Best Low Calorie High Protein Vegetables for Weight Loss

Best low calorie high protein vegetables for weight loss

Obesity or being overweight can be a serious life concern. According to this study published by World Health Organization (WHO), the cases of worldwide obesity have tripled since 1975. Needless to say large numbers of peoples are fighting the obesity and overweight issues. For some, obesity may not appear to be a big problem in itself, but it leads to so many other health complications and studies are a proof to that. And if you are overweight, then you got to take necessary steps for weight loss. And if you are not sure where to start and how to lose weight fast and easily, then this is the post worth checking as I am going to share a list of some of the best low calorie, high protein vegetables for weight loss. By adding these vegetables in to your daily diet will help you lose weight fast and naturally.

An obese person in most cases may suffer from low self-confidence which itself shows that obesity not just affects you physically, but it affects you mentally as well. However, if you are overweight then sitting and crying will not help you in any way. You got to work hard in the gym every day to shed those extra kilos as well as take proper care of your diet as that is very important for effective weight loss.

Diet does not mean that you will start doing crash dieting because that will in the long term may make you fall sick. Instead, you should have a balanced diet and include all of the low-calorie, high protein vegetables for weight loss. This is going to help you lose weight, without making you too weak.

Individuals who are overweight are often asked to switch to low calorie diet by the doctors. Well, calories are nothing but the energy produced by the foods we eat every time. Intake of excessive calories especially the empty ones lead to an increase in the weight of the individual. That is why, low calorie diets are always recommended for effective weight loss.

But, we also need to consider the fact that eliminating a lot of calories from your diet can also lead to scarcity of the energy in the body, which in turn, can make a person really weak. Hence, it is advisable that you choose the food items that are not just low in calories but also high in proteins.

Proteins are large complex macronutrients made up of amino acids. These add to the muscle mass and accelerate the metabolic functioning of your body, which is very important to slim down. Well, that is another reason low calories foods with high calories are recommended.

Now, you might have a question as to why I am only talking about vegetables, well because this post is about vegetables only. I am not asking you to avoid non vegetarian healthy food items. But, if you are seriously determined to tone yourself down then you got to consume more amounts of those that are healthier and in general context, the nutritious greens are slightly healthier and also low in calories. Moreover, low calorie high protein Indian vegetables for weight loss are the solution for all, as it can be consumed by both the vegetarians and the non-vegetarians people.

Best low calorie high protein vegetables for weight loss

It is generally believed that a non-vegetarian diet contains high amount of protein so they have many food options when it comes to high protein diet. Well it is true to some extent but that does not mean that the veggie diet is any less, because there are many Indian vegetables that contains high amount of proteins and are also low in calories.

So, here is the list of low-calorie high protein Indian vegetables for weight loss that you may like to add to your day-to-day diet to remain fit and healthy.

Broccoli for weight loss

For the overweight individuals, broccoli is a great vegetable option to consider as it is low in calories as well as contains adequate protein in it. Per 100 gram of broccoli contains about 3 grams of protein which constitutes to about 6% of our daily requirement. Additionally, 71 grams of broccoli or per cup of broccoli contains about 30 calories and there is only 54 calories in per cup of cooked broccoli.

Broccoli is also rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin A and folate. It is also a good source of fiber and contains 90% water. You can call it a low energy dense and high fiber food which is like ideal for effective weight loss.

The dietary fiber present in broccoli expands when it absorbs water and slows down digestion and keeps you full for long. It prevents the secretion of ghrelin hormone which is responsible for making you hungry. The high amount of roughage also helps prevent blood sugar spike which in turn means no storage of excess sugar in the form of fat. In addition, broccoli is rich in Vitamin C which helps in synthesizing of the compound carnitine that is good in metabolizing the fat in to energy. Studies already believe it to be important as far as obesity is concerned.

There are other nutrients in broccoli that may help you in losing weight as well. Like for example, calcium which inhibits the production of new fat cells and leads to breakage of the stored fat. Chromium in broccoli regulates insulin secretion through which it stimulates the metabolism of carbohydrates and help in overall weight loss. Broccoli is also rich in the compound sulforaphane that leads to burning of the fat by breaking down the fat cells.

