Weight Loss: Five Foods to Help You Lose Weight

An apple a day keeps the doctor away but it also keeps the pounds off as well. Any type of apple will do, just eat it fresh and with the peel. The pectin in the peel makes you feel fuller. The average apple only has about 50 calories and is full of vitamin C and fibers. Drinking apple juice or cooked apples won't give you the same effect as a raw apple.

You can slice an apple and add it to cooked oatmeal for breakfast. Sliced apples, turkey and a sprinkling of walnuts makes a great sandwich filling. Chopped apples can be added to a salad. Apples can be added to chicken salad or ham salad.

Green Tea has been shown to help burn fat. The magic ingredient is called EGCG. Black tea works but not as effectively. Green tea can be brewed fresh and seasoned with a slice of lemon and bit of honey. It can also be iced. A cup of green tea, several ice cubes and a cup of cubed watermelon whirled in the blender for a few seconds makes a refreshing summer cooler. You can freeze green tea in ice cube trays and then add to your favorite beverage.

Curry includes the spice tamarind. Tamarind contains a substance called hydroxycitric acid and can slow down fat production. The pods of the Tamarind tree have a unique flavor and are sweet and sour at the same time. The pulp from the pods are used in Indian, Thai and Malaysian cooking. If you can't get fresh pods you can buy dehydrated tamarind pulp. Add it to stews, pork and chicken dishes. You can also re-hydrate the pulp and use it for the base of tamarind lemonade.

Cinnamon has been used in the treatment of diabetes because it stimulates fat cells and helps get rid of excess sugar in the blood stream. Cinnamon is not water soluble which means it can build up in the body's fat cells. The long term effect of the ingestion of large amounts of cinnamon isn't known. However it seems a half teaspoon a day is relatively safe. Cinnamon can be used in meatloaf, stews, brushed on chicken and pork before grilling, as well as more commonly on fruits. It can also be added to cottage cheese and cream cheese.

White kidney beans have tons of fiber and that fiber fills you up. There is some discussion that white kidney bean extract blocks starch absorption in the intestines which leads to weight loss. You can use white kidney beans as you would red kidney beans in chilies and soups or in a side dish. After cooking the beans you can use them in tuna and chicken salads or fresh green salad.