You may be surprised to learn that this list doesn’t include yogurt, raw foods, or salad! Chinese medicine has an entirely different take on how to best eat for weight loss and a healthy metabolism. The Eastern nutrition way is not to count your calories, minerals, or vitamins, but to eat foods that will energetically support organs that are crucial for metabolic health, including the Stomach, the Spleen, the Kidney, and the Liver.

A well-kept Chinese medicine weight loss secret: if you really want to shed excess weight, eat cooked vegetables that not only support these organs’ functions, but also absorb oil during the cooking process like nobody’s business! These foods will not only naturally absorb excess oil in your digestive tract, but will also latch on to excess mucus and lipids in your body, flushing them out during the elimination process.

Some top weight loss vegetables include:

Eggplant – this amazing, tasty vegetable powerfully balances your overall internal Qi and Liver function, lowering cholesterol. White ones are the best.

Bamboo shoots – a super-vegetable traditionally eaten in Asian countries that helps the Stomach and the overall digestive system work optimally.

Mushrooms – these edible fungi support your Stomach as well, and can also prevent cancer! Be sure not to eat them raw, as this can really mess with your digestive system.

Taro root –  taro root also has a special ability to absorb oils as well as being beneficial to your Stomach, so eat up this tasty root veggie in moderation!