So, you can see there are so many reasons to include broccoli in your diet and so do not miss it out if you really want to shed your extra kilos.

Spinach for weight loss

The next in the list of low calorie high protein vegetables for weight loss is the spinach. Well, as per United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 100 grams serving of spinach contains around 3 grams of protein and about 23 calories making it really beneficial for those who are aiming for weight loss.

Spinach is also a great source of roughage and hence it is able to keep you full for long. Fiber takes time to get digested but they help in proper metabolic functioning and proper elimination of excreta all of which contributes to healthy weight loss.

Spinach is truly and highly beneficial for us, its an excellent source of whole lot of nutrients besides fiber stating from Vitamin K, folate, magnesium, manganese, iron, copper, phosphorous, zinc, Vitamin B6, thiamine, chlorine etc. all of which are very much necessary to keep you healthy. Hence, if you are looking for low calorie high protein vegetables to add to your diet for easy weight loss, then you must add spinach to your diet list.

Kale for easy weight loss

Kale is another low calorie, high protein vegetable that can help you lose weight. This is because 100 grams of kale contains about 4.28 grams of protein which constitutes about 9% of our daily requirement of protein. Also, a cup of protein just has only 33 calories which is like really low. So, you can easily add it to your diet chart.

Just like spinach and broccoli, kale is also high in fiber. 1 cup of kale contains about 2.4 grams of dietary fiber which constitutes to about 10% of our daily requirement of fiber. And, as far as fiber is concerned, you already know how it is essential for healthy metabolic functioning and effective weight loss.

Kale is very dense in nutrients and provides your system with all the necessary Vitamins and minerals in proper amounts without loading you with excess calories. The only fat kale has is the alpha-linoleic acid, a type of omega 3 fatty acid that boosts your brain health, reduces the risk of the occurrence of Type 2 Diabetes as well as enhances your cardiovascular health.

Cabbage for weight loss

Cabbage is probably the most underrated Indian vegetable, but it’s not. Eating cabbage can help you lose weight because every 100 grams of cabbage contains about 1.3 grams of protein which is about 3% of the daily requirement of protein. Cabbage is really low in cholesterol and saturated fat and hence will be a useful addition in your daily diet for weight loss.

Fermented cabbage is also considered to be very good and effective in weight loss. Fermented bacteria lead to the growth of good gut bacteria. Although we still are not much clear about the relationship between weight loss and good gut bacteria. But some studies have actually shown that gut bacteria can actually be a potential target when it comes to managing the problem of obesity.

Bok choy to lose weight

One of the other low-calorie high protein Indian vegetables for effective weight loss is the boy choy. Well, Bok choy is a deep green vegetable that resembles large celery on the bottom and a Romaine lettuce from the top. It is actually more closely related to the cabbage and is also called the Chinese cabbage. It is a good source of protein with 170 grams or one cup of Bok choy containing 2.7 grams of protein which is like 5% of its daily requirement. Bok choy is also low in cholesterol and saturated fats and is also a good source of roughage.

One cup of Bok choy has just 20 calories and about 3 grams of carbohydrates. In fact, it is so much low in calories that it actually is in the list of the negative calorie foods. In order to digest such a category of foods, your system actually spends more energy than what is present in the food itself. Therefore, it being a low-calorie food, you can eat it as much as you want without any hesitation.

The good amount of dietary fiber and water content keeps you full for a long time. In addition, Bok choy has got low glycemic index which is a good thing for those suffering from Diabetes as well as for those who are trying to lose weight.

So, make sure you add it in your diet. You may consume it by adding to your salads, soups or even stir fry as per your wish.

Red hot chili pepper

In botanical sense bell pepper are fruits but in culinary contexts, they are considered as vegetables. There are four colors of bell peppers- red, yellow, green and orange. These are actually the same vegetable harvested at different stages of maturity. Now, the red hot chili pepper is definitely one of the low-calorie high protein vegetables for weight loss that you should consider eating.

Every 100 grams of raw red hot chili pepper contains about 1.9 grams of protein which constitutes for about 4% of our daily requirement of protein. They contain a compound called capsaicin that makes them spicy and produces a burning sensation in our mucous membranes.

