Tag: weight

The best vegetables for weight loss to add to soups and broths – Italian Cuisine

They provide super nutrients that help you stay away from weight gain because they satiate and help the body function at its best. Here are which ones to choose and why

Soups and soups, included in a complete and balanced diet, are ideal dishes to increase the consumption of vegetables at the table and keep fit. "They provide nutrients that help counteract weight gain," explains the nutritionist Valentina Schirò, specialist in food sciences. "The soluble fibers they are rich in are capable, for example, of increasing satiety because they slow down the absorption of sugars and fats. Insoluble fibers on the other hand, in addition to keeping the intestine regular, favor the development of good bacterial flora which in turn stimulates the digestive processes ". But the advantages that vegetables have are also others. "Thanks to the presence of enzymes, water and minerals, they stimulate the purification of the whole organism and help eliminate excess toxins and waste substances", adds the expert, who explains here which are the best vegetables for weight loss to add to soups and broths.

Seasonal and colorful

Not all vegetables are the same. Those in season compared to those that are not have more advantages. "They are richer in antioxidants, which thanks to their anti-inflammatory action help maintain a healthy weight, preventing the risk of obesity". To get the most out of their benefits, the ideal is to enrich soups with vegetables of different colors. «White vegetables such as cabbage are rich in quercetin, a substance that fights cellulite. Lycopene, of which the red ones are excellent sources, stimulates blood circulation and consequently fights swelling. The blue-violet ones, on the other hand, are excellent allies to counteract the accumulation of fats in the arteries because they are rich in anthocyanins, while the green ones, especially with broad leaves, are rich in chlorophyll ".

The best vegetables for weight loss to add to soups and broths

The right combinations

Many allied vitamins of the line in which vegetables are rich are fat-soluble. Vitamin A and vitamin E, for example, are better absorbed by the body only when associated with a source of fat within the same meal. "The best way to assimilate them is to season soups and broths with extra virgin olive oil added raw. Ensures linoleic acid and other essential fats which on the one hand increase satiety and on the other keep metabolism active. They therefore help to eat less during the meal, burn more and stay fit, "says the expert.

In the gallery the best vegetables to add to soups for weight loss

Fruit: when and how to eat it so as not to gain weight – Italian Cuisine

Is it better to eat it after a meal or away from lunch and dinner? What is the quantity to consume? Which varieties to choose? Here are the nutritionist's answers

There fruit it is one of the foods that should never be missing from daily menus. It is a real treasure trove of beneficial substances. It has a high content of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, which are useful for the proper functioning of the body. But which one to choose if you are on a diet or need to get rid of a few extra pounds?
"Fruit also contains simple sugars (glucose and fructose) that are easily assimilated by the body. Excessive consumption of rapidly absorbed sugars favors an exaggerated production of insulin, a hormone that stimulates hunger and promotes weight gain and the onset of various diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Fructose, although not involved in production of insulin, if in excess it favors the onset of fatty liver disease (fatty liver) ", explains the nutritionist Nicoletta Bocchino. «Some varieties such as grapes, figs, bananas, melons contain it in high quantities. So the advice is to give priority to the less sugary fruit such as strawberries, berries, peaches at the table and instead limit the consumption of the particularly sweet one . It must also be consumed correctly. "To keep blood sugar levels stable, the suggestion is to eat it away from lunch and dinner in combination with good proteins and fats that increase its satiating effect". Then pay attention to the quantities. "The ideal is to consume 3 servings a day, of 100-150 grams each," says nutritionist Nicoletta Bocchino who here gives a series of suggestions on how to eat it so as not to risk gaining weight.

Give priority to whole fruit

A whole fruit than a fruit salad has a better impact on blood sugar. "After maceration, the sugars present in the fruit become gradually more easily assimilated by the body". Even the fruit in the "juice" version is more "sweet". «In fact, it has a higher glycemic index because it lacks fiber, which is instead present in the pulp. Then pay attention to the degree of ripeness. "The ideal is to prefer unripe fruit over more ripe fruit: it has a lower sugar content".

Prefer seasonal and zero-kilometer ones

«The freshly picked seasonal fruit, compared to the exotic fruit that comes from distant countries, ensures a higher content in terms of antioxidants, which are excellent allies of the line. These substances favor the elimination of toxins and waste substances, responsible for retention, swelling and other imperfections ". But there is more. «Many exotic varieties should be consumed in moderation because they are also the most caloric. One hundred grams of coconut, for example, provide more than 350 calories ", the expert warns us.

Pair it with yogurt for breakfast

Fruit is rich in soluble fibers that have a prebiotic action such as pectin found in apples and pears. "Combined with the probiotics of yogurt (or fermented milk or kefir) within the same meal, it fights constipation and increases the beneficial intestinal bacteria that help keep you fit and healthy. The proteins of which milk derivatives are rich also reduce the absorption of sugars of which it is rich ".

