Diet foods: what you can eat on a diet, lists of foods you can eat when losing weight to keep your body healthy

The modern meat industry is developed throughout the world and is gaining momentum every year. In contrast, vegetarianism is being popularized, which calls for refusing to kill and eat our little brothers and switching to plant foods. Each side has its own arguments about how healthy and harmful meat is for the human body. For argumentation, more and more new studies in this field are constantly being brought in and disputed, but neither doctors, nor nutritionists, nor ordinary people can come to a consensus.

Against the backdrop of all these disagreements, people who want to get rid of excess weight want to know whether it is still possible to eat meat while losing weight and, if so, which one to give preference to.

Benefit

Any meat (both red and white) is good for health, as it is a source of:

• Squirrel. Animal protein contains all the essential amino acids for the human body. This means that if you include it in your diet, it will help build beautiful, sculpted muscles and prevent their breakdown.
• Vitamin B12. Without it, the risk of developing a severe form of anemia increases several times.
• Gland. There is especially a lot of it in red varieties and offal.
• Vitamins A, E, D. They are fat-soluble, so they are perfectly absorbed when eating meat products.
• Phosphorus. It is part of human DNA and cell membranes; without its participation, not a single biochemical reaction occurs in the body.

At the same time, it cannot be said that this is an irreplaceable source of animal protein and vitamin B12. These nutrients are also found in other foods. Therefore, when losing weight, it is quite possible to give up meat and replace it with them.

Beneficial properties also include:

• improvement of mental abilities and memory;
• generation of additional energy;
• calming effect on the nervous system;
• choleretic effect, normalizing liver function;
• prevention of anemia and vitamin deficiencies;
• strengthening the muscle frame.

Meat, due to its taste and nutritional value, contributes to the production of joy hormones, which are usually so lacking during weight loss. Its use reduces the risk of failure when following even the most strict diets.

Harm

If you decide to lose weight with meat products, you should know what harm they can cause to the body. However, do not forget that all the arguments below are only hypothetical and require more thorough scientific confirmation.

Increased protein consumption can provoke poisoning by its breakdown products and cause intoxication of the body. Animal fat is difficult to process and settles on the walls of blood vessels in the form of atherosclerotic plaques. During the digestion of red varieties, uric acid is formed, which contributes to the development of arthritis and arthrosis.

The meat supposedly contains thyroid and sex hormones, which are used in animal husbandry to accelerate the growth of livestock. Once in the human body, they disrupt hormonal levels, which is fraught with serious health problems. Considering that this is one of the main causes of excess weight, including this product in your diet is not the best solution.

To prevent animals from getting sick due to poor conditions, they are given antibiotics, which can then be contained in meat products. For human health, their harm is that they kill the immune system, and against the background of any weight loss, the body is already weakened. The result is a deterioration in health and an increased risk of various viral and infectious diseases.

Recently, data from various studies have been constantly published indicating that red meat is a real killer, as it causes such deadly diseases as:

• cancer (due to carcinogens formed in it during frying);
• heart pathology (due to high cholesterol);
• Alzheimer's disease (due to the amino acid homocysteine, released during the breakdown of animal proteins).

In this regard, many nutritionists and doctors recommend giving up meat products altogether. And not only while losing weight, but for the rest of your life.

But! Carcinogens are formed when fish is fried too. So it’s enough to just abandon this cooking method. And homocysteine ​​is found in all products of animal origin (eggs, milk, fish).

There is also an opinion that meat disrupts the intestinal microflora due to infection with parasites and the proliferation of putrefactive bacteria. And with a diseased digestive tract, healthy weight loss is impossible.

What can you eat while on a diet?

In order to answer the most important question, what can you eat on a diet, you need to understand what the optimal diet for weight loss is. The only diet that will help you lose weight effectively and safely is a balanced diet. If your weight is significantly higher than normal, you can reduce portions and increase physical activity, but in no case give up a certain food group. Any diet based on the rejection of carbohydrates, proteins or fats is definitely harmful to health.

Since proper nutrition must include meat, dairy products, grains, vegetables, fruits, it is necessary to create a diet based on this. If you want to lose weight, it is advisable to choose dietary products with minimal calorie content.

As for meat products, you can safely eat skinless chicken fillet, rabbit, veal and beef, turkey, lean lamb, you can even afford lean pork. You should avoid fatty duck, goose, and pork; you should also avoid eating offal and any smoked meats. It is better to limit the consumption of any sausages. Meat must be cooked correctly: boiled or baked, but under no circumstances fried. This rule applies to any other products.

