Is there a food that never makes big bellies ? [nutrition]

[Externet]

Hi.

Even eating such daily, in considerable amounts,  which food does not contribute to build-up obesity ?

[TheVat]

Cucumbers.  They have fiber, electrolytes and good vitamins with nearly zero kilocalories of food energy.  

[Peterkin]

Celery, green peppers, lettuce, watercress, spinach, cabbage, chard, asparagus, green beans...

If it's green, go ahead and eat as much as you like, but take it easy on the salt (water retention) and hold the butter!

Make those side dishes to mushrooms, eggplant or summer squash,

and for dessert, a tomato.

[Genady]

9 minutes ago, Peterkin said:

Celery, green peppers, lettuce, watercress, spinach, cabbage, chard, asparagus, green beans...

If it's green, go ahead and eat as much as you like, but take it easy on the salt (water retention) and hold the butter!

Make those side dishes to mushrooms, eggplant or summer squash,

and for dessert, a tomato.

Some people I know would say, But I ask about FOOD...  

[Peterkin]

52 minutes ago, Genady said:

Some people I know would say, But I ask about FOOD

Bet they have a weight problem...

[MigL]

If you work hard, the energy density of 'green shrubbery' cannot provide the needed calories unless you consume large amounts and end up with a distended midsection ( like gorillas ).

On the other hand, some foods, mainly starchy carbs, like breads and pasta ( but also rice and potatoes ) will contribute to the 'typical European physique'; large around the midsection ( barrel shape ) but with relatively thin arms and legs.
( I don't know if there are any studies done on this, but I do notice it in most middle aged Italians )

Like everything else in life, there are no simple answers. Moderation in everything you eat is the only advice.

[Genady]

38 minutes ago, Peterkin said:

Bet they have a weight problem...

They do. They do!

12 minutes ago, MigL said:

If you work hard, the energy density of 'green shrubbery' cannot provide the needed calories unless you consume large amounts and end up with a distended midsection ( like gorillas ).

On the other hand, some foods, mainly starchy carbs, like breads and pasta ( but also rice and potatoes ) will contribute to the 'typical European physique'; large around the midsection ( barrel shape ) but with relatively thin arms and legs.
( I don't know if there are any studies done on this, but I do notice it in most middle aged Italians )

Like everything else in life, there are no simple answers. Moderation in everything you eat is the only advice.

Lots of Dutch around here. No 'typical European physique'. Many thin and toll. Consume a lot of beer and cheese.

[MigL]

Beer bloats you, and cheese constipates you => distended stomach.

None of the things I like are good for me.

[Moontanman]

I just made a large pot of purple cabbage and bratwurst... it was very good but made me fart. 

[Genady]

1 hour ago, MigL said:

Beer bloats you, and cheese constipates you => distended stomach.

None of the things I like are good for me.

I can't know any of this because both beer and cheese give me terrible headache. I had any of them last time many years ago.

Edited December 13, 2022 by Genady

[TheVat]

2 hours ago, MigL said:

 

On the other hand, some foods, mainly starchy carbs, like breads and pasta ( but also rice and potatoes ) will contribute to the 'typical European physique'; large around the midsection ( barrel shape ) but with relatively thin arms and legs.
( I don't know if there are any studies done on this, but I do notice it in most middle aged Italians )

 

My diet is mainly Italian cuisine, but I am thin.  In my case, I think it's possibly metabolism regulation genes from mom's side.   Also my version of Mediterranean diet is very heavy on vegetables - I almost never dump just red sauce on pasta.  There's always zucchini, beans, chickpeas, carrots, green peas, spinach, sweet potatoes, etc.  The only poundage multiplier I really have to watch is polenta.  

I can relate to @Genady cheese problems - I have to moderate the parmesan and mozzarella these days.   Cheesemaking does not remove the lactose.  Ricotta is the worst for that.

2 hours ago, Moontanman said:

I just made a large pot of purple cabbage and bratwurst... it was very good but made me fart. 

Love cabbage, but it's a paint peeler in any confined space.  And Brussel sprouts are lethal.

[mistermack]

1 hour ago, TheVat said:

it was very good but made me fart

My earliest recollection of poetry. From the English West Country : 

-----------------------------------

Apple tart, makes I fart.

Custard powder makes it louder. 

Apple crumble makes it rumble.  

---------------------------------- 

It's a strange thing, that animals that eat weight-losing food tend to have big bellies. Like Gorillas and cows and elephants. 

The Cheetah is the skinniest animal I can think of. So a diet of all meat seems to be the way to go. Maybe that's where Atkins got the idea.

[Genady]

14 minutes ago, mistermack said:

My earliest recollection of poetry. From the English West Country : 

-----------------------------------

Apple tart, makes I fart.

Custard powder makes it louder. 

Apple crumble makes it rumble.  

---------------------------------- 

It's a strange thing, that animals that eat weight-losing food tend to have big bellies. Like Gorillas and cows and elephants. 

The Cheetah is the skinniest animal I can think of. So a diet of all meat seems to be the way to go. Maybe that's where Atkins got the idea.

This is not so strange. These animals evolved big bellies in order to have room for a lot of low energy food. Rather than they have big bellies from eating this food.

[CharonY]

56 minutes ago, Genady said:

This is not so strange. These animals evolved big bellies in order to have room for a lot of low energy food. Rather than they have big bellies from eating this food.

In addition, the gastrointestinal system for herbivores often is often complex and have sophisticated systems to extract nutrients efficiently (e.g. longer intestines, multiple stomachs), which require more space, too.

Different belly size within a species are obviously caused by different reasons.