The 5 Best Foods for Weight Loss

Ready to lose a few pounds in the new year? There are five foods that can help.

And the best part is that you won't feel like you're "eating light" with this group of weight-loss-boosting noshes. In fact, it'll still feel like the holidays!

Salmon: Seems the omega-3 fatty acids in this fish may turbocharge your body's fat-burning engines -- especially when coupled with exercise, one study found. (Use this tracking tool to set a walk-yourself-fit goal for the new year.)

Eggs: They're back on the healthy-foods list. In one study, dieters who ate eggs for breakfast were able to stave off hunger longer than the folks who loaded up on carbs at breakfast.

Peanuts: May seem counterintuitive -- after all, they are high in fat and calories -- but a small daily serving of peanuts may discourage weight gain, research suggests. Possibly because the healthy fats in peanuts are easier to burn off than the unhealthy fats from other fatty treats, like cheesecake and chips. Just make sure you substitute the nuts for another high-calorie food. (Here's one way to make your peanuts even healthier.)

Apples: Munch on an apple before every meal and you'll be less likely to clean your dinner plate, research shows. Apples are fiber-filled yet low in calories, which means you fill up on less. (Watch this video for more portion control tricks.)

Fava beans: Why fava beans? Because these creamy beans are loaded with flavonoids. And a 14-year study in women showed that high flavonoid intake may help ward off belly fat. Try fava beans in this classic Italian recipe: Scaffata.

Ready to lose a few pounds fast? Try this motivational RealAge program that let's you set your own goal.

Effects of chronic peanut consumption on energy balance and hedonics. Alper, C. M., Mattes, R. D., International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders 2002 Aug;26(8):1129-1137.

Weight loss associated with a daily intake of three apples or three pears among overweight women. Conceição de Oliveira, M. et al., Nutrition 2003 Mar;19(3):253-256.

Combining fish-oil supplements with regular aerobic exercise improves body composition and cardiovascular disease risk factors. Hill, A. M. et al., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2007 May;85(5):1267-1274.

Egg breakfast enhances weight loss. Vander Wal, J. S. et al., International Journal of Obesity 2008 Oct; 32(10)1545-1551.

Higher dietary flavone, flavonol, and catechin intakes are associated with less of an increase in BMI over time in women: a longitudinal analysis from the Netherlands Cohort Study. Hughes, L. A. et al., American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2008 Nov;88(5):1341-1352.