In today’s world most of us are so busy that we rarely get to sit down to a real meal, let alone cook one. More often than not we eat ready-made or pre-packaged meals to save us time, which is an unhealthy habit that wreaks havoc on our weight. Processed foods, including diet ones, can do lasting damage to your health and expand your waistline, so it’s important to make the time to eat natural foods. Incorporating whole foods to your meals can fight the negative effects of ready-made meals and also help you slim down. We’ll explain how these processed foods affect your body and also tell you which whole foods actually help you lose weight.

The 411 on Processed Foods
Processed foods are ready to eat for a reason: they are made with artificial preservatives so they last longer than fresh foods. Those preservatives, along with the artificial dyes, hormones, antibiotics and nitrates are unnatural and cannot be absorbed normally. They tax your system, which has to work harder and expend more energy to digest them. This results in a build-up of toxins and pollutants in your body, which means you burn less calories and makes your body not function properly because you can’t absorb the right vitamins and minerals.

Many of these pre-packaged foods, including those touted as ‘diet” foods, also large amounts of high-fructose corn syrup, vegetable oils, refined sugars and flour. So the vegetable oils and sugars not only cause you to gain weight, but they also have little or no nutritional value. They lack the micro-nutrients necessary to build a healthy body.

Changing From Processed Foods to Whole Foods
Due to all the negative effects of these processed foods it is important to change your diet and rehydrate yourself to flush out any toxins that may be in your system. Once all those wastes have been removed your body can start to heal and function properly, making you feel and look better. You will also be able to absorb the nutrients from the whole foods you have added to your diet. These foods will not only boost your weight loss but also help improving your overall health both inside and out.

Whole foods are considered to be foods that cleanse your system, contain a high amount of nutrients and heal your body all at the same time. They contain amino acids, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, fiber, enzymes and probiotics to help your body remove harmful wastes, refuel itself and maintain its health.

Whole Foods that Encourage Weight Loss
Here are the whole foods you should add to your diet to keep your body healthy and help you get rid of those excess pounds:

1. Fermented Foods: Fermented foods contain good bacteria, which is essential to keeping your gut healthy and balanced. They have been proven to detoxify the body, improve digestion, reduce inflammation and protect against certain diseases. This allows your body to burn calories better so you lose weight naturally.

2. Organic Leafy Greens: Pick organic ones, otherwise you may be eating greens that have been treated with pesticides, negating any of their benefits. Eat a wide variety of leafy greens, since each one has different vitamins and minerals, such as: vitamins C, K, A, E sulfur, iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc and fiber. They fill you up without adding a lot of calories, so you eat less. They also keep your gut stable and fight inflammation. Try some of these: romaine lettuce, swiss chard, arugula, spinach, kale, cabbage and turnips.

3. Berries: Berries are high in fiber and water content, so they flush your system and satisfy your hunger pains, so you lose weight easily and fairly quickly. They also contain a crucial group of anti-oxidants called flavanoids and cartenoids, which work to combat the damage caused by free radicals, stress and toxins. You can eat them raw or cooked, so they are easy to incorporate into your meal plan. Try using blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, mulberries, acai berries, raspberries, cranberries and goji berries.

4. Citrus fruits: These types of fruits are great for easing digestion and promoting weight loss. They are rich in vitamins A and c, flavanoids and fiber, to make you fuller and also regulate digestion. Try adding lemon to your water or tangerines, limes or grapefruits to your diet.

5. Onions and Garlic: These are two of the best whole foods to aid weight loss. They are full of allicin, B vitamins, potassium, vitamin C, sulfur and queritin, which neutralize free radicals and detoxify your body to lose weight faster. They remove all wastes and impurities so you burn calories at an optimal level.

Now that you know the foods that actually help lose weight you may add them foods to your diet to lose those unwanted pounds and to feel healthier.