We could all be forgiven for thinking, that when it comes to weight loss, we need to simply stop eating certain foods, and either carry on or take up eating certain other foods (and exercising consistently, obviously). But things, as is usual in life, aren’t always that simple. 

Are there foods that are better for weight loss than others? Well, it turns out, this isn’t a trick question, because actually, there are! And it isn’t necessarily just low calorie foods that taste of nothing and leave us hungry after half an hour (plain lettuce leaves, we’re looking at you). 

We know a lot of our amazing community are curious as to what foods are best for weight loss, so we thought we’d dedicate a whole article to explaining what these foods are and why. So get your shopping list at the ready, you’re about to go on an educational food journey! 

Lean protein, minus the fat

Protein is a macronutrient that provides us with energy. 1g of protein provides 4 calories, 1g of carbohydrate also provides 4 calories. The third macronutrient is fat, and that provides 9 calories per gram. 

So we can see that of all the energy giving foods, if we’re trying to lose weight, then we’re better off eating protein or carbs vs gram for gram fats, as there’s fewer calories. 

But what’s the difference between carbs and proteins? Are their calories equal? No, and it’s all in how they’re broken down. Carbohydrates are broken down into sugars, and as much as we need some sugar in our diet, in order to maintain energy levels and stay fuller for longer, proteins are better as they don’t cause blood sugar spikes and crashes. They’re broken down into amino acids that the body uses for energy and for creating other proteins such as those in muscle fibres. 

Meat is a protein rich food, but red meat also contains saturated fat. So a better option is lean chicken or poultry, and fish. Eggs are also a great protein source and if you’re vegan, then opt for plenty of chickpeas, lentils, tofu, nuts and seeds that are all protein rich and low in fat.