You may have heard these statements before:
- Exercise is important, but you are what you eat, so food is the biggest factor.
- Weight loss is 70 percent of the foods you eat, and 30 percent exercise.
- Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym.
The meaning of these statements is, if you eat the wrong foods, no matter how hard you work out, you still may not lose weight and get fit.
If you want to get twice the result with half the effort, try incorporating these 20 fat-burning foods. Eating better food in conjunction with your exercise can help you lose weight fast.
These foods are an excellent source of healthy fat, protein, dietary fiber, and high-quality carbohydrates. They can increase your metabolism and muscle mass, while also detoxifying and eliminating fat. They are particularly effective in reducing abdominal fat.
1. Oatmeal
Whole oatmeal contains fiber and healthy carbohydrates. Whole oatmeal can help you burn fat while also maintaining energy for a longer period of time throughout the day. In addition, it can lower cholesterol.
Eating a bowl of unsweetened oatmeal and fresh fruit for breakfast is a good start to your day. You can also add some nuts, chia seeds, or other healthy toppings to your oatmeal. These healthy additions can help to ensure adequate nutrition, give you more energy, and prolong the feeling of fullness.
2. Hot pepper
Hot pepper contains a plant compound called capsaicin. Hot pepper can help you lose weight by activating “brown fat” while also improving insulin sensitivity.
The role of brown fat is to break down the white fat that causes obesity and convert it into carbon dioxide, water, and calories. At the same time, it can speed up the body’s metabolism and promote the consumption of white fat.
Therefore, eating more spicy foods can help increase the metabolic rate, which in turn increases calorie burning.
3. Avocado
Avocado is rich in healthy fat, high-quality protein, fiber, and folic acid, which is very helpful for muscle gain and fat reduction.
It can also prolong satiety, which can help prevent overeating.
However, avocados are high in calories. Therefore, consuming too many avocados may cause weight gain. The recommended daily intake is one for men and 1/4 to half of an avocado for women.
Studies have found that eating half an avocado a day can not only help you lose weight but also reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
4. Almonds
Almonds are rich in healthy monounsaturated fats, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and protein. Almonds have obvious fat-burning effects.
Eating 1.5 ounces of almonds a day, which is equivalent to about 30-35 almonds, can help your fat metabolism. It is especially good for abdominal fat burning, while also reducing bad cholesterol (LDL) levels.
Studies have shown that eating a moderate amount of almonds at breakfast can significantly increase satiety and reduce appetite and food intake for the rest of the day.
In addition, almonds also help improve brain function and strengthen bones and teeth.
5. Lemon
Lemons are rich in vitamin C, fiber, and a variety of beneficial plant compounds. These nutrients have a variety of health benefits, such as promoting heart health, controlling weight, and improving digestive health.
The most common effect of eating lemons is to help with weight loss. One theory is that the soluble pectin fiber it contains will expand in your stomach, thereby prolonging the feeling of fullness.
However, too few people eat whole lemons as they do with oranges. Instead, most people squeeze lemon juice in water or on a salad.
Lemon water can help your body detoxify and clean your digestive system. This helps reduce belly fat and weight while also helping you to better absorb the nutrients in food.
6. Lean meats
Lean meats such as chicken, beef, and fish are rich in protein which is needed for muscle growth.
Protein can increase satiety by inhibiting the secretion of hunger hormones and slowing down gastric emptying.
Moreover, studies have shown that protein also has the highest food thermic effect (TEF). TEF refers to the number of calories required by the human body to digest, break down, and absorb the nutrients in the diet.
Foods rich in protein can increase the metabolic rate by 15-30%. Carbohydrates increase the metabolic rate by 5-10% and fat increases the metabolic rate by 0-3%.
If you exercise, this type of food can also help you build more muscle.
In addition, fatty fish such as salmon is also rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. These are particularly beneficial to your brain and cardiovascular health.
7. Green leafy vegetables
Kale, spinach, and other leafy vegetables contain a lot of essential minerals and other nutrients for your body. Additionally, they are rich in antioxidants which have an anti-inflammatory effect.
Green, leafy vegetables are very good for weight loss. They are low in calories and carbohydrates. They are also rich in fiber, which can help you maintain a normal metabolic level and accelerate fat burning.
8. Apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is very popular in the field of wellness and weight loss. It can eliminate fat and detox your body. It also reduces your appetite by increasing satiety.
A number of studies have shown that drinking apple cider vinegar during meals can help suppress your appetite and helps to reduce your caloric intake by 200-275 calories a day.
In addition to suppressing appetite, apple cider vinegar also slows down the emptying of the stomach, thereby prolonging satiety. –
According to a 12-week study, adding 1 or 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to your diet not only helps you lose weight but can also reduce your percentage of body fat, particularly abdominal fat reduction. It also lowers triglyceride levels in the blood.
9. Bone broth
Bone broth is made from bones and connective tissues of cattle, pigs, chickens, sheep, fish, and other animals. It is rich in nutrients that include fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals (such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus).
Bone broth is high in protein, which can help you feel fuller and burn more calories. In addition, it is also rich in amino acids and collagen. Collagen can enhance the body’s ability to produce blood cells, help burn fat, increase muscle massive, and slow down bone aging.
10. Chia seeds and flax seeds
Chia seeds and flax seeds have been called “superfoods” for many years. They are very popular for weight loss.
These superfoods are low in calories while being high in fiber and protein. They can help to regulate insulin levels, increase thermogenesis (the process helps burn fat), and balance hormones in the body.
