Finding healthy recipes for weight loss has been a subject growing in popularity, especially in the 21st century. Unfortunately, it seems like everyone and their so-called medically trained brother have their opinion on what "healthy" really means. After reviewing fad diets, not-so-fad diets and common sense, here is a summary of what healthy recipes for weight loss should mainly consist of.
Use foods that have as few ingredients as possible. When looking at the ingredients on the label, less is better. The fewer ingredients listed, the more naturally made it is. Better yet, if there is no label at all, you are going all nat-ur-al. Think about it. There are no ingredient labels on an apple, broccoli or russet potato, is there?
Usually the first five ingredients make up most of the food product. These first five ingredients should never include the following:
- High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Hydrogenated Oils
- Bleached and/or Enriched Flours
- Highly Processes Sugars
Keeping these food additives out of your healthy recipes for weight loss is a big first step. It may take some time to find products similar to what you are used to that done have any of these ingredients in them, but believe me, it's worth the search. Most of these did not exist in food until only about 20-30 years ago. Just about the time Americans started to greatly expand their waistlines. Food manufacturers added them to enhance flavor and cut costs. Sounds like a win-win for them, but at the cost of maintaining your ideal weight. These ingredients spike your sugar levels making the crash later that much deeper. This means you get hungrier and sooner than if you ate natural versions of these additives.
So what should you eat instead of these these synthetic additives and still get good tasting but healthy recipes for weight loss? Why, more natural ones of course.
- Instead of High Fructose Corn Syrup, try Honey
- Instead of Hydrogenated Oils, try Canola or Olive Oil
- Instead of Bleached and/or Enriched Flours, try Whole Wheat Flour or grind your own Oatmeal
- Instead of Highly Processes Sugars, reduce mashed up Berries or Honey will work here too
The goal here is to keep your healthy recipes for weight loss as natural as possible. Maybe try to think like a farmer who only eats from what he grows. Another idea is to go browse your local farmer's market for more natural ingredient ideas. There are great cookbooks for natural recipes giving many flavorful ideas for meals as well. Just keep trying to incorporate wholesome ingredients in every dish you make and you can't go wrong.
Photo by hellorachello