Berries Make for Weight Loss Friendly Snacks or Sides

Minimally processed whole foods, such as grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, lean sources of protein and plant oils can help to prevent weight gain and delay the onset of chronic diseases. Unfortunately, whether you are underweight, overweight or obese, you likely have a higher risk of developing certain health problems and weight-related diseases. Keeping a healthy weight can help control your cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar to prevent heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.

Avoid Creating a Fruit Sugar Bomb

All fruit smoothies are not created the same, so don't be misled. Although it is possible to lose weight consuming fruit smoothies regularly, you have to be mindful of the type of fruit used and avoid creating a sugar bomb. As a nutrient dense food, fruit is generally low in calories but high in nutrients and vitamins. Fruits are also high in antioxidants that help to protect your body from oxidative stress and may lower the risk of certain chronic medical conditions.

Limiting carbohydrate intake is a common target for dieters following a low-carb menu plan. Nonetheless, it is easy to consume extra grams of carbohydrates from fruit alone, so remember to count the each fruit's caloric values. Fruit is incredibly nutrient-dense, contains healthy fiber and is a natural source of water. Nonetheless, it is important to stick to whole fruits instead of fruit juices and dried fruit that have been processed, as these are generally not healthy options.

Our Food Choices Are Shaped by Today's Environment

When managing your weight loss, it’s a good idea to keep track of your weight so you can plan accordingly and routinely adjust your diet. This way, if you do get off track and even gain a few pounds, you can quickly get back on track. Although the contribution of a single dietary change to weight control may be hard to measure, together the changes can add up and have a significant effect on a community. Meaning it is important to keep in mind that food choices are indeed shaped by the environment that makes foods more accessible or decrease the availability of less healthy food items.