Weight loss occurs when you consume fewer calories than the calories you burn up. Hence, a combination of diet and exercise is necessary for weight loss. So, we have compiled the best foods for weight loss that both vegetarians and non-vegetarians can try.

Check them out below

Vegetarian food is among the best foods for weight loss. It is high in plant protein and fiber, which helps you feel full for longer. As a result, vegetarian food items prevent unhealthy snacking and help relieve constipation. Moreover, foods high in protein take more time to digest and keep you satiated for longer.

Further, certain vegetarian foods are a good source of monounsaturated fats, vitamins, and minerals, such as these:

1. Almonds

Nuts, such as almonds, are rich in protein and fibre. Protein helps you feel full for longer, while fibre helps eliminate waste from the body. Moreover, almonds are suitable for lactose intolerant and glucose-intolerant persons. Further, nuts like almonds contain monounsaturated fats and proteins, which help maintain a steady blood sugar level.

2. Amaranth

Amaranth or ram dana is among the top foods for weight loss. A superfood, amaranth, is rich in minerals, such as calcium, iron, phosphorus, and manganese. Moreover, these gluten-free grains are an excellent source of plant proteins.

3. Avocado

Avocados are full of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Additionally, it is high in fibre, which aids in weight loss. Avocados also contain 20 different vitamins and minerals that enhance your health. Further, avocados are packed with good fats, which helps your body absorb nutrients without increasing LDL levels.

4. Broccoli

Broccoli is loaded with many important nutrients, such as vitamins C and K, protein, and fibres. All these nutrients are essential for weight loss. In addition, broccoli is a good carb. Further, it is high in fibre, which aids in the following:

• Digestion
• Preventing Constipation
• Maintaining Low Blood Sugar

Moreover, the high fibre content of broccoli makes it extremely effective for weight loss.

5. Chickpeas

Chickpeas are among the best foods for weight loss as they are high in protein. In fact, half a cup of chickpeas has about 7 grams of protein. In addition, chickpeas have a high fibre content, 6 grams of fibre per half-cup, to be precise.

6. Lentils

Lentils are rich in protein, fibre, good carbs, and vitamins. A cup of cooked lentils has about 18 grams of protein. Moreover, lentils contain slow carbs, folate, manganese, and iron. It is also a good source of fibre.

7. Paneer

High in proteins, paneer is recommended for weight loss as it reduces one’s appetite and helps him/her burn belly fat. Moreover, it is slowly digested by the body, which keeps an individual feeling full for longer.

Paneer also contains essential minerals such as iron, magnesium, and calcium. In addition, it is a great food item for weight loss as it contains a low amount of calories.

8. Quinoa

The best food for weight loss in the grain section is quinoa. It is a good source of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, monounsaturated fats, and antioxidants. Moreover, it reduces the level of unhealthy cholesterol.

9. Spinach

A Swedish university found that spinach was effective in curbing cravings by 95%. In addition, it helps to accelerate weight loss by 43%. The weight loss is attributed to the fact that spinach contains thylakoids that help to speed up weight loss. In addition, one cup of spinach contains only 7 grams of calories.

10. Sprouts

Sprouts are a protein-rich food that is recommended for weight loss. Moreover, sprouts contain few calories and are an excellent source of fibre. Hence, sprouts help you feel fuller and reduce your appetite. They also promote good digestion and ease constipation.

Despite the popular belief that meat helps you put on weight, certain meats are good for weight loss as they are a source of protein. So, here are some meats that you can include in your diet:

1. Chicken

Chicken is high in protein as it contains around 19 grams per 3 ounces. Moreover, chicken meat has lower calories per ounce. Further, one can consume the leanest part of this meat, which is the chicken breasts.

2. Lean Beef

Meat from grass-fed cows has high-quality proteins and amino acids. As a result, grass-fed beef is naturally leaner with fewer calories. Beef has around 25 grams of protein in 100 grams of meat. 

