Nutritionist's Choice: 10 Essential Spring Weight Loss Foods

What foods will help not only get rid of extra pounds, but also solve the problem of vitamin deficiency in the spring? Nutritionist Elena Golubnichaya has compiled a list of foods that must be present in your diet at this time of year.

Elena Golubnichaya (@elena_dietolog)

Certified Nutritionist

In the spring, hypovitaminosis and decreased immunity are considered the most common problems. Such states are manifested by weakness, increased fatigue, irritability, headaches and dizziness, as well as frequent respiratory diseases. A balanced diet and healthy foods rich in nutrients, vitamins, minerals and plant fibers will help get rid of these problems. Such nutrition will not only strengthen the immune system, but also support the normal intestinal microflora and, in general, will cheer you up.

Meat and fish

In pursuit of an ideal figure at this time of year, you should not succumb to the fashion for vegetarian diets: at least three to four times a week, the female body needs meat (beef, veal, turkey, chicken) and animal products. Along with complete proteins, they contain fats and so-called extractives, which serve as powerful agents for the separation of digestive juices. Thanks to them, food is better absorbed, and the metabolism becomes balanced. Both meat and fish should be boiled or steamed, excluding frying in oil.

Greens

Many useful substances are also found in greens - dill, parsley, salad. They can be finely chopped and added to the main dish, but even with a short heat treatment, the greens retain their useful properties. Regular consumption of these products solves the problem of vitamin deficiency in spring, as well as helps to speed up metabolism and reduce blood cholesterol levels.

Radish

Radishes are ideal for early spring. First, it has a choleretic and decongestant effect. Secondly, the phytoncides included in its composition help to resist microbes and viruses. The introduction of the product into the diet in spring compensates for the lack of nutrients, which is important for the body during a period of vitamin deficiency. The vitamins in radishes strengthen the immune system.

And radish can also be called a product with a minus calorie content - 100 grams contains 15 kcal. This means that the body spends more energy on assimilation of the vegetable than the product itself provides. Therefore, I recommend including it in the diet if you want to lose weight: radish will give the body the necessary vitamins, but it will not affect weight gain in any way.

Ginger and lemon

Introduce tea with ginger and lemon into your diet - both ingredients are rich in vitamins and amino acids. Such a drink can not only help with colds, but also get rid of excess weight. In general, ginger and lemon are good for your mood and improve digestion. Ginger contains vitamins A and B, as well as acids and minerals. Ginger tea has a positive effect on the cardiovascular muscle - this is very important.

As for lemon, it has a beneficial effect on the entire body and, most importantly, contains vitamin C. That is why tea with lemon is used to treat colds. It is also indispensable for losing weight - the essential oils included in its composition accelerate the metabolism and help the body to get rid of extra pounds faster.

Green beans

The product is rich in sulfur and iron, due to which the body better resists various infections that affect the intestines, and resists other pathogens (cells are saturated with oxygen). If you regularly eat legumes in food, the body will be less susceptible to infection by the influenza virus.

Zinc contained in beans normalizes carbohydrate metabolism, and copper activates the process of hemoglobin formation. And green beans are also a source of non-heme iron, but for better assimilation, I recommend using it together with a source of vitamin C. You can pour lemon juice on the stewed beans or add red bell pepper to it.

Asparagus

Asparagus is perhaps the most spring vegetable. It is rich in a whole bunch of vitamins: A, B1, B2, B5, B6, B9, E, C, H and PP. Green asparagus is considered especially rich in vitamins. It contains zinc, calcium, phosphorus, iron and other trace elements, as well as selenium, which has powerful antioxidant and anticancer effects. Young shoots of asparagus can be boiled, stewed, fried, baked and used in various salads, soups and as a side dish.

Cabbage

In the spring, it is useful to use salads from any kind of cabbage - you can combine it with herbs, for example, and with carrots. Such salads make up for the lack of vitamin C. By the way, sauerkraut can also be an alternative to fresh cabbage.

It is good to alternate cabbage salads with vinaigrettes, or with grated radish - 150-200 grams of radish can satisfy a person's daily need for vitamin C. It is better to choose sunflower oil for dressing salads and vinaigrettes - it prevents the development of atherosclerosis.

Kefir

For the normal functioning of the intestinal microflora in the spring, it is recommended to add fermented milk products to the diet - in particular, kefir and yogurt. Their nutrients are easily absorbed by the body thanks to the lacto- and bifidobacteria that make up their composition. Kefir is often used for weight loss to get rid of accumulated toxins, and thanks to vitamin A, it is able to protect the lungs from spring viruses.

In addition, I recommend drinking vitamin and mineral complexes in the spring, which a doctor will individually help each one to choose. You should prepare your figure for the summer wisely - everyone wants to lose weight, but do not forget that spring restructuring greatly affects our body, so nutrition should be balanced.

That is why I am launching the spring slimness marathon from April 15 to May 31, in order to quickly prepare my figure for the long-awaited summer. You are waiting for: a detailed menu for every day, physical activity tasks for the home, body shaping treatments, 24/7 support of a nutritionist, support for participants and a curator, and much more. Registration of participants takes place in Viber at the number +7 (908) 208-57-31 marked “I participate in the April marathon”.

Text: Anastasia Speranskaya