9 Foods That Help You Lose Weight
Morgan Schmitmeyer
Article Summary
In “9 Foods That Will Help You Lose Weight,” Brianna Steinhilber lists nine different foods that you can consume that will actually help you lose weight. The first food on the list is hot chili peppers. Steinhilber states that people tend to eat less when what they are consuming is spicy. Capsaicin, a compound found in chili peppers, may also aid in converting white fat cells into brown fat cells, which burn more energy. Mushrooms may also provide a savory flavor, replacing red meat in many entrees. Eggs might possibly make you feel fuller for a longer period of time. Apples, especially Granny Smith apples, may help prevent overeating by aiding with the growth of good bacteria in the colon. Another food that Steinhilber states helps control appetite and aids in digestion is soup, specifically, spinach soup with rosemary croutons. Since beans are high in fiber, they take longer to digest. This causes you to feel fuller for a longer period of time compared to when you consume food that is low in fiber. Steinhilber cites a study that claims green tea, consumed regularly for more than ten years, may lead to a lower body fat composition than those who do not regularly consume tea. Another high fiber food, pears, may also give one a fuller feeling. Lastly, cinnamon can help stop insulin spikes after meals, lowering blood glucose levels after eating (Steinhilber, 2016).
Article Critique
I am still a little skeptical due to the fact that the article is on a “.com” website, and not a more reliable source such as a government or a university website. The website also contains a multitude of advertisements framing the article as well as a sign-up box for the website’s newsletter. Another reason I question the accuracy of the information in the article is that it lists “good” foods that can help one lose weight. Steinhilber uses only one source per food item to “prove” that it will help one lose weight, not multiple different sources to strengthen her argument. Steinhilber also tends to make simple conclusions from other studies that have already been performed. She embeds links to other, much larger studies in her article, clearly leaving out a large amount of important information from each study (DeBruyne, 2014, p. 33-36).
Due to all of the red flags found on this website and within the article, I would recommend not believing all of its contents. For more reliable information on foods that could potentially help one with losing weight, I would recommend using a website that is known to be more accurate, such as a “.edu” or a “.gov”. Another place to find more valid information would be in peer reviewed journal articles that show results from scientific studies that can back up the author’s findings (DeBruyne, 2014, p. 33-36).
References
Everyday Health Media. Brianna Steinhilber. Retrieved April 06, 2016, from http://www.everydayhealth.com/authors/brianna-steinhilber/
Everyday Health Media. Kelly Kennedy, RD. Retrieved April 06, 2016, from http://www.everydayhealth.com/authors/kelly-kennedy/
Steinhilber, B., & Kennedy, K., RD. (2015, September 17). 9 Foods That Will Help You Lose Weight. Retrieved April 06, 2016, from http://www.everydayhealth.com/reciperehab/9-foods-that-help-shed-pounds.aspx#01