Los Angeles, April 21 (IANS): Soaring temperatures make people lazy, so it's time to make some dietary changes to stay fit during summer. Experts suggest that adding selective fruits and vegetables to everyday diet can show up great results.
Laurence Beeken, food information executive at Weight Loss Resources, enlists some seasonal superfoods that can do wonders if taken religiously throughout spring and summer, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
* Strawberries: Strawberries are packed full of health benefits. Compared to other fruits such as apples and bananas, strawberries have more nutrients, and are known to burn stores fat (the anthocyanins stimulate the burning of stored fat), and are good for weight loss.
* Spring onions: Spring onions contain allicin, which may keep you from overeating by stimulating satiety in the brain. Spring onion has a milder, sweeter taste than the dried white bulbs you buy later in the season. Enjoy it diced on a salad for a fat-fighting side or lunch.
* Asparagus: One of the first foods that signals the start of spring is the appearance of fresh asparagus at local farmers’ markets. Asparagus is a good source of fibre and protein, both essential for good digestion and immunity. It also contains a unique carb called inulin, which remains undigested until it raches the large intestine, where it helps to absorb nutrients better.
* Fennel: Most often associated with Italian cooking, be sure to add fennel to your selection of fresh vegetables in early spring when it is readily available and at its best. Just an ounce of the bulb in your salads adds a gram of fibre for only nine calories. Fennel bulb is also a very good source of vitamin C, folate and potassium.
* Lettuce: Lettuce has been called ‘the perfect weight loss food’ because it contains fibre and cellulose. Besides filling up, fibre improves your digestion. Improving your digestion is important for long-term weight control. Fibre also helps remove bile salts from the body. When the body replaces these salts it breaks down cholesterol to do so.
* Broccoli: Love it or hate it, broccoli is great for you! It is known as a smart carb and is high in fibre, which aids digestion, prevents constipation, maintains low blood sugar, and curbs overeating. Furthermore, a cup broccoli has as much protein as a cup of rice or corn with half the calories.