How to Stay Bikini Fit and Say “No” to Sweet Foods this Summer

We’re all tempted by loads of sugary, salty and cheesy foods when we turn on the t.v. or simply drive down the street. Instead of giving into these foods wouldn’t it be nice if we could keep our cravings in check and willpower high?  Well here’s a simple cravings hack that will have you saying no to pizza, French Fries, burgers, and cupcakes placed in front of our eyeballs 16/7 (hey, I’m assuming you get 8 hours of sleep 7 nights a week).

Eat spinach.

A recent study in 30 men and 30 women who were overweight found that:

Spinach kept them feeling FULL 2 HOURS after eating it.

If you’re struggling with weight gain or food cravings (especially salty foods), this hack is tailor-made for you. So start stir-frying, steaming or make a green smoothie with spinach.  This FREE mini-guide has a great green smoothie recipe (page 9 ) that you can try.

Here Are More Details on the Study:

• The researchers gave the men and women either a super-concentrated drink of spinach mixed with blueberry and pomegranate juice (sounds like a healthy drink) or a placebo (a fake spinach drink)
• The amount of spinach extract was 5 grams
• The group that drank the spinach had better results in reducing hunger and cravings:
  1. They felt more full, even 2 hours after drinking the spinach
  2. Their hunger was reduced
  3. They had fewer cravings for salty foods
  4. They had fewer cravings for savory foods
  5. Men ate less pizza 4 hours after drinking the spinach (fewer calories in, less weight gain)

How Does Spinach Do All This?

• Spinach increases a particular satiety hormone called cholecystokinin.  It’s the hormone that makes you feel full.
• It lowers the hormone that stimulates hunger (ghrelin)
• Plants make energy from the sun (photosynthesis). Inside the energy-making parts of the plant is a substance called “thylakoids.”  It is this substance that reduces the hunger.

How Much Spinach Should You Eat?

1 cup of uncooked spinach has about 30 grams of spinach. It’s best to try and get this amount in your diet every day.

Are there Other Greens that Do This Same Thing?

Well thylakoids are in all green plants. So technically, by eating or drinking greens you can gain the same benefits that the participants in this study saw.

Reference:

Rebello CJ. et al. Acute Effects of a Spinach Extract Rich in Thylakoids on Satiety: A Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial. J Am College Nutrition, 2015 http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07315724.2014.1003999

Here’s to your best health!

Deanine Grace, PhD