Lose weight without losing nutrients ~ 3 key tips for the thermogenic effect of food intake

If you want to lose weight in the hot summer, in addition to regular exercise, balanced nutritional intake is the key. Nutritionists point out that the total daily calories of the human body mainly come from carbohydrates, fats and proteins, with proportions of approximately 55%, 30% and 15% respectively. Among them, the "thermogenic effect of food intake" plays a key role. As long as you master these 3 secrets, it is not difficult to lose weight healthily.

Nutritionist Su Yanchen pointed out that "Diet Induced Thermogenesis" refers to "the total amount of energy consumed by the body after digestion, absorption, storage and metabolism after eating. On average, the diet thermogenic effect of eating an ordinary meal, such as a commercial bento, accounts for about 10% of the total calories.

3 Key Tips for Weight Loss through the Thermogenic Effect of Food Intake

Although 10% is a negligible number, small changes in calories can have a significant impact on long-term weight and body fat. For example, increasing/decreasing 10 to 20 calories a day can also lead to a weight change of 0.5 to 1 kg per year, playing a key role in weight loss control. In particular, the following three principles should be mastered:

Tip 1: High-protein diet

Whether it is a high-sugar or high-fat diet, there is "no difference" in the impact on the thermogenic effect of food intake, but the "high-protein diet" wins the prize. From the perspective of single nutrients, protein accounts for about 30% of calories, carbohydrates account for 6-8%, and fat accounts for only 4%. Therefore, in the absence of special diseases (such as chronic kidney disease), increasing the proportion of protein in the diet can indeed have a good auxiliary effect on weight loss.

Tip 2: Choose polyunsaturated fatty acids

When it comes to cooking oil, there are a wide variety of oils available on the market, from lard and butter that are high in "saturated fatty acids" to peanut oil, olive oil, and camellia oil that represent "unsaturated fatty acids." Can choosing different oil types also help increase calorie consumption? The experiment found that the types of fat that increase calorie consumption are ranked as "polyunsaturated fatty acids > monounsaturated fatty acids", and finally "saturated fatty acids". So, do you want to be a little more creative while cooking to lose weight? Choosing oils with a higher content of "polyunsaturated fatty acids" (such as camellia oil, peanut oil, etc.) is a good choice to increase energy consumption!

Tip 3: More slimming, more weight loss

In 2011, the Taiwan Ministry of Health and Welfare made major revisions to the National Dietary Guidelines. The most famous revision was the change from the old "five grains and root vegetables" to "whole grains and root vegetables". In addition to increasing fiber intake, more importantly, it can "increase energy expenditure". Studies have found that, given the same amount of food, simply replacing white bread with "multi-grain bread" can greatly increase the body's energy-consuming and heat-producing effect.

Cooking method that preserves nutrients

Nutritionist Su Yanchen emphasized that different cooking methods will affect the loss of nutrients. For example, for meat and fish, the most nutrients are lost when they are fried or stir-fried over high heat. It is recommended that they be fried or boiled, which is safer. As for vegetables, steaming is also the best way to preserve vitamin C, chlorophyll and antioxidants.

In addition, many people like to eat lettuce salad when they are losing weight. Although lettuce salad has not undergone heat degradation and preserves the most nutrients, the human body's absorption rate of many antioxidants is not as good as that of cooked vegetables. Lettuce is also large in size, and when you eat a certain amount, there may be too much sauce, which leads to higher calories. This should not be taken lightly.

Choose good oil for weight loss, healthy and burden-free

At the same time, weight loss health education clinics often find that some people only eat blanched vegetables with salt in the summer in order to lose weight. In fact, many vegetables are rich in fat-soluble vitamins and need oil to help absorb. It is recommended to stir-fry or steam them in half water. It is best to add a little water and 1 teaspoon of oil to simmer them so that nutrients are not lost.

At the same time, butter, lard, chicken fat, cream, etc. will form solid fats with high saturation. They will easily turn into fat accumulation after being eaten. It is recommended to choose polyunsaturated fats. Olive oil can be used for low-temperature cold dishes, and sunflower oil or general blended oil can be used for high-temperature cooking to ensure healthy and burden-free nutritional intake.

【Tips】：

During the weight loss diet, as long as you chew your food slowly, it will not only be beneficial to your health and digestion, but also help you lose weight. Studies have found that even if you eat the same meal, you can naturally consume more energy if you chew your food slowly. Especially modern people are under great work pressure and often eat in a hurry. In addition to easily causing indigestion and affecting work efficiency, it also makes the weight burden worse.