypothyroid patients as well.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE

In addition to being rich sources of vitamins and fibre, vegetables can help you bump up your calorie expenditure and therefore, help you lose fat!

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