The Broccoli Diet: How To Lose Weight By Eating Healthy
The Broccoli Diet is the amazing new way of losing weight by eating healthy. Read on further for some useful information and recipes with broccoli.
Jul 25, 2018
The Mighty Broccoli
A very easily available vegetable in your kitchen will help you lose weight the healthy way. That magical ingredient is broccoli. If you do not really like this vegetable, then do try and develop a taste for it because it will give you some amazing rewards quickly.
Broccoli is an ideal choice for weight loss because it is very low in calories. The wonder vegetable is power-packed with a plethora of essential nutrients and a lot of fiber. It not only leaves you feeling satiated but also helps you lose weight. Broccoli has many micronutrients such as phytochemicals which help in breaking down fats, thereby supporting weight loss.
This green bouquet like vegetable hails from the cabbage family. It was discovered early in the 6th century BC. It was introduced in the USA quite late in the 1920s.
Broccoli In Your Weight Loss Diet Plan
When you incorporate broccoli in your weight loss diet plan, you must keep in mind that broccoli is best eaten fresh and raw as all the essential nutrients remain intact. Instead of boiling the vegetable, try steaming, microwaving or stir-frying to avoid nutrient loss.
If a recipe demands broccoli to be cooked, make sure you do not cook it for more than five minutes. If you do not like it raw, the best alternative is to blanch the florets in boiling water for a few seconds.
Nutrients in Broccoli that help in Weight Loss
If you religiously follow a broccoli diet for ten days, you can lose upto eight kgs! So before you embark on a weight loss journey with this vegetable, get some brief information on its many benefits.
* Broccoli contains twice the amount of vitamin C and A than an orange.
* Broccoli contains B vitamins, calcium, manganese, magnesium, selenium, potassium, iron, and zinc
* Broccoli is loaded with folic acid and fiber.
* Broccoli has the highest amount of anti-cancer substances according to some studies.
* One cup of broccoli contains only 44 calories.
* Broccoli is known to reduce the risk of heart disease and prostate cancer.
The vitamin C, calcium, and chromium present in broccoli, aid in weight loss. The body requires vitamin C to synthesize carnitine, a compound which is used for metabolizing fats into energy. People who consume higher doses of vitamin C remain on the thinner side. The calcium present in broccoli reduces the synthesis of new fat cells and promotes the breakdown of stored fat cells. Calcium also binds some dietary fats with the intestine thereby preventing them from being absorbed. People consuming low-calorie diets with calcium supplements or dietary calcium obtained from vegetables and dairy products also lost more weight.
The chromium present in broccoli helps in regulating the insulin activity. This in turn impacts the carbohydrate metabolism and boosts weight loss. Chromium is also beneficial in the body for several other purposes and broccoli has plentitudes of it. A cup of cooked broccoli contains 22 mcg of chromium which is 2/3rds of the daily requirement.
Broccoli is an excellent source of phytochemicals containing sulfur which help in preventing cancer. Two phytochemicals - sulforaphane and indole-3-carbinol help in reducing body weight. Sulforaphane triggers the breakdown of fat cells.
Other Benefits of Broccoli
Before you embark on a weight loss diet plan, it is better to get your body ready for it; your first step should be to cut down on extraneous calories such as those obtained from unhealthy snacks, deep-fried food items and high-calorie drinks. The next step should be to cut down on your portions. To remain slim, you have to regulate your intake. You have noticed that people who are on the fatter side consume larger portions than are recommended. Reduce your portions, and perhaps after that, you could at times splurge on your favorite unhealthy snacks once in a while without putting on weight. A cup of raw and chopped broccoli has only 30 calories and after cooking, the calories increases to 54. A cup of broccoli provides 100% of your daily vitamin C and vitamin K requirement. One also gets the required doses of folate and vitamin A. A little amount of vitamin B-6 and potassium is also obtained from just one cup of raw broccoli. On cooking this cup of broccoli, the nutrients double up, but the vitamins C quantity decreases which is lost while cooking. Another valuable property in broccoli is that it is very high in water and fiber. This helps in creating bulk without adding on to the calories. Broccoli is 90% water, and when cooked, a cup of broccoli has 5% fiber which is 20% of a woman's recommended daily intake. As fiber absorbs water and expands, it makes you feel fuller for longer. Fibre also slows down digestion thereby helping to curb hunger pangs. Such foods with low calories are very helpful in weight loss because one can eat larger portions without adding on to calories. You also feel satiated for longer, and this helps in curbing your snacking cravings.