Further, the meat contains omega-3 fatty acids. Some of the leanest cuts of beef are sirloin, top round, brisket flat-half, flank steak.

3. Pheasant

Among the best foods for weight loss ranks pheasant for its high quantity of protein. This is because 78% of the calories from pheasants are from proteins, not fats. Hence, to feel significantly fuller for a longer time and prevent unhealthy snacking, you can switch to pheasant.

4. Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloin has 26.9 grams of protein in a serving of 100 grams. Moreover, it also contains unsaturated fats and oleic acid. Further, research published in “Nutrients” showed that a diet rich in lean pork also reduced weight, BMI, belly fat, etc.

5. Rabbit

Rabbit is rich in protein and contains approximately 33 grams of this nutrient in 100 grams. Additionally, it contains just 147 calories, making it among the leanest meats available. Therefore, it helps one build muscle and lose unhealthy fats.

6. Salmon

Salmon is very healthy and keeps you full for hours at a stretch. It is also loaded with proteins, fats (omega-3 fatty acids), and nutrients. It also has a significant amount of iodine needed for the proper functioning of the thyroid glands.

7. Tuna

Tuna contains around 19.44 grams of protein per 100 grams. Therefore, tuna is a high protein, low-calorie, non-vegetarian option, thereby making it extremely beneficial for weight loss.

8. Venison

Venison counts among the best foods for weight loss due to its high protein content. With about 35 grams of protein per 100 grams of deer meat, this is useful for weight loss.

9. White-fleshed Fish

White-fleshed fish include cod, plaice, pollock, haddock, flounder, halibut, talbot, tilapia, bream, mullet, etc. They have around 10-25% more omega fats than darker coloured fish. Therefore, these fish are a good non-vegetarian option for weight loss.

10. Eggs

As you may already know, eggs are high in proteins. Additionally, they have a lesser number of calories. As a result, they boost your metabolism, which can aid in weight loss.

Below are the different categories of foods for weight loss:

Low-calorie Food

Low-calorie foods for weight loss have to perform the added function of keeping you full for longer so that you do not reach out for unhealthy tidbits. Examples of food items in this category are oats, greek yoghurt, berries, eggs, fish, chia seeds, paneer, lean meat, potatoes, etc.

Fibre Foods for Weight Loss

Fibrous foods take a longer time to digest and keep you feeling full for more time. Moreover, they also help to relieve constipation, thereby enhancing your gut health. For example, food items like beans, broccoli, berries, avocado, whole grains, apples, dried fruits, etc., are highly fibrous.

Low-carb Foods

Low-carb foods for weight loss are necessary because they limit carbohydrate intake. Besides, consuming less carbohydrates ensures that your body has enough of this nutrient to function, and the excess is not stored as fats. Hence, consider consuming fish, eggs, lean meats, cauliflower, broccoli, nuts, and seeds, which are popular low-carb food items.

Vegan Foods

Vegan foods are beneficial for weight loss as they lower one’s intake of high-calorie food. You can check out the best vegan food for weight loss at the beginning of this article. For instance, as a vegan, you can consume the following:

• Almonds
• Amaranth 
• Avocado
• Broccoli
• Chickpeas
• Lentils
• Quinoa
• Spinach
• Sprouts
• Kale

Metabolism Boosting Foods for Weight Loss

Metabolism is the process by which an individual’s body converts food into energy. One can think of it as the number of calories that the body burns.  Here, the more calories an individual burns, the easier it is to reduce weight and maintain the same.

So, in order to boost your metabolism, you can include protein-rich foods, chilli peppers, mineral-rich foods, beans, and legumes in your diet.

The foods to avoid for weight loss are refined foods, processed foods, sugary drinks, white bread, and candy bars. In a nutshell, it is wise to avoid any source of simple sugars if you are trying to shed some kilos.

To sum up, this article listed the best foods for weight loss for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Moreover, you should always choose nutritious food for weight loss due to its other added benefits for one’s eyes, skin, gut health, and emotional well-being.