When you are on a diet, you never want to constantly feel hungry, because then you are more likely to reach a breaking point and reach for those unhealthy foods. My solution to this is adding low calorie high fiber foods such as non-starchy veggies which will help keep you full while sticking to your diet.
Benefits of none starchy vegetables:
- 30 calories per cup
- Mostly water
- High in fiber
- High in vitamins and minerals
- Natural, and easy to eat
- Add bulk to your diet
List of none starchy vegetables to enjoy: (source: diabetes.org)
- Amaranth or Chinese spinach
- Artichoke
- Artichoke hearts
- Asparagus
- Baby corn
- Bamboo shoots
- Beans (green, wax, Italian)
- Bean sprouts
- Beets
- Brussels sprouts
- Broccoli
- Cabbage (green, bok choy, Chinese)
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Chayote
- Coleslaw (packaged, no dressing)
- Cucumber
- Daikon
- Eggplant
- Greens (collard, kale, mustard, turnip)
- Hearts of palm
- Jicama
- Kohlrabi
- Leeks
- Mushrooms
- Okra
- Onions
- Pea pods
- Peppers
- Radishes
- Rutabaga
- Salad greens (chicory, endive, escarole, lettuce, romaine, spinach, arugula, radicchio, watercress)
- Sprouts
- Squash (cushaw, summer, crookneck, spaghetti, zucchini)
- Sugar snap peas
- Swiss chard
- Tomato
- Turnips
- Water chestnuts
Methods to prepare:
- Grilled
- Raw
- Steamed
- Boiled
- Broiled
- Baked
- Roasted
- You can add lemon, vinegar, salsa, or low calorie dressing but beware of olive oil and dressings because they are over 100 calories per tablespoon