While working to lose weight, prioritizing protein-rich ingredients is is essential, as experts say this nutrient provides you with energy to take on your next workout, and to keep you satiated for longer. As we age, our body needs even more of this, so eating protein over 40 can not only help you lose weight, but also age gracefully with more vigor and stronger muscle.
With that said, we spoke to registered dietitians, nutritionists and other health experts who recommend adding more spinach to your favorite meals for healthy weight loss. Read on for tips, suggestions and insight from Trista Best, MPH, RD, LD, registered dietitian at Balance One Supplements and Jay Cowin, NNCP, RNT, RNC, CHN, CSNA, registered nutritionist and Director of Formulations at ASYSTEM.
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Benefits Of Spinach For Healthy Weight Loss And Aging
Whether you want to add spinach to your favorite omelette, sneak it into your pasta or throw it into a blender for your smoothie, there are so many ways to eat more of this versatile ingredient. When it comes to weight loss, spinach provides not only protein but also fiber, Best says, making it one powerful vegetable that keeps you feeling full, satisfied and energized after eating.
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"This dark leafy green is packed with weight loss boosting nutrients and can be easily added to many recipes, especially eggs," Best says. When these nutrients are heated with water, she continues, they become active in such a way that the body absorbs them more easily. "This allows the consumer to take in weight loss friendly nutrients, like vitamins K, E, and fiber, while eating a low carbohydrate, high nutrient meal," she explains.
When thinking about spinach's protein content (even more so when cooked), Cowin says, "eating protein while doing strength training will help you maintain muscle mass, which means the weight you'll shed during this period will be pure body fat." He adds that out of the three macronutrients (fat, carbs, protein), protein will keep you "fullest for the longest" because it suppresses your appetite. "This is a big help when you're trying to cut back," he notes. Protein, Cowin stresses, also has a "higher thermic effect than the other macronutrients, which means your body has to burn many calories to digest and process it."
The fiber content in spinach, Best adds, will help the consumer "feel and stay full for longer, which can help prevent overeating throughout the day." Spinach can also help with weight loss by adding it to your eggs by integrating antioxidants into this meal, she says, if you're thinking of a new way to revamp your breakfast. "Antioxidants have anti-inflammatory compounds that help to reduce inflammation in the body that would otherwise prevent weight loss and harm overall health as we age," she points out. The more you know!
