Shape-Up Sister

Bread

Make these foods the base of every meal. Many popular diets have suggested avoiding these foods to achieve weight loss. Nutrition and health experts agree that faddy diets which exclude whole foods groups are not good for our long term health. This is because they are high in fat and lack important nutrients such as fibre and B vitamins.

Many of the black women we spoke to thought that starchy foods such as yam and dasheen were too "heavy" and would cause weight gain. In fact these starchy vegetables are naturally low in fat, a great source of energy, fibre, vitamins and minerals. When cooked without fat or oil and eaten in the right sized portions, these foods can actually aid weight loss as they have a low (glycaemic index) GI and help you to feel full.

    Did you know?
plantains
Plantain and green banana do not count as one of your 5-a-day as they come under the starchy food group


Links: Wholegrain foods

TOP TIP
Avoid adding butter, salt, coconut cream/milk or oil to rice
rice
For extra flavour try adding herbs, spices, peas or sweet corn.

smiling woman
"No food can make you put on weight, we just need to get the balance right"
©Weight Concern 2007