Looking to revive your summer weight loss goals with the power of nutrient-rich foods? Look no further! Maryland Dietitian Kay Loughrey is here to guide you through discovering summer superfoods that will fuel your weight loss efforts. As the temperature rises and the days grow longer, it’s the perfect time to introduce seasonal superfoods into your meals and snacks. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the diverse options of summer superfoods, exploring their benefits and how they can support your weight loss goals.
The word “superfood” is often thrown around regarding promoting certain food products. The truth is, the term “superfood” is not a scientifically recognized classification. Rather, it’s been used in marketing to create hype around certain foods or products, often exaggerating their nutritional benefits or implying that they possess extraordinary health properties. The key to identifying true superfoods is to approach marketing claims with a critical mindset and to rely on reputable sources for accurate information about the nutrition and health benefits of food.
Superfoods tend to be nutrient-dense and low-calorie, but not all foods that are healthy should be included in the superfood category. 
Due to being incredibly nutrient-rich, superfoods offer remarkable health benefits such as promoting a healthy heart and immune system, reducing inflammation, and even preventing cancer. Furthermore, a diet that is abundant in superfoods can help you lose weight and maintain a healthy weight as well. Let’s look at some of the nutrients contained in common superfoods and why they are so advantageous to your health:
- Antioxidants – help prevent cell damage and can lower your risk of developing diseases like heart disease and cancer.
- Fiber – helps keep your cholesterol low and control your blood sugar. It also supports healthy digestion and can make you feel more satiated, which helps with weight loss.
- Fatty acids – healthy fats lower your cholesterol, helping prevents the risk of heart disease and stroke.
- Flavonoids – have anti-inflammatory properties and are cancer-fighting.
- Vitamins – support a variety of functions in the body from immune system to bone strength to digestion.
- Minerals – essential nutrients like calcium, potassium, iron, zinc, and others that are crucial for your body to function properly.
This summer is the perfect time to take advantage of the superfoods in season, so we’re sharing a list of some ten of the top tastiest summer superfoods that you should add to your next shopping list. 
The following foods are packed with nutrients offering diverse health benefits, including helping you lose weight, and can be incorporated into many different meals, whether it’s for breakfast, lunch, or dinner:
- Avocado
- Berries – blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, cranberries
- Beets
- Dark leafy greens – arugula, kale, spinach, watercress
- Nuts and seeds – almond, pecans, walnuts, brazil nuts, chia, flax, hemp, and pumpkin seeds
- Ginger
- Melons – watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew
- Yogurt
- Bell peppers
- Salmon
These are just a few summer superfoods that will allow you to revitalize your health and your weight loss journey this summer. Whether you serve these fruits or veggies up in a delicious and refreshing salad, a vegetable stir fry, yogurt parfait, or snack on them alone, you’ll be doing your body a favor by boosting it with the nutrients it needs. These foods are mostly low in calories as well, and their fiber content will help keep you feeling full while helping you reduce your calorie intake and maintain your weight loss. Moreover, the fresh produce options on this list help you stay hydrated in addition to being delicious snacks, which makes them perfect for the hot summer days ahead. Don’t stop at just this list, explore all the superfood options out there to start prioritizing your health through nutrition.
Resources:
Cleveland Clinic. What is a Superfood? Cleveland Clinic. Available: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/what-is-a-superfood/.
Harvard Health Publishing. 10 Superfoods to Boost a Healthy Diet. Harvard Health Blog. Available: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/10-superfoods-to-boost-a-healthy-diet-2018082914463.
Gunnars, K. The 13 Most Powerful Superfoods. Healthline. Available: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/true-superfoods#TOC_TITLE_HDR_7.
Phillips, T. 6 Best Summer Foods for Weight Loss. WebMD. Available: https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/6-best-summer-foods-for-weight-loss.
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Kay Loughrey, MPH, RDN, LDN
Transformational Speaker, Breakthrough Coach, Nutritionist-Dietitian
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