Cruciferous vegetables are rich in proteins, highly nutritious and low-calorie in addition to being great for cleansing the body. The best part about these cruciferous vegetables is that they’re very filling thanks to their high fiber content. All of their attributes make them a perfect addition for weight loss diets.
In this article, we’ve pick out the most beneficial cruciferous vegetables. We’ll also recommend you some recipes to help you follow a healthy diet plan.
Cruciferous Vegetables for Healthy Weight Loss
You’ll see that adding these cruciferous vegetables to your everyday diet isn’t a complicated but rather delicious change.
1. Watercress
Watercress is a vegetable that’s packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber that help eliminate excess fat.
This cruciferous vegetable has diuretic effects, which helps remove excess liquid and cleanse the body by putting the intestines into gear.
We recommend that you add a cup of watercress (55 g) to your diet at least once a week. If you’re not a fan of the flavor, or if you’re not used to it, try to blend it into your smoothies or juices.
The following recipe is the simplest way to get your serving watercress:
Watercress juice
This beverage is perfect as a refreshment that has something different. You can add a little mint if you want a smoother flavor.
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp. of washed watercress (15 g)
- a cup of water (200 ml)
Preparation:
- Soak the watercress in the water overnight.
- The following morning, strain the water and drink.
Drink the beverage for an entire month to cleanse your body on a regular basis.
2. Broccoli
The second cruciferous vegetable on our list is low in sodium and boasts plenty of fiber. Broccoli is great for weight loss because it’s low in calories (just 25 calories per cup), and it’s also packed full with nutrients.
You can match its flavor easily with other ingredients, which makes it a great choice for adding into recipes.
Salmon with boiled broccoli
Try out this recipe to benefit from high quality proteins, vitamins and minerals.
Ingredients:
- 1 medium piece of salmon
- 2 tbsp. of olive oil (30 g)
- 1 tbsp. of chopped rosemary or dried basil (15 g)
- salt to taste
- ¼ medium onion, thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp. of raisins (45 g)
- 1 cup of broccoli (200 g)
- ½ cup of water (125 ml)
Preparation:
- First, mix the olive oil with halt of the rosemary and salt. After, marinate the salmon for twenty minutes.
- Then, saute the onion until transparent.
- After, add the raisins and remaining rosemary.
- Next, stir slowly over medium-heat until browned.
- Meanwhile, boil broccoli in pot.
- Cook the salmon in a fry-pan, don’t add any more oil.
- Plate the salmon and, decorate it with raisins, broccoli and onion.
3. Brussels sprouts
We know that not everyone is used to eating Brussels sprouts. However, they’re rich in vitamins and minerals.
When you cook Brussels sprouts, the key lies in not over-cooking them or they’ll end up with a bitter flavor.
Buttered Brussels sprouts
Ingredients:
- ½ cup of Brussels sprouts, washed (27 g)
- 1 tbsp. of butter (20 g)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Preparation:
- First, melt the butter in a fry pan.
- When the butter is completely melted, saute the Brussels sprouts.
- Add the salt and pepper to taste.
You can pair these vegetables with a lean protein and a portion of carbohydrates (brown rice or wheat pasta).
4. Cauliflower
Our next cruciferous vegetable is great for weight loss thanks to its low-calorie content. It boasts plenty of water and fiber that helps regulate digestion and keeps us full.
Cauliflower contains vitamins B, C, E, iron, folic acid and allicin, which helps reduce risks of heart disease.
Cauliflower patties
These patties are delicious and simple to prepare. They’re a perfect way to get children to eat cauliflower without any fuss.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of cauliflower (100 g)
- 1 egg
- a cup of flour (120 g)
- 1 tsp. of yeast (5 g)
- garlic powder (to taste)
- 1 tsp. of fresh parsley (5 g)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- ½ cup of milk (125 ml)
Preparation:
- First, boil the cauliflower until firm. Then, cut into pieces.
- Mix the cauliflower in a bowl with the beaten egg, flour, salt, garlic, parsley, pepper and yeast.
- Add a little of the milk to form a thick dough and add the cauliflower pieces.
- Let the dough sit for at least 30 minutes to activate the yeast.
- Make little balls with the dough and flatten them.
- Fry the patties in a pan with hot oil until they turn golden.
- Plate them with vegetables.
5. Cabbage
This cruciferous vegetable contains a good amount of vitamins C and K, folic acid, potassium and magnesium. It’s also low in carbohydrates, which means you can eat as much cabbage as you please.
Cabbage soup
This fat-burning soup only has 80 calories to add to your daily plan. It’s perfect for the family and is very nutritious.
Ingredients:
- 1 medium sized cabbage
- 6 large onions
- 2 green hot peppers
- 6 tomatoes
- 5 celery stalks
- salt and pepper (to taste)
Preparation:
- Wash and chop the vegetables into smaller chunks.
- In a pot, add enough water to cover the vegetables and boil for 10 minutes.
- Add the salt and pepper to taste.
- Leave on low-heat for 30 minutes until you’ve attained the consistency of your preference.
