Is Pesto Sauce Really Weight-Loss Friendly?

Green teas are believed to have significant health benefits when it comes to losing weight and ongoing weight management. Although caffeine is an obvious active ingredient, green tea is loaded with powerful antioxidants called catechins that work with caffeine to enhance fat burning and help you lose weight. Just as the right spices and condiments can support weight loss, studies have shown that added sugar is one of the worst ingredients for losing weight and most of us consume too much. Many of the foods labeled as healthy are actually loaded with refined or processed sugars.

Pesto Adds a Ton of Nutrients and Flavor to Food

Pesto is a delicious sauce often made from basil, olive oil, garlic, parmesan cheese and pine nuts. All of these ingredients have health benefits and the reason this topping is considered healthy is that the fat source is unsaturated. Traditional pesto sauce is a combination of olive oil, pine nuts, fresh basil, garlic and Parmesan cheese and it can be a healthy addition to most menu plans. Even though pesto is rather high in calories and fat, this tasty sauce offers a wealth of nutrients and flavor that many others lack.

With so much emphasis placed on the foods you eat, it is easy to overlook the importance of the condiments and sauces used to flavor your meals. It is entirely possible for a single salad with ranch dressing to take up more than half of your recommended calories for the day. Although there are reduced sodium versions, soy sauce is loaded with salt. Moreover, the tiny soy bean is the most genetically-modified crop in the world with over 90% of the soy bean produced in the United States being GMO versions. So, replace your bottle of soy sauce with an organic or fermented version.

Sugary Beverages Are a Major Source of Empty Calories

Sugar-sweetened beverages can provide a significant number of empty calories that do not result in the same sense of fullness as solid foods. Consuming too many liquid calories can lead to feelings of hunger. Coffee beans are loaded with antioxidants and can be seasoned or flavored with ingredients that can deliver numerous weight loss benefits like increased fat burning. So, spice-up your drink along with your food to satisfy the inner you. Make sure that when you creating an innovative drink or food that contains important nutrients and flavor profiles that you avoid adding a bunch of sugar or other high-calorie ingredients that could completely negate any benefits.