Weight Loss Foods on HWN FAN COLUMN

Nothing against vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats, but can't we get something new on the menu? We get it, avocadoes are amazing, and if you haven't loaded up on your leafy greens, you're doing it wrong.

Fortunately, scientists keep discovering new foods to add to your diet to help you get healthy without getting bored. Check out these surprising foods that can help you lose weight.



RED WINE:

Research published in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry found that ingesting dark-color grapes, either eating them whole or drinking them as wine or grape juice, can help people burn fat more effectively. In a lab setting, the researchers found that ellagic acid, a compound in grapes, slowed the growth of existing fat cells and the formation of new ones in human liver tissues.

In follow-up mouse study, the scientists found that eating the human equivalent of 1½ cups of grapes daily led the mice to have less fat in their livers and lower blood sugar when fed a high-fat diet.

Better yet, Canadian researchers found that, in mice, the antioxidant resveratrol may have beneficial effects on muscle similar to those of endurance training. The same may be true for humans. That's right—drinking a glass of wine may have a similar benefit to going to the gym.



CHILE PEPPERS:

Turn up the heat to turn on the weight loss. Researchers f found that capsaicin, the compound that makes chile peppers hot, may help turn white fat into brown fat, stimulating thermogenesis to combat weight gain. In our bodies, white fat cells store energy, and brown fat cells serve as thermogenic (heat produced by burning fat) machinery to burn stored fat. Eating calorie-rich food and a lack of physical activity cause an imbalance in metabolism that leads to obesity".

While the researchers say that their findings may serve best with capsaicin taken in dietary supplement form, here's another good reason to introduce chiles into your cooking: They'll add great flavor without adding extra fat or salt. Another win for weight loss.



POTATOES

Since potatoes have a high glycemic index, they often land on many people's "don't eat" list, but you can still eat potatoes and lose weight. The researchers found that people on a low-calorie diet eating high-glycemic-index foods lost just as much weight as those on a low calorie diet eating low-glycemic-index foods.

There is no evidence that potatoes, when prepared in a healthful manner, contribute to weight gain. In fact, we are seeing that they can be part of a weight-loss program. They also point out that a medium potato with the skin on has just 110 calories, more potassium than a banana, and half of your daily value of vitamin C.