Analysis of the top 10 foods for weight loss! Understand in 1 minute which are good helpers for weight management?

The overweight and obesity rate among adults in Taiwan was 47.9% from 2016 to 2019, and it actually grew to 50.3% from 2017 to 2020! That is to say, half of the people have an overweight BMI. Food safety expert Wayne said that obesity can cause damage to health by causing cardiovascular problems, chronic inflammation in the body, and leading to problems such as the three highs, allergies, sleep disorders, and dementia, so it should be avoided as much as possible.

Food safety expert Wayne said that each food has a different nutritional density, and some ingredients also have certain functional properties that can help us enhance metabolism and make weight loss more effective while controlling our diet.

Fermented foods can also supplement many good lactic acid bacteria. Kimchi, natto, sauerkraut, pickled cucumbers, yogurt, rice koji, koji water, miso, etc. are all traditional fermented foods that have many health benefits.

Analysis of the top 10 foods for weight loss

Probiotics

There is increasing evidence that probiotics have a profound relationship between intestinal flora and obesity. There are four to five thousand species of intestinal bacteria in the human body, but the distribution of intestinal bacteria species is very different between fat people and thin people. An important bacterium related to obesity is Bifidobacterium. According to research, the content of Bifidobacterium in the intestines of Japanese people is particularly high compared with that in other countries. Bifidobacterium is a beneficial bacteria in the intestines. According to other studies, many strains of Bifidobacterium have been shown to help the human body reduce fat absorption, adjust the body's metabolism, and prevent calories from being stored in the body. This may be one of the reasons why there are fewer fat people in Japan. Moreover, if good bacteria live in the body, the physical adjustment effect produced will last.

Fermented foods can also supplement many good lactic acid bacteria. Kimchi, natto, sauerkraut, pickled cucumbers, yogurt, rice koji, koji water, miso, etc. are all traditional fermented foods that have many health benefits.

Ease of obtaining: ★★★★★

Scientific Evidence: ★★★★★

Dietary fiber

According to the nutrition recommendations of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, each person's daily dietary fiber intake should be at least 25 to 35 grams. However, according to statistics from the Taiwan Cancer Foundation, more than 90% of the Chinese population does not consume enough dietary fiber. The average daily dietary fiber intake of boys is only 13.7 grams, and the average daily dietary fiber intake of girls is only 14 grams, which is a serious deficiency. Fiber can slow down the digestion of food and keep you feeling full for a longer time, thereby reducing your food intake and even reducing the absorption of fat. Dietary fiber cannot be digested and utilized by the human body, so it does not form calories. Insoluble fiber can stimulate intestinal peristalsis and aid defecation, while soluble fiber is the staple food of probiotics and can help adjust intestinal flora and allow good bacteria to survive in the intestines.

Some cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, kale) and fruits are good sources of dietary fiber.

Ease of obtaining: ★★★★★

Scientific Evidence: ★★★★★

The catechins in tea have a clear effect on preventing oil absorption, promoting conversion into calories, reducing body fat and reducing weight.

green tea

The Department of Family Medicine at National Cheng Kung University Hospital once conducted a study on the tea drinking population and found that people who had the habit of drinking tea for more than 10 years (drinking an average of 434 ml per day) had a 19.6% lower body fat percentage and a 2.1% lower waist/hip ratio. In other words, both body fat distribution and abdominal fat were significantly reduced. Animal experiments have shown that black tea can stimulate the activity of pancreatic lipolysis enzymes and reduce the absorption of sugar and fat foods. But in addition to the above-mentioned effects, green tea and oolong tea can also accelerate the body's heat production and promote fat burning, so they can reduce body fat percentage and reduce abdominal fat accumulation.

More other studies tell us that catechins, especially those in tea, have a clear effect on preventing oil absorption, promoting its conversion into calories, reducing body fat and reducing weight. This catechin is particularly rich in unfermented green tea. Therefore, many studies have shown that drinking green tea can regulate blood sugar and blood lipids, prevent body fat accumulation, and reduce visceral fat. Matcha is a special type of green tea. Because the tea leaves are ground and drunk, it is also a good source of dietary fiber.

