Perfect Diet Foods

When dieting, it is most important to focus on foods that provide the maximum amount of nutrition and those that keep you fuller and feeling satisfied. Most nutritionists recommend finding a diet that is full of natural foods like fruits and vegetables. Supplement your fruit and vegetable consumption with healthy proteins that are lean and relatively low in calories. When shopping for diet foods, the best place to look is at the perimeter of the supermarket, as that is where most perishable food is stored.

Green Leafy Vegetables

• The best diet foods are green leafy vegetables. They are high in nutrient density and naturally low in calories. Green leafy vegetables like salad mixes, spinach, kale and escarole are full of antioxidants and fiber. Dietary fiber is key to a successful diet, as it slows down digestion and keeps you feeling full for longer.

  Green vegetables add bulk to your diet without adding many calories. Per calorie, they also provide the most amount of nutrients and antioxidant of any food available. Green leafy vegetables are an excellent source of vitamins A,B2,B3,B6,C,E and K. They are also a great source of calcium, potassium, iron, magnesium and tryptophan.

  Green leafy vegetables can be an excellent source of protein as well.

Healthy Proteins

• You can find healthy proteins in both animal and vegetarian products. Lean cuts of meat, eggs, fish, beans, nuts and seeds supply healthy proteins.

  Including more beans, nuts and legumes is an excellent strategy for weight loss, as they provide healthy protein as well as a number of other nutritional benefits. Beans, for example, are an excellent diet food, as they come in many varieties, all of which are an excellent source of fiber, too. Fiber, like the kind in green leafy vegetables, is important for maintaining satiety.

  Protein is also crucial in keeping you full as, unlike carbohydrates, it doesn't dramatically impact the insulin levels in the blood. According to diets like the Zone, South Beach, Weight Watchers and Atkins, keeping insulin levels more steady helps people manage their weight by keeping them feeling fuller, thus keeping them from overeating at meals.

  Nuts are also perfect diet foods as they are an excellent source of healthy fats, another component of maintaining optimum health and satiety.

Berries

• Berries contain small amounts of fructose, a sugar found in all fruit. Sugar can negatively impact in two ways: it is naturally high in calories and consuming it raises insulin levels quickly. According to the Healthy Weight Forum, when insulin levels begin to drop quickly, the body's response is to remedy it by eliciting a hunger response, often felt as a craving for more sugar.

  The relatively small amount of sugar in berries, as compared to the high fiber contents and antioxidants, makes it a perfect diet food. Blackberries, blueberries, strawberries and raspberries are all examples of readily available perfect diet foods.