Best Superfoods For Weight Loss And Energy – 3 Top Picks

Superfoods are popular for improving vitality and slimming down as well. Here’s a look at three of the best superfoods for weight loss and energy.

Best Superfoods For Weight Loss And Energy

When it comes to the latest trends in nutrition for weight loss, it seems as though everyone is into superfoods nowadays.

The proof is seen by the increasing number of commercial superfood-packed green drinks and super green supplement powders on the market today.

And that’s a good thing because anyone who loves superfoods is doing their body good with clean foods that are jam-packed with nutrition and health benefits galore.

Superfoods can even provide a tremendous amount of other benefits such as helping you to lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes. [1]

In this article, we’re going to take a look at three of the best superfoods for weight loss and energy.

The Best Superfoods For Weight Loss And Energy

So with all of the hype nowadays, what’s not to love about this fast-growing popularity of superfoods?

The widespread myth is that these types of healthy foods are all green, boring and pretty much tasteless.

And that’s what stops many people from adding them to their grocery list every week.

While that may be true for some of the superfoods out there in their raw form, there are so many ways that you can spice up these foods and whip them into tasty treats or just make a green smoothie instead.

But the bottom line is that eating these foods can do wonders for your overall health and vitality.

With superfoods you are getting the best of both worlds – you can enjoy your choice of foods while at the same time feel great about them too.

1. Kale

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock somewhere in the wilderness, you are probably well aware of all of the buzz about kale.

Kale is an absolutely excellent addition to any health aimed diet or weight loss plan.

And there is a good reason for the recent rise in popularity of kale too.

This leafy green vegetable is nutrient-rich and super-low in calories, coming in at a total of only 33 calories per one cup of chopped.

With only 7 grams per cup, it’s naturally low in carbohydrates and because it also contains high amounts of healthy fiber, you can fill up on it without worrying about insulin spikes or it turning to belly fat.

It also contains a whopping 684% of vitamin K, 206% of vitamin A, 134% of vitamin C and 9% of the suggested daily intake for calcium.

And if that isn’t enough to impress you, here’s another fact: kale supplies your diet with a fair share of the minerals your body needs such as iron, manganese, copper, potassium and phosphorus.

Plus kale is also packed with antioxidants such as lutein and zeaxanthin, which are both great for eye health.

Eating kale can even help to lower your blood cholesterol levels while helping to reduce the risk of heart disease. [2]

This superfood is also packed with Vitamin K, which is needed by the body to help with normal blood clotting, antioxidant activity and maintaining overall bone health.

It should be noted though that the large amounts of Vitamin K that’s found in kale is not necessarily a good thing for everyone.

So if you are taking any type of medication that helps to prevent blood clots, you may want to stay away from eating large amounts of kale because it may not work well with the medication.

If you really want to include kale in your diet and you are on any type of medication, make sure that you speak with your doctor before implementing it and other leafy greens into your nutrition plan.

But if you are a healthy individual though, you can aim to make kale a regular part of your eating regimen.

Haven’t tried kale yet or aren’t sure if you’ll like it?

You can start out by adding some kale to your protein shake or smoothie or even bake up a batch of kale chips.

Kale chips are a quick and easy snack to make any time you are hungry.

Start out by removing the stems, rinse off your kale and then dry them thoroughly.

Be sure and cut the center stems out of the leaves too.

Spread the leaves out on a cookie sheet and then drizzle a bit of olive oil on them, finishing them off with and pinch of sea salt.

Place the cookie sheet in the oven and bake the kale at 300 degrees F for 8 to 12 minutes or until crisp.

Let cool and you have the perfect superfood snack that is low in calories and packed with nutrition.

2. Almonds

Almonds are a delicious superfood that is full of MUFA (the good kind of monounsaturated fat), as well as protein, vitamin E, magnesium, copper, folic acid and fiber.

But the benefits of eating almonds don’t stop there.

This superfood has been shown to help maintain healthy blood glucose levels, lower cholesterol levels and even help with weight loss.

In general, all types of nuts tend to get a bad rap because of their high fat and overall calorie content.

Almonds are a really healthy food, but you just need to make sure that you don’t overeat them.

Since one ounce of almonds contains approximately 170 calories, it’s all too easy to end up eating too many of these delicious nuts and then regretting it because you ate all of those extra calories.

But to contradict the math, a recent study published on almonds shows that there’s more reason to believe that almonds are worth every calorie that they have. [3]

The study suggested that participants who ate almonds gained both metabolic and appetite suppressing benefits and that the almonds did not provide an increased risk for weight gain.

So despite their dense calories, almonds may actually be a great snack option after all.

In another study, researchers at Penn State University reported that dieters who were allowed to eat nuts on their eating plan did not really feel like they were even dieting.

This means they were able to stick to their nutritional programs for a longer duration of time.

These two example studies prove that you don’t need to feel guilty about adding almonds to your salads, desserts or yogurt.

You can even top off your apple with a spoonful of almond butter too.

Just make sure that you keep an eye on your portion size though and don’t go overboard.

Because almonds are so tasty, it’s hard to stop at just a small handful.

The trick is to measure out the recommended serving size first and then close the container tight and get it out of sight!

3. Beans

It may be hard to believe that beans are actually a superfood but they are.

Black beans, pinto beans, chickpeas and lentils are all great sources of protein, fiber and minerals like potassium and magnesium.

In fact, a one-half cup of beans will give you just as much protein as a one-ounce serving of meat, and all without the high amounts of saturated fat.

Plus, if you’re someone who is on a budget, a can of beans is much less expensive than the same amount of steak, chicken or seafood.

The kind of fiber in beans can also help to lower blood glucose and help balance your cholesterol levels too.

One thing to remember when it comes to beans and weight loss is that all beans contain carbohydrates, so it’s important to make sure that you count the carbs so that they mix well with your eating regimen.

One-half cup of beans has approximately 15 grams of carbohydrates, or about as much as one slice of bread, one-third cup of rice or one small piece of fruit.

But the good news is that because beans are so high in fiber, they tend to cause less of a rise in blood glucose than other carb foods.

You can aim to substitute meat for beans in at least one meal per week by simply adding them to soups, stews and salads.

You can also make vegetarian-style chili, bean burritos or serve black beans and rice.

Canned beans are perfect for any meal so you don’t need to worry about soaking them overnight.

Just drain a can and rinse them well to get rid of as much of the sodium as you can.

Final Thoughts On Superfoods

There are so many foods that can fit into what’s considered a heart-healthy weight loss eating plan.

But some foods out there are a whole lot more “super” than others.

Focus on fitting the superfoods listed above into your weight loss nutrition program and feel how super these foods can make you feel!

So what’s your favorite superfood?

Leave a comment below and let us know!

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About Gabe Ramsey, BS, CSCS

Gabe is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and Senior Editor here at GeoLeaders.com. He holds a Bachelor’s in Exercise and Sport Science along with over 15 years experience providing world-class training, coaching, and consulting for bodybuilders, strength athletes, and physique competitors. Gabe provides science-based fitness education with proven expertise in strength and hypertrophy programming, high-performance nutrition, nutritional supplementation, and body recomposition. Follow Gabe on Twitter and connect with him on LinkedIn.