Ease of obtaining: ★★★★★

Scientific Evidence: ★★★★★

Garcinia Cambogia

Garcinia cambogia is a plant native to India and Southeast Asia. It is closely related to mangosteen and has been traditionally used as a food and herbal medicine. In the 1960s, scientists extracted an ingredient called HCA (Hydroxycitric acid) from the fruit of Garcinia cambogia. HCA is an analog of citric acid that can interfere with and inhibit the activity of the human enzyme ATP citrate lyase. Since ATP citrate lyase is involved in important reactions in the human body's energy metabolism and is the key to the synthesis of fatty acids from carbohydrates (starch, sugar), HCA has the effect of blocking fat synthesis, inhibiting fat synthesis, and helping fat metabolism. In simple terms, it has an oil-cutting effect. In recent years, Korean girl groups have become popular, and Garcinia cambogia extract has set off a trend in the local area.

Ease of obtaining: ★

Scientific Evidence: ★★★

White Kidney Beans

The benefits of white kidney beans were discovered accidentally from a failed animal experiment, because scientists found that mice that were fed on time actually starved to death! After that, the research team continued to investigate the cause of the mice's accidental starvation death, and found that it was caused by the white kidney bean extract. The subsequent expensive research was strongly supported by Howard Hughes, the richest man in the United States at the time and a legend in the aviation industry. The research team found that specific ingredients in some plants can inhibit the activity of amylase in the body, and the content in white kidney beans is particularly high, so this active substance is called Phaseolamin. Subsequently, the American Pharmachem company devoted more in-depth research on white kidney beans, selected suitable varieties and extraction technologies, and with dozens of related research results and clinical trials, it finally obtained the first approval from the US FDA as a weight loss ingredient in 2006. Subsequently, in 2014, it also obtained approval from the Canadian health authorities for the dual health claims of blood sugar management and weight management.

According to some scientific evidence, Phaseolamin in white kidney beans has the effect of blocking the absorption of food energy. Carbohydrates such as starch and sugar ingested from food will be broken down into glucose by the digestive enzyme α-amylase secreted by the pancreas and then absorbed by the small intestinal mucosa. However, Phaseolamin inhibits the action of α-amylase, slowing or blocking the absorption of glucose. Therefore, studies have shown that taking 445 mg of white kidney bean extract per day for one month can reduce body weight by 4% and body fat by about 10%.

White kidney bean is a special variety of kidney bean family. The so-called kidney bean is actually the large family of green beans, navy beans, pinto beans that we eat daily. Therefore, white kidney bean cannot be eaten raw. And because the content of phaseolamin in white kidney bean is very low, it is more likely to reach the effective dose if it is taken after extraction and purification.

Ease of obtaining: ★

Scientific Evidence: ★★★★

African mango

African mango, also known as "wild mango, bush mango", is a fruit that grows in tropical regions of the African continent, especially in Cameroon, Nigeria and other regions. African mango has rich nutritional value and multiple functions, and is widely used as food and traditional herbal medicine. African mango seeds are often cooked with vegetables and stewed meat into a soup called Ogbono soup. Experts began their investigation after discovering that there were very few obese people living in southern Cameroon in Africa. They found that local people often drank Ogbono soup, and thus discovered the secret of African mango seeds.

African mango seeds contain very complex polyphenol compounds, including flavonols, tannins and ellagic acid. Ellagic acid is one of the ingredients that studies have shown can help lower blood lipids and body fat. Therefore, African mango seed extract is now quite popular in the Western European and American markets, and is used for weight management and metabolism regulation.

Ease of obtaining: ★

Scientific Evidence: ★★★★

In recent years, human clinical trials have shown that if people with constipation eat California black dates every day, the frequency of intestinal movements can be significantly increased (6 times a week), and the amount of stool can also be clearly increased (increased by 30%).

