Practical Guide to Vegetable and Fruit-Based Weight Loss Staple Foods: Low-Calorie Cooking Principles and Seven Classic Weight Loss Meals

Fruits and vegetables can be used as a staple food for weight loss because they are mostly rich in water, especially fruits. Therefore, eating fruit creates a feeling of fullness and satiety, thus reducing the amount of food consumed at regular meals and achieving weight loss. This is the principle behind using fruit for weight loss. However, despite these benefits, you should never completely eliminate regular meals in your weight loss journey. This will affect nutrient absorption. Therefore, in addition to fruit, you still need to include appropriate regular meals in your weight loss plan.

Fruits and vegetables generally contain high levels of minerals, vitamins, and water, while being lower in fat and sugar. Therefore, consuming fruits and vegetables can reduce calorie intake. While many people choose to drink sugary beverages to combat the heat during the hot summer months, those who care about their appearance can choose to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables to stay hydrated.

Since the fiber in fruits and vegetables is not absorbed by the body and does not generate calories, it reduces the body's energy reserves. Fiber also stays in the gastrointestinal tract for a shorter time, speeding up the passage of food and making it difficult for fat to accumulate. Therefore, using fruits and vegetables for weight loss is indeed an effective and smart method. However, when eating these foods, it's important to ensure a balanced intake of other proteins and nutrients; don't focus solely on weight loss and forget about your body's nutritional needs.

Smart Ways to Eat Vegetables for Weight Loss: Vegetables play a crucial role in your weight loss plan. For example, when it comes to main meals, if you want to lose weight systematically, you can combine some vegetables with meat dishes. Don't just eat large amounts of meat; if you eat them with vegetables, you won't gain fat and become overweight.

In addition, since vegetables are high in fiber, you should eat them slowly and not swallow them in large bites. Chew them thoroughly several times before swallowing. This allows the brain enough time to register satiety, eliminating feelings of hunger and helping you stop eating appropriately, thus effectively controlling your food intake and contributing to successful weight loss.

In addition, you can eat some vegetables and fruits before meals to eliminate the feeling of hunger in your stomach and intestines. This will effectively control your appetite when you eat the main meal and help you lose weight.

Cooking Tips for Fruits and Vegetables: While fruits and vegetables can help you lose weight, you need to pay attention to the cooking methods, because improper cooking methods may cause you to ingest more oil.

Use less oil for frying and deep-frying when cooking fruits and vegetables.

When cooking by stir-frying, use less oil.

Meat should be cut into thin strips or cubes as much as possible, as this will save oil when cooking it compared to large pieces of meat.

Try to use steaming, boiling, or stir-frying methods to prepare food.

Using microwave ovens, ovens, or non-stick frying pans to cook food often saves oil.

Braised Bok Choy with Dried Shrimp Ingredients: 250g bok choy, appropriate amount of dried shrimp. Seasonings: a little oil, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, appropriate amount of salt. Instructions: 1. Soak the bok choy, wash it clean, and cut it into small pieces. 2. Wash the dried shrimp and soak it in warm water for a while. 3. Heat the oil in a pan, stir-fry the dried shrimp until fragrant, then add the bok choy and stir-fry. 4. Add soy sauce and salt to taste, stir-fry for a while, and then remove from heat. Benefits: It has the effect of relieving heat and moisturizing dryness, is rich in vitamin A, and is a low-calorie diet and beauty dish.

Steamed Sweet Corn Ingredients: 150g corn kernels. Seasoning: A little oil. Instructions: 1. Blend the corn kernels in a blender. 2. Wash the crushed corn kernels and put them in a rice cooker with some water and oil. 3. Steam the corn using the rice cooking method until cooked through. Benefits: Clears heat from the stomach and intestines, helps digest oily and fatty foods, and aids digestion.

Cucumber Rice Ingredients: 1 cucumber, 40g pearl barley, 40g rice. Seasoning: None. Instructions: 1. Wash the pearl barley and rice, and put them in a pot with water. 2. Wash the cucumber and dice it. 3. Steam the pearl barley and rice using a regular steaming method until cooked. 4. After the rice is cooked, sprinkle the diced cucumber on top and serve. Benefits: Rice cooked with cucumber, pearl barley, and rice can effectively break down body fat and remove excess water.

Coriander and Winter Melon Salad Ingredients: 300g winter melon, a little coriander. Seasonings: 8g salt, a little oil. Instructions: 1. Wash the winter melon, peel and cut into chunks. 2. Wash the coriander and chop finely. 3. Heat oil in a pan, add the winter melon and stir-fry briefly. 4. Simmer for a short while until the winter melon is soft, then add a little salt. 5. Add a bowl of water, cover and simmer for a few minutes. 6. Sprinkle with coriander and serve. Benefits: This dish has diuretic and detoxifying properties, and helps remove heat and fat from the body, effectively helping to improve a puffy or overweight physique.

Braised Peas Ingredients: 100g peas, some scallions. Seasonings: oil, 1 bowl of stock, salt, cooking wine. Instructions: 1. Wash the peas and peel off the outer skin. 2. Wash the scallions and chop them finely. 3. Heat the oil in a pan, add salt, then add the peas and stir-fry. 4. Add stock and cooking wine, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. 5. Once the peas are tender, add the chopped scallions and serve. Benefits: This dish helps remove excess body fat, replenish nutrients, and lower blood pressure.

Braised Potatoes Ingredients: 3 potatoes, some scallions. Seasonings: oil, soy sauce, salt. Instructions: 1. Wash the potatoes, peel them, and cut them into chunks. 2. Wash the scallions and chop them finely. 3. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the scallions. 4. Add the potato chunks and stir-fry, then add soy sauce, salt, and a little water. 5. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft and tender. Benefits: Relieves bloating, treats edema, and effectively helps improve constipation.

Stir-fried Tomatoes and Eggs Ingredients: 2 tomatoes, 2 eggs. Seasonings: oil, soy sauce, salt (as needed). Instructions: 1. Wash the tomatoes, peel them, and cut them into chunks. 2. Beat the eggs and add a pinch of salt. 3. Heat oil in a pan, pour in the beaten eggs, and stir-fry briefly. 4. Add the tomato chunks and stir-fry, then add soy sauce, salt, and a little water. 5. Quickly stir-fry everything together and remove from heat. Benefits: This dish aids digestion, provides vitamins, and is low in calories.