10 Super Foods for Weight Loss

Losing weight by cutting back on the calories you consume doesn't just mean eating less food. It means eating better foods (ie., foods that are high in fiber and low in fat). Here are 10 super foods for weight loss.

Oatmeal

Oatmeal, particularly the kind made with whole grains or that's steel-cut or rolled, fills you up and digests slowly, causing you to eat less food down the road. A bowl of oatmeal in the morning has between 130 and 180 calories, and will most likely keep you full until lunchtime. It's also got a high fiber count--up to 5 grams per serving. Fiber pulls fat through the digestive tract and prevents some of the fat you consume from being absorbed.

Salmon

Salmon meat contains lots of omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids improve insulin sensitivity and thus help build muscle and decrease belly fat.

Blueberries

Blueberries have more antioxidants than any other commonly consumed fruit, according to the USDA Agriculture Research Service in Little Rock, Ark. They also are high in fiber, averaging 3.6 grams per cup.

Yogurt

With plenty of carbohydrates, protein and fat, yogurt can keep blood sugar levels steady and prevent hunger. According to Self magazine, a study from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville found people on a low-calorie diet that included yogurt lost 61 percent more fat overall and 81 percent more belly fat than those on a similar plan but without yogurt.

Broccoli

Broccoli is a green vegetable that can be difficult to digest. In fact, you burn more calories digesting broccoli than you take in when you eat it. According to the Negative Calorie Foods & Recipes website, a 25-calorie piece of broccoli requires about 80 calories to digest, "resulting in a net loss of 55 calories." Thus, the more brocolli you eat, the more weight you lose.

Lentils

High in protein and soluble fiber, lentils are another wonder food that can help you lose weight. The combination of these two nutrients stabilizes blood sugar levels, preventing insulin spikes that can induce the body to create more fat.

Buckwheat Pasta

This one's a winner on two fronts: Buckwheat pasta has lots of carbohydrates for energy, but unlike most carbohydrates it's also high in protein and fiber. As a result, it fills you up faster and stabilizes your blood sugar levels.

Quinoa

This whole grain also is packed full of protein and fiber, even more than most grains--5.2 grams per cup. It's a good substitute for rice.

Pomegranates

Pomegranate seeds are full of folate and antioxidants. They're also low in calories and high in fiber. Eating pomegranates is a great way to satisfy craving for sweets.

Chilis

Spicing up your meals with chili can also crank up your metabolism. Chilis contain a compound called capsaicin, which causes the body to burn additional calories for 20 minutes after the chilis are eaten. Chilis--and all spicy foods, for that matter--have another dietary impact: They can't be gulped down. And eating slowly gives the brain time to realize the stomach is full, reducing the risk of overeating.