Most often, when asked what can be eaten on a diet, the answer is that vegetables can be eaten without restrictions. But you need to remember that not all vegetables will help you lose weight - fried potatoes or french fries, chips, pickles, vegetables in high-calorie meat salads will not make you slim at all.

It is best to eat a variety of raw vegetables, such as cucumbers, tomatoes, dill, cabbage, celery, and onions. You can also eat boiled vegetables, for example, zucchini, beets, cabbage, and sometimes you can even indulge in some potatoes. It is fashionable to prepare salads from vegetables for appetizers or main courses, for example, stews or baked vegetables.

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People often ask whether it is possible to eat bread while on a diet. Indeed, there are restrictions: you should give up white bread, buns and similar baked goods. It is better to give preference to wholemeal bread with bran or rye bread. If you doubt whether you can eat a certain type of bread while on a diet, it is better to give it up altogether.

Questions also often arise about whether it is possible to eat porridge on a diet. Most cereals are low-calorie dishes, and if you simply prepare them with water, you can eat them with virtually no restrictions. There are even diets based on the consumption of porridge, so the question of whether it is possible to eat porridge on a diet is, at a minimum, inappropriate. But you can only eat porridge with water. If you cook sweet porridge with milk or spicy porridge with fatty broth, this completely changes the situation; the consumption of such porridges must be limited.

What can you eat on a diet if you want something tasty? Many people think that dieting is a dull undertaking, but in fact, diet meals can be delicious. You can prepare many dishes from vegetables, meat, fish, milk and fruits. A variety of fruit salads will decorate any table, but you should refrain from grapes and bananas.

Maintaining your figure in perfect condition is quite difficult for many, especially for those with a sweet tooth. The mere thought that with proper nutrition it will be necessary to give up all sweets leads to the fact that all thoughts about a diet fail.

In fact, there is no need to give up sweets with proper nutrition, you just need to find a replacement for your favorite “sweeteners” in order not only to enjoy the taste, but also to receive, firstly, variety in your diet, and secondly, a lot of useful substances necessary for the normal functioning of the body.

Here is a list of the very products that can replace sweets, without compromising the avid sweet tooth.

Honey. Honey is the most important sugar substitute. By purchasing a couple of jars of this unique product, you can easily completely stop eating sugar.

In addition to its pleasant taste, honey has a whole storehouse of useful and unique vitamins and minerals. It's surprising that 20 grams (2 tablespoons) of such a sweet product contains only 70 kcal. This is exactly the amount that the human body needs to normalize metabolism, accelerate cell regeneration and simply lift your spirits.

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Fruits. All types of fruits are also worthy sugar substitutes, as they contain natural healthy sugars and a huge range of vitamins. Some of them not only fit perfectly into the diet menu, but also have a fat-burning effect on the body (pineapple and grapefruit). However, fruits such as banana and grapes should be consumed in very limited quantities as they contain large amounts of sugar.

An important nuance in proper nutrition is that fruits must be consumed before lunch, and it is permissible to either eat them in their pure form or, for variety, make fruit mixes, seasoning them with natural low-fat yogurt. Some fruits, such as apples or pears, can be baked in the oven with cottage cheese and nuts. And by adding a little honey you can get a wonderful sweet, but at the same time healthy dessert.

Dried fruits and nuts. Dried fruits and nuts are essential products in a healthy diet. Thanks to them, any, even the most bland dish, will be filled with a pleasant sweet taste and help maintain a feeling of fullness for a long time. In addition, dried fruits are a real “broom” for the intestines, as they contain a large amount of fiber.

They can be added to various cereals, made into PP candies by chopping several of your favorite types of dried fruits and nuts and rolling them in carob (natural sweet powder made from the pulp of carob fruits) - an excellent substitute for cocoa powder. Despite the fact that nuts and dried fruits contain a whole storehouse of useful substances, you should consume no more than 20-30 g of them per day, since they are quite high in calories.

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Marmalade and marshmallows. There is no fat in these sweets, as they are made on the basis of pectin or agar-agar, due to which they have a number of useful properties: they reduce cholesterol levels in the blood, normalize the metabolic process, and help improve immunity.

Just like with dried fruits, you need to be careful with these healthy sweets, especially for people on a diet. Despite all their usefulness, their consumption should vary from 50 to 70 g every few days, due to the high calorie content of these products.

Fruit pastille. Marshmallow is a wonderful substitute for many sweets, but only if it actually contains the ingredients required for it - applesauce and egg white. If you follow all the rules and regulations in its preparation, marshmallow can be consumed even with the most strict diet.

