Vegetarian Diet Benefits Beans are also  a great  alternative to unhealthy red meats, fried foods, and prepared meats (like hot pups and deli meats which contain preservatives and also have been proven to increase your risk of colon cancer ).Whole Grains and Complex, Unprocessed CarbohydratesOne of the keys to healthy, sustainable fat loss is to consume unprocessed, complex carbohydrates. They are metabolized many slower within the body than simple carbohydrates (like sugar, cookies, crackers, chips, and other processed sweets).