Food is exciting, and even if you’re trying to be healthy, lose weight, or follow a particular type of diet, that doesn’t mean you have to let your meal plans get dull and boring. So often we just stick to the routine, preparing the same (or similar) meals with similar ingredients week after week.
There are so many interesting and unique foods around the world, and most of them are now available in local markets, so why not take advantage of these hidden low-fat wonders to bring a little variety and international flavor to your cooking? You definitely won’t regret it.
Wheat-berry
People can’t seem to stop talking about whole grains, both for weight loss and for your health. A new study published in the BMJ just found people who eat more whole grains live longer, and the American Heart Association has been recommending them for years for their heart healthy benefits. And, since they’re packed with fiber and nutrients, they are the perfect, filling addition to low-fat diets.
Although the name may sound foreign, quite simply, wheat berries are unprocessed wheat, which means they contain the bran, germ, and endosperm, and lots of fiber. You can cook them to add to stir fries or salads, or even bake them into bread. Inshort increase intake of high fiber diet.
Kimchi
If you like Korean food you may have tried this food before. Usually made from fermented cabbage, radishes, scallions, ginger, garlic, hot pepper, and fish sauce. Aside from the spicy and bitter flavor, and the low-fat draw, kimchi has many other health benefits. According to an article in the Journal of Medicinal Food, Kimchi is also a probiotic and ingredients like cabbage and garlic mean this food, taken as a whole can help prevent cancer, improve digestion, reduce cholesterol, and promote a healthy immunity.
You can buy kimchi or make your own. Pair it with rice, seafood, and meaty sandwiches.
{Must watch: 5 Best Diet Tips For Eating – Erin Stern}
Guanabana
This big, green, spikey-skinned, tropical fruit comes under many names, but it’s hard to mistake its soft white and deliciously juicy interior. Also known as Soursop, compared to other fruit, guanabana is slightly higher in calories but low in fat and packed with vitamins – just one cup contains 28 percent of your daily fiber and 77 percent of your daily vitamin C. Studies show its extracts can even help cure cancer. If you’re looking for a healthy dessert, guanabana’s sweet and tangy flesh might be a pleasant and addicting surprise.
Aloe Vera
You may have used aloe vera on your scrapes and burns, but did you know you can eat it, too? As you might imagine, this gel-filled succulent is low in fat and contains antioxidants vitamin A, C, and E as well as B-12, and tons of other minerals to keep you healthy and improve your skin from the inside out. But it does more than heal your skin.
To top it off, aloe is anti-inflammatory, so consuming it might help with joint pain, and studies show it can also help people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar levels.To prepare it, just peel off the top layer of skin and the thin yellow layer underneath until you’re left with a clear, gel-like substance. You can use it in recipes or make it into juice!
Plantains
They may look the same, but never confuse a plantain with bananas. They may come from the same family, but plantains are hard, and anything but sweet. In fact, in consistency and taste they’re more like potatoes than the soft fleshed banana they resemble. Even though you’ll need to cook or roast plantains, their health benefits are similar to other bananas – according to the USDA, one medium plantain has 25 percent of the potassium you need, 40 percent of vitamin A, 54 percent of vitamin C, and 25 percent of vitamin B-6. They also have a lot of fiber and other minerals, with only .7g of total fat per plantain.
Since they’re a bit like potatoes in their consistency and taste, you might be surprised to learn they have a low GI, meaning they won’t make your blood sugar spike the way potatoes tend to. Basically, they are a good food choice all around, and even a healthy substitute for potatoes.
Some people worry eating low-fat will leave them feeling hungry or unsatisfied, but it all depends what and how you eat. Filling up on protein and fiber while including healthy fruit-filled desserts is an easy way to cut cravings and satiate your sweet tooth. If you vary the foods you eat and keep your meals exciting, you’ll be even more successful at cutting down on unhealthy fats without using VivExilis, and ultimately, improve your overall health and wellbeing.
Evlin Symon
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