Black chocolate. All nutritionists allow the consumption of chocolate for any diet. However, chocolate should only be black with a cocoa content of no less than 72%. It is dark chocolate that contains a number of useful substances that help to have a positive effect on the nervous and cardiovascular systems, helps regulate blood pressure, especially with hypotension, and improves well-being and mood. When on a diet, the daily intake of chocolate should be no more than 20 g.

Ice cream. In hot weather, you always want to enjoy sweet, cold ice cream. If you want it, it means you can, especially since in order to digest and warm the ice cream, the body spends a lot of energy. But not every cold treat is suitable for a diet.

Ice cream covered with rice balls, cookies and chocolate is not suitable for a diet, but fruit ice cream made from natural berries or bananas, with the addition of low-fat cream or milk, can be quite refreshing in hot weather, while replenishing the body with healthy vitamins.

Bran, oat flakes, fiber

This composition can easily replace any baked goods, since it contains complex carbohydrates, which means it does not increase blood sugar levels and maintains a feeling of fullness for a long time, while filling the body with useful substances.

The norm for consuming baked goods from these products should be about 150 g. In addition, there are basic rules for baking while on a diet:

• Use no oil at all, or use a small amount of coconut or olive oil. To do this you need to use silicone molds.

• Fermented milk products must be used with a small percentage of fat content - up to 15%

• Replace sugar with natural sweeteners or honey

Permitted varieties

Some varieties are considered dietary. The lowest-calorie ones, which contain a minimum of fat and a maximum of protein, fall into this category. To make it easier to create a diet, let’s consider what kind of meat you can eat when losing weight and not harm your health or figure:

• soy;
• crab;
• chicken;
• turkeys;
• veal;
• beef.

Soy meat

Produced from defatted soy flour by processing soybeans. It is a substitute for animal meat for vegetarians.

Calorie content: 296 kcal in dry form and only 100 kcal in ready-made form.

Benefit:

• contains many vitamins and microelements, which is useful for weight loss, in which their deficiency is usually detected;
• rich in lecithin, which dissolves atherosclerotic plaques;
• provides the body with vegetable protein, which is easier to digest than animal protein;
• low calorie content.

Harm:

• contains isoflavones, which reduce the synthesis of thyroid hormones, which causes excess weight and does not contribute to weight loss;
• contains oxalates, which can lead to kidney stones;
• reduces intellectual abilities.

Conclusion: soy meat is one of the lowest in calories, so it will fit into the nutritional system of any diet for weight loss. But there is a risk that the product will be made from GMO soybeans with all the ensuing consequences.

Crab

Conventionally, we classify crab meat into this food category. Conditionally, because it fits more organically with seafood.

Calorie content: 75 kcal.

Benefit:

• low calorie content;
• high protein content;
• is a source of energy and is not stored as fat in reserve;
• the taurine it contains improves brain function, normalizes metabolism, strengthens the walls of blood vessels;
• accelerates blood flow;
• tones muscles, so is perfect for losing weight during active sports;
• unsaturated fatty acids omega-3 and -6 cleanse the blood of harmful cholesterol;
• B vitamins have a positive effect on the functioning of the digestive and nervous systems.

Harm:

• may contain heavy metals, toxins, and salts of radioactive elements in high concentrations;
• can create a deficiency of nutrients due to the fact that it quickly saturates and discourages the desire to eat something else;
• belongs to the group of allergenic products.

Conclusion: when losing weight, be sure to include crab meat in your diet, but not more than 2 times a week. And keep in mind that a high-quality product is expensive and should be consumed as fresh as possible.

Chicken

Chicken (namely breast) is the best meat for weight loss, as it is a source of pure, easily digestible protein with virtually no fat. Entire diets and fasting days have been developed on its basis.

Calorie content: 190 kcal.

Benefit:

• prevents the splitting of muscle fibers when losing weight, allowing you to form a beautiful figure against the background of power loads;
• easy to digest;
• contains glutamine, which has a calming effect on the nervous system. This means it prevents compulsive overeating.

Harm:

• refers to allergenic products;
• increases the risk of contracting salmonellosis;
• Some parts of chicken are quite fatty and high in calories.

Conclusion: be sure to include chicken breast in your diet (cook without skin, fat and without salt) as the main source of pure animal protein.

Turkey

Many believe that turkey is an even healthier meat for weight loss than chicken, since it has less calories and fat.

