Many of us are constantly trying to beat the bulge but don’t have the time to hit the gym, or the money to spend on all sorts of dietary supplements.
More often than not, you starve yourself to death trying to keep a few inches off your waistline. Studies have shown that instead of helping, starvation in fact encourages fat build up, the way bears’ bodies do when they go into hibernation.
Instead of beating the urge to eat, you can be able to use it to your advantage by eating fat burning foods.
What are fat burning foods and how do they work?
Fat burning foods are foods that help flush out fat from your body and push your metabolism to go on overdrive. They are also foods that have the ability to melt fat and control cholesterol levels.
There are certain vitamins and nutrients found in fat burning foods that are naturally designed to help maintain a healthy balance of fat in your body without sacrificing nutritional content.
What are the examples of fat burning foods?
- Soybeans – These are fat burning foods because they contain lecithin. Soy-derived lecithin lowers cholesterol and triglycerides, and increases HDL, or ‘good cholesterol’. Soybeans can be consumed through soymilk which is also a healthy alternative to the lactose intolerant. Meanwhile, soybean curds are available in most health food shops and groceries.
- Fruits – Most fruits and berries are fat burning foods because they contain pectin. Apart from being a dietary fiber, pectin reduces blood cholesterol levels and reduces the absorption of cholesterol from other foods. Apples are very rich in pectin, can be eaten in a variety of ways and are delicious to boot.
- Milk, cheese and yogurt – Dairy products are fat burning foods because of the calcium content. Studies have shown that not only does calcium strengthens bone mass; it also contributes to the retention of lean muscle mass. When you’re trying to lose weight, it is fat you want to lose, not muscle. Dairy products can be consumed by themselves or mixed with other fat burning foods. If you’re worried about that gallon of ice cream you’ve been dying to dig into, it’s actually the sugar that fattens you and not the milk.
- Chilies and cayenne pepper – These spices are fat burning foods because they contain capsaicin. Capsaicin is actually what produces the burning sensation when you eat spicy food. The burning sensation boosts your metabolism, causing digestion to go faster. The faster your metabolism, the lesser the chances any food might end up as fatty build up. If you can’t stand the spiciness, you can garnish meals with little amounts of cayenne pepper. Remember, the heat is good for burning fats.
- Oatmeal, eggs, and whole grains – Any food that is rich in protein is the best fat burning food around. Protein rich food need more effort to digest, so consuming these kinds of food is already a major body work out in itself.
