Whether you’re trying to shed a few pounds or maintain a healthy weight, three experts reveal the foods that could help support your goals naturally.
While the ultimate goal of a healthy lifestyle isn’t weight loss, some may be pursuing it for health or personal reasons.
With many celebrities turning to weight-loss aids, surgeries and drugs like Ozempic to lose weight, it can sometimes feel like these are the only foolproof ways to shed pounds. However, when done healthily and steadily, there are other natural ways to lose weight, such as through the foods we eat.
They may not directly cause weight loss, but incorporating certain foods into a balanced diet can support weight loss and healthy weight management when combined with regular physical activity, healthy lifestyle choices and good eating habits.
So, if you’re thinking about losing a bit of weight and want to do it healthily, these are the foods to add to your shopping list.
Greek yoghurt improves metabolism and helps manage portion control
Eating Greek yoghurt can help prevent overeating because it’s “packed with high-quality protein, which keeps you feeling satisfied,” says Dr Crystal Wyllie, medical expert at ZAVA Online Doctor.
“The protein content in Greek yoghurt increases the body’s levels of peptide YY and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which are hormones that signal fullness to the brain,” adds Ana Carolina Goncalves, superintendent pharmacist at Pharmica.
Protein also has a thermic effect, meaning your body “burns more calories digesting it than it does with fats or carbs,” says Dr Wyllie. This makes high-protein foods especially beneficial.
The bacteria in Greek yoghurt promote gut health, which improves metabolism, digestion and nutrient absorption.
Deborah Grayson, pharmacist and nutritional therapist at Digestion With Confidence adds that good gut bacteria can influence weight loss by “affecting hormones that regulate hunger and fat storage, including ghrelin and leptin.”
Eating sweet potatoes could help managing insulin levels
Sweet potato is a lower glycaemic index (GI) food. When a high GI food is eaten, “the body’s insulin levels spike, and it starts storing glucose at a rapid rate, often converting it into fat,” explains Ana Carolina. Therefore, low GI foods help regulate blood sugar levels, as they store less fat and aid weight loss.
Dr Wyllie adds, “They’re also high in fibre, which slows digestion, keeps you fuller for longer and supports a healthy gut microbiome,” all factors that can contribute to weight regulation.
However, be aware that how they’re cooked also matters — boiling is the most effective way to maintain a lower GI.
Berries reduce inflammation and aid digestion
Berries are also a lower GI food and can help regulate blood sugar levels. Strawberries, blueberries and raspberries are rich in fibre, antioxidants and polyphenols.
“These compounds can help reduce inflammation, improve insulin sensitivity and support metabolic health,” says Dr Wyllie. And their natural sweetness makes them a great choice for curbing sugar cravings in a healthier way.
As with sweet potatoes and yoghurt, berries also slow down digestion, creating a thermic effect (TEF), meaning the body “needs to expend more energy — i.e. use more calories — digesting them, which improves the overall calorific balance”, adds Ana Carolina.
Eggs are nutrient-rich and make you feel fuller for longer
Simply put, eggs are a nutrient powerhouse, packed with protein and healthy fats.
Even just eating eggs for breakfast can help reduce overall calorie intake throughout the day by “keeping hunger in check”, says Dr Wyllie. This is because eggs contain high-quality protein and fats that slow gastric emptying, keeping you fuller for longer.
Eggs also contain the nutrient choline, which is essential for fat metabolism and liver function, maintaining healthy cholesterol levels and can also help reduce the risk of fatty liver disease.
Choose a healthy fat substitute that regulates overeating, like avocadoes
Despite being relatively high in calories and fats, avocados are rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and fibre, both of which can help you feel fuller after eating. Being naturally low in sugar, avocados are less likely to lead to fat storage if consumed in moderation.
The fats in avocados are heart-healthy and can help reduce inflammation while supporting a feeling of fullness, as healthy fats take longer to digest, helping to prevent overeating.
Deborah Grayson explains, “The fibre and healthy fats found in avocados help regulate blood sugar levels and prevent the spikes and crashes that can lead to overeating and cravings, while also improving insulin sensitivity.”
Vegetables are a low-calorie choice that provide a steady source of energy
Always a good option when trying to be healthy, vegetables are naturally low in calories but high in fibre, vitamins and minerals.
Many vegetables also have a high water content, which adds volume to meals without extra calories, helping with appetite control and making it easier to manage weight in the long run.
As with many of the foods mentioned above, vegetables like kale, broccoli and cabbage also increase the thermic effect (TEF), leading to greater and more efficient calorie burning.
Non-starchy vegetables, such as squash, beetroot, peppers and greens, are particularly good for “stabilising blood sugar levels and preventing cravings”, Deborah Grayson explains.
This is because the complex carbohydrates found in vegetables “slow digestion and provide a steady source of energy, preventing rapid increases in blood sugar”, she adds.
Read more: 5 new healthy food and drinks trends to add to your diet in 2025
You could help control blood sugar levels and help curb snack cravings by eating oats
Oats contain beta-glucan, a type of soluble fibre that forms a gel-like substance in the gut, slowing digestion and prolonging satiety, which can help prevent overeating.
Deborah Grayson explains that beta-glucans help the body burn fat more effectively because they “increase the secretion of peptide YY, a hormone that regulates fat metabolism”.
“Beta-glucan also helps stabilise blood sugar levels,” says Dr Wyllie. Stable sugar levels prevent energy crashes that often lead to cravings and snacking.
Read more: Avoid this one food if you’re taking any medication
Green tea aids metabolism and can helps manage hunger hormones
Though not a food, green tea has long been a go-to for those hoping to lose weight.
Green tea contains catechins, which are compounds that “enhance the body’s process of generating heat, speeding up calorie-burning”, explains Ana Carolina.
Certain catechins, such as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), “increase the body’s levels of hormones that regulate appetite and digestion, helping us feel fuller and more satisfied”, she adds.
In addition to aiding metabolism, green tea contains up to 40mg of caffeine per cup, “which stimulates the central nervous system and boosts hormone production that helps suppress appetite and control food cravings”, Ana Carolina explains. This can help us eat fewer calories and lose weight.
She adds that green tea can lower levels of ghrelin, the ‘hunger hormone’, reducing snacking and overeating.
Lean beef provides extra protein that supports metabolism and muscle-building
We know that high protein intake helps keep you full due to the high thermic effect discussed earlier, and lean beef is an excellent source of this nutrient.
Protein is essential for maintaining and building muscle, especially when combined with regular exercise. Increasing muscle mass can boost metabolism, further supporting weight loss.
Choosing lean cuts will help “limit your saturated fat intake while still allowing you to benefit from protein’s role in weight loss and muscle maintenance”, according to Dr Wyllie.
She also explains, “As with other protein sources, better control of appetite regulation is achieved by stabilising blood sugar and appetite-regulating hormones.”
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Kimchi improves digestion and controls hunger
Fermented foods have gained attention in recent years for their health benefits, including promoting weight loss. Low in calories and high in nutrients, kimchi is a prime example.
During the fermentation process, kimchi produces bioactive compounds like capsaicin, explains Ana Carolina. “Capsaicin stimulates a fatty substance called brown adipose tissue (BAT), increasing cell activity and causing the body to burn calories during digestion.”
Kimchi also contains chilli peppers, which are rich in capsaicin. Deborah explains that capsaicin “increases metabolism and enhances fat burning to produce heat”.
Additionally, kimchi is high in fibre, which “slows digestion and helps control hunger levels”, she adds.
As with all weight-loss advice, these suggestions will be most effective when combined with an overall healthy diet and regular exercise.
Feature image: Unsplash