Calorie content: 141 kcal.

Benefit:

• easy to digest;
• does not cause allergies;
• contains a lot of phosphorus and potassium;
• improves metabolic processes.

Harm: contains a lot of sodium and increases blood pressure, therefore it is contraindicated for hypertension.

Conclusion: it is recommended for weight loss for those who are overweight due to a slowdown in metabolic processes, and for those who suffer from allergies to other types of meat.

Veal

Calorie content: 196 kcal.

Benefit:

• good for digestion;
• easy to digest;
• after heat treatment retains most of the nutritional value;
• a valuable source of vitamins, amino acids and iron.

Harm: contains puric acids, which negatively affect the condition of joints and the immune system.

Conclusion: can be included in your diet when losing weight.

Beef

Calorie content: 187 kcal.

Benefit:

• rich in protein, vitamins and microelements;
• low-fat and low-calorie;
• strengthens bone tissue, tones muscles and promotes their growth.

Harm:

• contains a lot of cholesterol;
• a source of puric acids, which cause osteochondrosis, gout and suppress the immune system;
• contraindicated in old age.

Conclusion: suitable for young men who are losing weight due to intense exercise.

When losing weight, you can also eat kidneys, liver, and heart.

Which meat is healthier for humans: what can you eat while losing weight

It is believed that when it comes to mammals, then the undisputed leader in terms of minimum caloric intake is rabbit meat, and when it comes to poultry, chicken and turkey. Let's talk about each variety separately:

• Beef - its popularity is easy to explain: it contains many amino acids and nutrients necessary for our health, and it is also juicy and so appetizing. Eating beef allows you to reduce high acidity in the stomach and intestines, and also replenish your reserves of zinc, iron, and vitamins (B, E, H and PP). If you want to treat yourself to this meat, it is advisable to choose lean beef - the lowest in calories. Bake or steam it to preserve maximum nutrients, not to complicate the subsequent digestion of the prepared dish, and to take care of your figure. And don’t forget - everything is good in moderation. Likewise, beef should not be abused. In addition, the danger of the product presented on store shelves is the risk of raising cows in environmentally polluted areas, “feeding” them with antibiotics, etc.

• Rabbit meat - when it comes to what kind of meat is considered dietary, rabbit is invariably remembered. In terms of valuable protein content, it surpasses even chicken - 21%, and this variety is digested much better than the same beef - 90% instead of 60%. However, there is still more fat in rabbit meat than in chicken breast. Still, this meat is considered one of the healthiest - it contains little cholesterol that is harmful to us and a lot of unsaturated Omega-3 fatty acids. Only the lazy have not heard about their beneficial effects on the body - they prevent early aging of the brain, maintain healthy bones and joints, prevent the development of cancer and reduce the risk of heart attack. In a word, rabbit meat is a wonderful option for those who want to get the necessary protein, vitamins and microelements without worrying about their figure. Another advantage of this product is that it is hypoallergenic and has no contraindications.

Prohibited or undesirable varieties

There are also varieties that are best avoided for weight loss because of their fat content and high calorie content:

• pork;
• mutton;
• duck;
• goose.

Pork

Calorie content: 259 kcal.

Harm:

• causes allergies;
• increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases;
• contains a lot of cholesterol;
• is considered “dirty” meat, since many impurities are found in it (toxins, the same hormones, antibiotics);
• poorly absorbed, complicates digestion.

Mutton

Calorie content: 209 kcal.

Harm:

• difficult to digest, clogs the intestines, impairs digestion;
• disrupts the functioning of the liver and gall bladder;
• promotes the development of arthritis.

Duck

Calorie content: 250 kcal.

Harm:

• helps increase cholesterol levels;
• hard fibers are difficult to digest and clog the gastrointestinal tract;
• contraindicated for obesity, diabetes, problems with the thyroid gland, digestion, and liver;
• may cause allergies.

Goose

Calorie content: 412 kcal.

Harm:

• disrupts the functioning of the stomach;
• slows down metabolism;
• may cause helminthiasis;
• Contraindicated for obesity, atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus and pancreatic pathologies.

It is also not recommended to consume meat products when losing weight: sausages, frankfurters, ham, bacon, lard, etc. All of them are high in calories, high in fat, and also (most often) in the presence of harmful food additives (flavor enhancers, flavorings, preservatives ).

Additional recommendations

When is the best time to eat?

At any main meal. It is better to eat veal and beef for lunch, chicken and turkey for dinner. Considering the long digestion of meat in the stomach, you should not eat it at night. This will contribute to the storage of fat, slow down weight loss and can cause intestinal disorders.

