What’s the best veggie prep for weight loss?

May 16, 2017 Ashley 0 Comments

Remember when we learned why fresh fruit’s better than dried fruit?

From a weight loss angle, the latter makes you fatter. And (in case you need a quick recap) that’s ‘cause it’s got less agua in it, not as much fiber, and – usually – added refined sugars that pack on the pounds. But what about our other favorite produce? What about veggies? After reading this article recently about popping cruciferous veggies in the oven ‘til they’re crunchy, I had to wonder just how different it was from drying up fruit. In under half an hour, cauliflower can transmogrify into little chips. So can those jade bouquets of deliciousness we call broccoli. But, when they’re covered in refined oil and salt, are they still good for you? If you shrivel the minerals and nutrients away, is it still your best bet? Can you still use the “I’m eating vegetables, so it’s just as healthy” card?

Am I just being a Betty Crocker buzzkill?

(More like Chris Crocker: “Leave Broccoli alone! It was FINE before you roasted it like a Comedy Central special!”)

Not intentionally. And, TBH, we can pull whatever excuse card we like.

But that card hardly lets us cash out dropped pounds at the weight loss bank later. Sure, it’s a healthier snack than whatever processed pizza bagels you might’ve had in mind. I’ll give you that. But, if you’re getting serious about weight loss, these delicious little nibbles might best be reserved for when company comes over – rather than an everynight kind’ve a thing.

Why?

Well, first (just as with dried fruit), you’re missing out on one of nature’s favorite ways to make you lose weight: by filling you up. First, there’s the water content. If you’ve seen a gif of veggies in the oven, the time lapse shows ‘em shrinking up. And, while that’s something you obviously already know happens, the visual kinda drives it home. Your cooking cube is Hoovering water out – the same water that could be filling you up faster so that you quit reaching for too much’ve a good thing.

Then, there’s the seasoning. Aside from the fact that refined oils with their trans fats are kinda awful for weight loss, salt can do detriment of its own, in excess. What happens when we drizzle too much of the tasty stuff over our food is two-fold. We end up reaching for more than we’re legitimately hungry for. Why? ‘cause it tastes great. (Tough to tell if it’s your tongue or tummy that’s hungry after a certain point.) After that, when we wake up the next morning, we get this inflated moon mug staring back at us – because salt makes us retain water.

Now, to be clear, I ain’t hating on roasting. When not overdone, it does up the absorption for some vitamins, while it does reduce others. And I’m not even hating on the snacks themselves either. (They’d make great apps for a dinner shindig… or even afterschool get-togethers where you’re trying to trick your kids into eating greener.) They even might be a nice segue to get used to eating cleaner if you’re escaping a lifetime in the cult of the fast food clown. They’re fun. They’re like a rave happening in your mandible. I’m not denying all’ve that. But, ya know what? Unfortunately, not all fun food equals weight loss. (Otherwise, I’d be writing this from Baskin Robbins. And by “this” I mean a review on eating every flavor of fat in one sitting.) Thus, if there’s a better way, I’m not gonna do ya the disservice of slapping the slenderizing stamp on the bronze worthy contestant when another deserves first place. And what is first place? It’s likely a tie between lightly steaming your greens, stir frying them, and putting them in a soup. Why? Because when the cooking time’s minimal, the minerals and nutrients remain intact. (Which we need for health and weight loss alike.) And, while cooking our goodies in water alone’s not optimal, brewing up a stew where you suck down the liquid the minerals’ve escaped into means you’re still getting all the good stuff in ya.

So today’s takeaway?

Steam, stir fry, or soup-ify your veggies, and maybe save the crunchy florets for spesh occasions.

Because, if you wanna lose weight, you don’t wanna prune-ify your food.