Once you have got used to the above mentioned two essential steps, the next significant challenge is to incorporate maximum nutrients in your limited diet plan. While following fancy diet plans, many people, to cut down on their intakes, lose out on many essential nutrients which could prove fatal in later stages. The ideal weight loss diet plan would be one which includes your daily requirement of nutrients along with being low calorie. That is precisely what broccoli is capable of when eaten daily.
The Magical Diet Plan
You have to begin eating this diet continuously every day for ten days. It is better to consult your doctor before you begin. This diet includes fish and chicken. You can have unsweetened tea of coffee every day. But you cannot be eating butter, cheese or such high-calorie foods. You can make slight alterations with soup or fish, but your overall diet should be more or less similar to the one given below. Soup is an excellent idea as it keeps you fuller for longer while providing you with essential nutrients. Every day you will notice some of your stubborn fat melting away.
Once you lose your stubborn fat, you can include a lot of exciting broccoli recipes in your menu every day. Try to add broccoli to your every day recipes for your family keeping in mind the balance of nutrients. After reading the amazing health benefits of broccoli, try to incorporate broccoli in your daily menu in much more exciting recipes.
This particular diet is meant for those who wish to lose at least six kgs in ten days. Be prepared to lose at least six kgs within ten days of eating this diet.
Day 1 & Day 2
Breakfast:
- 200 gm of broccoli cooked with some salt
- 50 gm of wheat bread
- A cup of unsweetened black tea or coffee
Lunch:
- 250 ml of chicken soup
- 150 gm of cooked chicken (boiled or roasted)
- 100 gm of cooked broccoli (blanched in boiling water for a few minutes with some salt)
Dinner:
- 250 gm of cooked broccoli with some salt
- 1 cup of unsweetened black tea or coffee
Day 3 & Day 4
Breakfast:
- 200 gm of broccoli sauteed with some olive oil along with one bell pepper and little garlic
Lunch:
- 50 gm of tuna fish with 150 gm of broccoli sauteed with some olive oil along with one medium onion and two medium tomatoes
Dinner:
- same as the breakfast
Day 5 & Day 6
Breakfast:
- 100 gm of lean beef cooked
- salad made from 100 grams of cooked or blanched broccoli and 2 tbsp of curd dressing
Lunch:
- 200 gm of broccoli boiled in salted water
- A slice of wheat bread
Dinner:
- 150 gm of lean beef cooked
- A cup of skimmed milk curd
Day 7 & Day 8
Breakfast:
- 100 gm of cooked broccoli
- Two hard-boiled eggs
- A cup of unsweetened black tea or coffee
Lunch:
- 250 ml of chicken soup
- 150 gm of chicken cooked with some salt
- 100 gm of cooked broccoli with some salt
Dinner:
- 250 gm of broccoli cooked with some salt
- A cup of unsweetened black tea
Day 9 & Day 10
Breakfast:
- 100 gm of broccoli cooked with some salt
- Two carrots boiled without salt
Lunch:
- 100 gm of broccoli cooked with some salt
- 100 gm of your favorite fish cooked
- A slice of wheat bread
Dinner:
- 200 gm of cooked and salted broccoli
- A potato, cooked with the outer cover
Expert Advice
The diet plan mentioned above is a strict diet plan, and if the menu does not appeal to you, you can make slight alterations according to your taste and preference keeping in mind the calorie counts.
This diet has caused some buzz amongst the nutritionists, and they have questioned its long-lasting health quotient. It does have some negative sides to it. Overeating broccoli means you are overeating fiber which leads to indigestion. Too much fiber can also cause a lot of gas and nausea. If after a day of following this diet plan, you notice a lot of gas formation, perhaps you could quit it midway, but if not, then you are lucky enough and good to go with it.
You cannot follow this diet for the long term. No diet can yield permanent results. You need to exercise regularly to keep fit. Such diet plans are great for short-term gains, and perhaps, later, you could continue with a more slow but efficient and long-term diet plan.
But this diet plan is perfect and effective if followed for a short-term duration. Like if you need to lose some pounds before an important event like a marriage or a party, then this could be your magical diet.
So stun everyone after ten days with your new found body and give every one weight goals! Good luck and as with any diet, make sure you ask your doctor first!