What's the best way to cook?

1. Choose the leanest part (in poultry, for example, this is the breast).
2. Rinse.
3. Remove the skin and subcutaneous layers of fat.
4. Boil in unsalted water - this is an ideal cooking option for weight loss.
5. Baked, steamed and stewed are also allowed.

What is compatible with?

• Leafy greens: lettuce, spinach, sorrel, parsley, cilantro, dill, basil;
• vegetables: avocado, white and cauliflower, green peppers, cucumbers, celery.

Is it possible to give it up completely?

If you decide to combine giving up meat and losing weight, you will have to carefully work on what to replace it with so that the body does not feel a deficiency of the essential nutrients of which it is a source:

• nuts, legumes and grains are plant sources of protein;
• eggs and dairy products are animal sources of protein, vitamins A and E;
• sprouted wheat, bran, buckwheat, corn contain B12;
• vegetables, fruits, nuts, herbs, cereals are rich in iron;
• replacing meat with fish will compensate for the deficiency of phosphorus, protein, vitamins A and E;
• dark green, red and yellow vegetables and fruits saturate the body with vitamins A and E;
• Some nuts (Brazil, pine, almonds) and seeds (sesame) contain a lot of phosphorus.

The only vitamin that is not found in any other food product is D, but to prevent its deficiency, frequent sun exposure is sufficient. In addition, vitamins and microelements, the main source of which is meat, can be replenished with dietary supplements, multivitamin complexes, and individual medications if you refuse it.

What meats and foods can be included in the diet?

Meat itself is a very filling product, and by eating a piece of lean meat simply with vegetables, without extra calories in the form of potatoes, pasta and cereals, you will satisfy your hunger for a long time and get rid of annoying thoughts about snacking. But we do not recommend keeping yourself on a protein diet for a very long time; 5 to 10 days are enough, otherwise you can harm your health.

If you follow a protein diet without consuming large amounts of carbohydrates (potatoes, pasta) and fats, then you can eat meat in large quantities, as well as vegetables, along with it, but after eating, refrain from drinking for about half an hour. Try to have dinner before eight o'clock in the evening.

In addition to vegetables, you can add seafood, eggs, green tea, still mineral water and natural coffee to your protein diet. You should definitely give up dairy and fermented milk products, sweet fruits, potatoes, sweet corn, bread, pasta and confectionery, carbonated and energy drinks, and definitely alcohol and beer.

You can resort to a short diet for three days, it is harsh and requires persistence:

• I only drink tea in the morning
• for lunch you can have meat or fish
• raw or boiled vegetables for dinner

You can also snack on vegetables. If it is difficult for you to last three days, reduce the course to two days.

Less severe option:

• in the morning you can have vegetables and meat
• between breakfast and lunch, eat an egg and a light vegetable salad
• for lunch, take meat and vegetables in any form
• For an afternoon snack, you can eat raw vegetables on their own or as a salad.
• for dinner, not a large piece of meat with vegetables

After a course of a protein diet, you can switch for a while, for example, to a vegetable or dairy diet, it does not have to be strict.

What kind of meat do you prefer?

Red Birds

Recipes

To lose weight, choose the lowest-calorie, dietary meat dishes. You can take several recipes as a basis.

• Chicken stewed with tomatoes

Cut 200 g of skinned chicken breast into portions. Blanch 100 g of tomatoes and blend in a blender. Grind 1 small onion, pass 1 medium-sized carrot through a grater. Place the chicken pieces in a thick-walled pan first, then the tomato puree, carrots and onions. Add salt and pepper. Pour in 300 ml of hot water. Simmer over low heat until done.

• Turkey salad

Boil 300 g of turkey breast (without salt and skin). Cool, put into straws. Roughly chop 2 tomatoes and 2 (yellow and red) bell peppers. Cut 75 g feta cheese into small cubes. Mix all ingredients, season with 1 tbsp. l. olive oil.

• Veal in the oven

Crush 5 g of black pepper and ground chili, 15 g of thyme in one mortar. Cut 1 kg of fresh veal into portions, rinse, dry, and roll in prepared spices. Mix 20 g of melted honey, 100 ml of natural cherry juice and 50 ml of vintage cognac. Dip the meat into this marinade and cover with a lid. Keep at room temperature for 1 hour, in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Pour the marinade into a special baking sleeve, put some grated carrots there, and place pieces of marinated veal on top. Bake at 170°C for an hour.