What is the most beneficial reason behind the recommendation is that the capsaicin in them promotes thermogenesis that is increased metabolism due to the heat production. Capsaicin helps to burn calories as heat and ameliorates the oxidation of fat.

In fact, studies have already shown that consuming spicy foods that contains capsaicin speeds up the metabolic functioning, lowers your weight, burns fat and also lessens your appetite. As per an article that was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, if you consume 6mgs of capsaicin on a daily basis, it leads to loss of abdominal fat in men and women. As per this study report, capsaicin decreases the accumulation of body fat and burns up the stored fats.

Capsaicin also decreases the levels of plasma glucose and insulin and that has already been scientifically proved. It takes care of the excess glucose and does not let glucose get stored as fat.

With reduction in the insulin levels, the level of glucose storage is also less. Other studies have shown that capsaicin helps in the loss of weight by preventing weight regain and burning fat in a consistent manner even after you have lost weight.

Some also believe that capsaicin enhances gut bacteria growth which stimulates the metabolic capacity of our system, which in turn makes the nutrients get utilized more efficiently without getting stored in the system. This anti-obesity effect is highly beneficial for weight loss.

Therefore, when you got so many reasons backing it, there is no other reason why you will not add it in your diet to lose weight.

Dos and don’ts for healthy weight loss

When you are slim, maintaining your weight is easy, all it takes is a little disciplined and maintaining good eating habits. But when you are overweight, you are going to struggle in losing even just a few kilos of weight. But with constant and continuous efforts, you can easily start losing weight.

You need to have faith that you will be able to lose your weight. Eating right is certainly important for effective weight loss, and you must consume the low-calorie high protein vegetables to lose weight.

But, when you are too overweight, you need to do something extra as well in order to lose weight.

So, here are few dos and don’ts that you can help you lose weight faster.

Regular exercise

The first and foremost thing that you have to do besides maintaining a proper diet is to exercise. There should be no short cut while you are trying to lose weight and exercising is one of the most honest ways to achieve that besides maintaining a healthy diet. Initially, you may have to struggle but trust me, when you start getting the benefits, you yourself will become motivated. Be very regular with your gym sessions.

If you are not much comfortable with gym or high intensity exercises, then do yoga on a regular basis. Yoga will not just help you tone yourself down, it will also help you deal with your mental anxieties, depressions etc. which are quite common in obesity.

Run or brisk walk

If you do not like gym or yoga, it is highly recommended that you do some walking or running every day. This will help in healthy metabolic functioning and will help you lose weight.

Avoid unhealthy foods

No matter how much low-calorie high protein vegetables and foods you eat, unless you are reducing your intake of all the unhealthy foods, you are never going to be able to lose weight and ultimately your efforts will go in vain. So, when you are determined to lose weight, you need to be really disciplined with your diet, and avoid all the unhealthy foods, like the processed canned foods, excess sugar, excess starch etc.

Stay active

Besides eating right and doing regular exercises, try to remain active in general. This is very much important for your general wellbeing as well. The less stressed you are, the more effectively you’ll be able to lose weight.

Over to you

Obesity is a serious health issue and the quicker you start acting on it, the better for you. Of course, you can’t expect to lose weight overnight and you have to work on multiple things from your diet to eating and living habits. But losing weight is not possible and if you eat mindfully, you can lose weight faster than expected.

You got to diligently work on your physique and eat healthy foods for months before you start noticing significant changes in your weight. Since proper diet is so beneficial for maintaining body weight, you need to know what exactly you should eat. And, eating low-calorie high protein vegetables and foods can certainly help you in losing your weight.

These vegetables are not just low in calorie, but they are also effective in boosting your metabolic functioning which will further help you in weight loss process.

Apart from eating these healthy and weight loss friendly vegetables, just ensure to remain active by doing regular workout, walking, jogging and avoiding any junk foods, and you will be on your way to lose weight fast and easily.

What else do you think one should to lose weight?

Share the best low calorie, high protein foods you eat to maintain your body weight.

Wish you a healthy and speedy weight loss journey.

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About Babi Ghosh 269 Articles
Babi the chief editor at bodyandbeans is a professional yoga instructor and a fitness freak. She has done her master’s in history from Kolkata University. She is passionate about healthy eating and living practices.