7 Healthy Foods That Torch Belly Fat

Many of us would have made a resolution of losing that belly fat on the day of the new year. A few brave souls may have even stuck to their resolution till now. However, some of them may have already realized that bringing down those few inches of the waistline is easier said than done. In fact, whatever diet they may have tried has not have helped them much. If you are one of those people who want to attack that fat, here are a few foods that you should try in order to eliminate that unwanted fat around your waist.

Just as fuel is important to keep your vehicle running, your breakfast, which is high in energy, is absolutely necessary to keep you going throughout the day. Having said that, it is also important to have the right breakfast. How about a bowl of oatmeal which is low on calories but high in energy and insoluble fiber? The insoluble fiber helps in reducing the blood cholesterol and feeds the good bacteria in your guts. This triggers the gut to produce a particular type of fatty acid that causes fat-causing inflammation in your body. Another good thing about oatmeals is that it does not raise your blood sugar as much as rice.

Most of us love to snack on something. How about snacking on something healthy and something that can help you reduce your belly fat? According to the Journal of the American Heart Association, consumption of 1.5 oz almonds a day over a period of 6 weeks led to reduced abdominal fat in the study group apart from providing other health benefits. Other studies too show that nuts can help you reduce your abdominal fat as long as you keep the consumption within limit. The protein and ‘good’ fat aids in increasing your body’s sensitivity to insulin, thus helping in reducing belly fat.

You may have heard that berries are good for health as they provide the essential micro-nutrients and minerals your body needs. However, did you know that berries can also help fight your abdominal fat? Berries have a lot of fiber stuffed in a small serving. For example, just a cup of raspberries has about six grams of fiber. And as you may have already realized, fiber is the foe of belly fat. As per a study conducted by University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, blueberries may have a wonderful effect on the fat-metabolism regulating genes in the body. Not only this, but berries in general, speed up the fermentation process, which leads to a greater reduction of weight.

Eating lean meats are nowadays considered some of the best way of cutting down belly fat. In fact, a high-protein and low-carbohydrate diet is recommended by many dieticians nowadays. Here are some of the reasons for this. Firstly, your body burns more calories in digesting proteins than carbohydrates and fat. Some of the best sources of lean proteins are fish turkey and fish such as salmon and tuna. In fact, both tuna and salmon are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids that fight stress chemicals that promote fat around your abs. Similarly, eggs are rich in Vitamin B12 which is necessary for the body to metabolize fat.

Similar to lean proteins, legumes and beans too are an excellent way of incinerating body fat. Both are low in calories but rich in proteins and soluble fiber which keeps you full for a longer time. This means reduced hunger pangs and binge eating which are responsible for putting on weight. Moreover, the body will burn calories for digesting these protein-rich foods. Some of the best forms of beans and legumes are double beans, pinto beans, black beans, and lentils. However, do watch out for refried beans in any form of high-saturated fat as this will significantly reduce the benefits of these sources.

Similar to chocolates, coffee with sugar is one of the foods that put on more fat around the waist. However. Similar to green tea and dark chocolate, black coffee helps you lose weight. The first reason is that since you are not adding any sugar, you are automatically cutting down on calories. Did you know that a cup of coffee with two teaspoons of sugar and an ounce of coffee roughly adds about 69 calories while a cup of black coffee adds only 2 calories to your body? The second reason is that caffeine has some calorie burning properties. According to a laboratory study published in 2012 in Food and Function, black coffee boosts thermogenesis, which helps you burn more calories. However, ensure that you stay within limits. After all, too much of anything is too bad.

Almost everyone loves chocolate. However, most people also know that chocolates are some of the sources of belly fat. But, not dark chocolate! In fact, dark chocolate just does the opposite of regular chocolate. It helps you improve your metabolism and cut down the fat around your body. And, this is backed by science. Dark chocolate is mostly made of cocoa. According to a recent study, the antioxidants in this cocoa prevented laboratory rats from putting on excess weight and lowered their blood sugar. In separate research, it was also found that our guts ferment dark chocolate into healthy and anti-inflammatory compounds that help reduce insulin resistance.

While these foods definitely help you reduce your unwanted fat, we should warn you that there is a proper way of having these foods. Caution must be taken not to go overboard with any of these foods. You should also ensure that you live a healthy lifestyle with less stress, more sleep and good exercise along with consuming these foods, which will go a long way in staying healthy and fit.