Both chia seeds and flax seeds are the best sources of plant Omega-3 fatty acids, which help lower cholesterol levels.
Adding chia seeds and flax seeds to your diet can increase satiety and help reduce your appetite.
11. Coconut oil
Coconut oil is a healthy oil. It’s one of the main ingredients in the ketogenic diet and other low-carb diets.
Coconut oil contains a large amount of medium-chain fatty acids. These acids can be directly transported to the liver and converted into energy instead of being stored in the body as fat.
A study on the fat-burning effect of coconut oil’s medium-chain fatty acids showed that coconut oil can significantly increase the metabolic rate. Its fat-burning and weight-reducing effects are significantly better than olive oil.[*]
12. Grapefruit
The latest study for obese patients by Vanderbilt University shows that eating half of grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice before meals can significantly reduce weight.
The mechanism of weight loss from grapefruit includes:
- The bitterness comes from a flavonoid called “naringin”, which can suppress one’s appetite.
- The aroma component of grapefruit, “Nocatone”, has the effect of activating sympathetic nerves and promoting fat burning.
- The citric acid contained in grapefruit can accelerate metabolism and eliminate toxins.
- The high fiber in grapefruit can help the stomach, improve constipation, and eliminate belly fat.
13. Matcha
Matcha is a fat blocker.
It is obtained by grinding tea leaves into powder and extracting water-soluble caffeine, catechins, and dietary fiber.
The compound in matcha, which is called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has been shown to promote metabolism and prevent the growth of fat cells.
Some common slimming teas contain EGCG, which can accelerate fat burning.
When you drink matcha, your body can maximize the use of the nutrients in the tea. This can promote better fat burning while helping to lower your cholesterol.
14. Protein powder
Protein can reduce the level of the hunger hormone (Ghrelin), increase the level of appetite-decreasing hormones (such as GLP-1, PYY, and CCK) and prolong satiety.
For people who cannot get an adequate intake of high-quality protein, like vegetarians or athletes, a protein shake, made by mixing protein powder and water, is a convenient supplement to a healthy diet.
In particular, whey protein powder has a very good effect on burning fat, while helping to build and repair muscles after exercise. It can also increase energy and stabilize blood sugar levels.
15. Probiotics
Foods rich in probiotics, such as sugar-free yogurt, kimchi, pickle, or probiotic nutritional supplements, can significantly improve digestive health, heart health, and immune function.
Many studies have also shown that probiotics can help you increase your metabolic rate, thereby accelerating fat burning. It also helps to reduce weight and belly fat.
Probiotics can also help lose weight in other ways, such as:
- Releasing the appetite-reducing hormone GLP-1, which helps burn calories and fat.
- Increasing the level of ANGPTL4 protein, which may lead to a decrease in fat storage.
16. Eggs
Many people think that eggs, especially the yolks, contain too much cholesterol. Therefore, they don’t eat many. However, the latest research shows that eating 1-2 eggs a day does not increase cholesterol levels.
The biggest advantage of eating eggs is that they contain more protein than many other foods. Eggs are one of the best sources of nutrition for burning fat and muscle while increasing satiety and controlling your appetite. They also contain vitamin B12, which is an essential element for fighting fat.
17. Cinnamon and cinnamon powder
Cinnamon helps to increase metabolism, regulate blood sugar, and improve insulin function, all of which can help you lose weight.
According to a Japanese study published in the “Journal of Nutrition Science and Vitamin Science” in 2012, cinnamon can break down deep fat and help resist visceral fat in mice.
Making cinnamon tea is very simple. Just add a stick of cinnamon and a few drops of lemon juice to boiling water. You can use a healthy sweetener (such as Stevia or Erythritol) to adjust the taste.
You can also add cinnamon powder to yogurt. This helps increase your metabolism, while also helping you to lose weight.
18. Black coffee
Black coffee contains an element called chlorogenic acid, which can accelerate weight loss. If you drink a cup of black coffee after a meal, chlorogenic acid will slow down the production of glucose in your body and reduce the production of new fat cells.
Black coffee also contains a variety of antioxidants, which can also help to reduce weight.
For example, caffeine can be very effective in increasing metabolism and energy levels, while suppressing hunger.
However, be sure to drink black coffee without sugar and cream. Additionally, don’t drink more than three cups a day. Otherwise, you may be prone to caffeine poisoning.
19. Kiwifruit
Kiwifruit contains an enzyme called actin. Its biggest feature is protein dissolution, which can help protein digestion and absorption.
Kiwifruit has a relatively low gastrointestinal digestibility. Although they contain sugar, the release of sugar is slower, which prevents the blood sugar level from increasing significantly.[*]
Kiwifruit is also the king of vitamin C. Kiwifruit can increase the rate of fat decomposition and help you avoid accumulating excessive fat.
Not only that, but kiwi also contains a lot of fiber. This helps to improve and maintain intestinal health, eliminate toxins from the body, and reduce weight.
20. Apple
Eating an apple a day can help you reduce belly fat.
Apples are rich in fruit acids, dietary fiber, flavonoids, and β-carotene. All of these help to reduce cholesterol, stimulate intestinal motility, remove toxins from the body, and prevent overeating and food cravings.
The pectin fiber in apples can absorb water from the digestive tract and form a gel. This can help to slow down digestion and smoothly push stool through the intestines, thereby helping with digestion and weight loss. Some varieties of apples contain more fructose, so eating too many can affect blood sugar.