For a snack eat it together with dried fruit

To increase the satiating effect of fruit, the ideal is to eat it as a snack along with some walnuts, almonds, pistachios or hazelnuts. "The fiber and beneficial fats found in dried fruit modulate the absorption of sugars from fresh fruit and keep insulin under control. They also increase satiety, give constant energy and help keep away from hunger attacks .

Do not consume it as a meal replacement

Fruit is not a complete food. «It lacks proteins, good fats and complex carbohydrates, essential for making a balanced meal and for the metabolism to function efficiently. In addition, it is rich in rapidly absorbed sugars that ensure reduced and short-lasting satiety .

In the gallery which are the varieties of seasonal fruit in this period most allied to the line

how to combine them at the table so as not to risk gaining weight – Italian Cuisine

Can they also be eaten on a diet? How to consume them without taking extra kilos? Here are the nutritionist's advice to make them allies of the line and health

The cheeses, fresh and seasoned, are one of the foods most present in the summer on our tables. Thanks to their practicality they are the ideal solution in hot weather and you have little desire to cook. But how can you eat them without risking gaining weight? «Although they have an important caloric content, which can exceed 400 calories per 100 grams, cheeses are not a food to be avoided. But you have to eat them in moderation. They must first be consumed no more than twice a week in the right quantity which does not exceed on average 50 grams for seasoned ones and 80-100 grams for fresh ones ", explains the nutritionist Valentina Schirò, specializing in food science. It is then necessary to combine them correctly at the table. The classic mix of mozzarella (or ricotta, robiola, crescenza etc.) and tomato, for example, should be avoided by those suffering from digestive difficulties. "The lactose present in fresh cheeses associated with acidic foods promotes gastric fermentation and abdominal swelling," says the expert. Another mistake to stay away from is eating cheeses, fresh or seasoned, at the conclusion of lunch and dinner. "It risks exaggerating with fats, cholesterol and calories, which weigh on health and on the line". Even the classic pairing with salami or other protein sources (eggs, meat, fish) should be avoided. "The excess of proteins, in addition to slowing down digestion, produces a surplus of waste substances that risk fatiguing the work of the kidneys and slowing down the elimination of excess fluids and toxins, responsible for water retention and swelling". In order not to risk gaining weight, be careful also to consume them often together with jam, honey and particularly sweet fruits such as figs, grapes, pears and dried dates. "The risk is to fill up on simple sugars that are assimilated very quickly by the body and cause a peak in production of insulin, a hormone that stimulates hunger and over time promotes weight gain", explains the expert , which here suggests how to pair the cheeses on the table so as not to risk gaining weight.

For breakfast with toast and extra virgin olive oil

For those who love savory breakfast, fresh and aged cheeses can be a good source of protein to start the day as an alternative to milk or yogurt. They have a good satiating effect. "A small square of seasoned cheese, for example combined with complex carbohydrates and the fibers of toasted whole wheat bread and the good fats of extra virgin olive oil, gives energy constantly without spikes in blood sugar, without weighing too much on the line and on health", says nutritionist Valentina Schirò.

For lunch with rocket and onion

"Vegetable and vegetable fibers slow down the absorption of fats and sugars present in cheese. They act positively on cholesterol, of which they are particularly rich, promoting the increase in the levels of "good" HDL ", says nutritionist Valentina Schirò. "In addition, plants provide useful nutrients to reduce absorption and eliminate waste substances released during meal digestion. To enhance their benefits, just add an onion, raw or cooked, to the vegetable dish, which has an excellent diuretic action. "

Snack with walnuts

A square of seasoned cheese combined with 2 or 3 kernels of walnuts is the ideal snack to recharge your energy and counteract tiredness in particularly intense periods. "The carbohydrates and proteins of the cheese, associated with the good Omega 3 and Omega 6 fats from walnuts, slow down the digestion of sugars and keep insulin secretion under control, giving satiety. Cheese is also a good source of B complex vitamins. In particular, it provides vitamin B12, useful for the proper functioning of energy metabolism. The magnesium present in abundance in walnuts, on the other hand, helps to counteract the action of sodium with which cheeses are particularly rich, in particular seasoned cheeses, facilitating the correct blood circulation ".

Dinner with lettuce and avocado

Seasoned cheeses should be avoided at dinner especially if you have difficulty falling asleep. "They contain tyramine, a substance that promotes insomnia, which over time facilitates weight gain. They are also particularly rich in sodium which stimulates thirst and promotes awakening during the night . To counterbalance the "exciting" effect and facilitate rest if you cannot avoid it in the evening, the ideal "is to prefer fresh ones with a lower fat content that give satiety without weighing it down excessively". The combination to try? Ricotta with avocado and lettuce. It facilitates rest and helps to keep away from the accumulation of extra pounds. "The tyrosine and tryptophan of which it is rich, combined with the essential fatty acids of avocado, stimulate the production of sleep hormones including melatonin. Lactucin and minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium, present in lettuce, relax and promote rest, "concludes nutritionist Valentina Schirò.