Leafy route to weight loss

Renupreet Kaur

Eating right has always been the key to weight loss. Here’s how to do it while keeping your tummy satisfied.

There is a big myth that you have to starve yourself to get rid of the extra pounds. It is, in fact, the other way round -- eating right is more important than not eating when you are on a weight loss mission. The most important tact during this mission is to include food items that suppress appetite and have better nutritional values. Another trick is to include foods that boost your metabolism and fill you up to a desired level. Small meals do help a lot in weight loss diets, in fact. You can load up on green veggies and fruits with wise choices of spices and vinegars in your daily intake.

Salads can, of course, become the most acceptable part of our daily diet with wise selection of colour, taste and flavours. Variations with recipes of salads with low fat dressings are a continuous effort for weight watchers. Some yummy recipes for a healthy choice can be:

Bean-Sprout Salad

Beans being high in fibre, minerals and vitamins with antioxidant properties, are good for your waistline. Sprouts are very nutritious and the process of sprouting brings out many enzymes in germinated seeds, legumes and grains, making them easier to digest. It also increases the amount of protein, vitamins and minerals, transforming them into nutrition powerhouses. They are excellent quality nutrients for thiamin, niacin, vitamin B6 and pantothenic acids. Bean sprout salads are very refreshing when served with combinations of low fat dressings and fresh green veggies of your choice. They are low in saturated fat and sodium and very low in cholesterol.

Apple Carrot Salad

Apples are not only a delicious and nutritional fruit, but are also full of vitamins, minerals, fiber and is a good source of polyphenols. But, cooking them destroys their polyphenols. Sliced or cut apples turn brown on exposure to air due to conversion of iron form ferrous oxide to ferric oxide. Solution to this can be to rinse the apple slices in water, add a few drops of fresh lemon to restore their colour and keep them fresh. Fresh carrots are also a store house of fibre and vitamins; they contain calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, copper and manganese. Being a good source of vitamin A and fibre, these can fit well into weight management plans. Lemon, apple cider vinegar, pepper and garlic can provide a tang to these salads along with parsley.

Couscous Mint Salad

Couscous has a light fluffy texture, which is slightly bland. Its tiny granules are made from steamed and dried wheat or semolina. When combined with green fresh mint leaves, spices, herbs and fresh green veggies or fish or chicken, it can become a power-packed salad with full nutrition. It is a good substitute for rice and quinoa. Its preparation requires addition of hot water in couscous and when it gets fluffy, serve it as a side dish or add it to soups, mix it with sautéed vegetables and use it as a breakfast cereal or an evening snack. A very good source of fibre, couscous is beneficial for weight management, as it helps you feel full. It also keeps food moving through your body preventing constipation. Your cholesterol level may even get benefited from fibre because it binds to cholesterol in the digestive tract and removes it from your body.

Crunchy Lettuce Chickpea Salad

Chickpeas can suppress your hunger cravings, as they are high in fibre and support weight loss by making you feel full. In addition, lettuce is also a very good source of dietary fibre, manganese, potassium, biotin, vitamin B1, copper, iron and vitamin C. It is also a good source of vitamin B2, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B6, phosphorus, chromium, magnesium, calcium and pantothenic acid. Combining these two in the form of salad will fill up your stomach and give the feeling of having had a satisfactory meal.

(Kaur is a Chandigarh-based dietician)