Black Dates

Black dates are often used as a weight loss snack, mainly because they are considered to help with bowel movements. In recent years, human clinical trials have shown that if people with constipation eat California black dates every day, the frequency of intestinal movements can be significantly increased (6 times a week), the amount of stool can be clearly increased (increased by 30%), and the number of beneficial bacteria (Bifidobacterium) can be increased. Therefore, it is indeed helpful for defecation and intestinal health, so black dates and probiotics can complement each other. The reason why black dates are effective in facilitating bowel movements is that they contain high dietary fiber, low-calorie sorbitol, and black date polyphenols - chlorogenic acid.

Ease of obtaining: ★★★★★

Scientific Evidence: ★★

Fish oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are very important oils for human health. Many research results have found that fish oil can actually help the body burn fat.

Omega 3 Fish Oil

Fish oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are very important oils for human health. Many research results have found that fish oil can actually help the body burn fat. Because fish oil can convert the white adipose tissue in the human body, which is responsible for storing fat, into brown adipose tissue which burns and converts into heat. It will also further increase the efficiency of brown fat burning, so overall, it promotes the burning of body fat through the thermogenic effect.

The best natural source of fish oil is marine fish living in the deep ocean, such as mackerel, herring, sardines, saury and other oil-rich fish. The common characteristics of these fish are that their scales are shiny and their backs are blue. Deep-sea fish species are chosen to stay away from pollutants generated by human activities, while small fish can avoid the bioaccumulation effect of pollutants from large fish at the top of the food chain. The American Heart Association recommends a daily intake of about 300 to 500 mg of DHA and EPA, which is equivalent to eating fish at least twice a week. However, patients with cardiovascular disease can increase their intake to 1 gram per day, and people with high blood lipids can take 2 to 4 grams per day after expert evaluation.

Ease of obtaining: ★★

Scientific Evidence: ★★★

Cassia seed

In traditional Chinese medicine, Cassia seed has the effect of "lubricating the intestines and promoting bowel movements". From the perspective of modern nutritional science research, this is due to the special ingredient "anthraquinone" contained in Cassia seed. In addition to having antioxidant activity, anthraquinone compounds are also a natural laxative. Anthraquinone compounds in Cassia seed can inhibit the synthesis of cholesterol in animal experiments, reduce total cholesterol, low-density cholesterol (LDL) and triglycerides in the blood, while increasing high-density cholesterol (HDL), thereby regulating blood lipids. Human experiments have also shown that overweight patients who take 3 grams of Cassia seed powder orally every day for 36 weeks can significantly reduce waist circumference and lower total cholesterol and LDL.

Cassia seed is often used in some slimming teas and is also a key player in Taiwan's traditional black tea. It is also suspected to be the source of the legend that people must pull milk tea every time they drink it in breakfast shops. However, raw, unroasted Cassia seed is cooler in nature, so be careful when using it to make sure the effect is not too strong.

Ease of obtaining: ★★★★

Scientific Evidence: ★★

Kudzu flower

Pueraria root is a commonly used medicinal ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine. Pueraria flower contains pueraria isoflavones and saponins, which have been shown in many studies to have anti-obesity effects, especially in reducing difficult-to-deal abdominal visceral fat and subcutaneous fat. According to research, kudzu flower can achieve this effect because it can increase calorie consumption and help increase brown fat, so it has a similar burning effect, which significantly increases oxygen consumption and significantly reduces the weight of visceral fat.

Ease of obtaining: ★

Scientific Evidence: ★★★

in conclusion

Food safety expert Wayne said that for modern people, managing weight and BMI is an important health issue, but the pursuit of weight loss should still be done step by step and in a safe manner. Don't rely on functional foods to quickly reduce weight and fat. Otherwise, you may be deceived at best, or it may adversely affect your health at worst. The truly effective method is to eat less, exercise more, control calorie intake, and increase nutritional supplements.

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