The rate at which your body burns fat can be increased through proper nutrition. By consuming foods that burn fat and help to reduce belly fat, you can boost your body’s ability to lose weight and keep it off, even if you don’t exercise at all. Here are the 10 best foods to burn fat and help reduce belly fat.
1) Avocado
Pure and simple, avocados are healthy fat. A study published in Nutrition Journal found that eating just one-half of an avocado with lunch increased satiety by 31 percent and reduced cravings by 40 percent. What’s more? It’s high in oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid that has been shown to help reduce belly fat and improve cholesterol levels explains nutritionist Joy Bauer. Here are some tasty ways to eat them.
2) Eggs
Eggs are high in protein, which has been shown to help burn belly fat. In fact, one study of 30 women found that a diet rich in high-protein foods helped reduce belly fat after 12 weeks when compared to a diet of low-protein foods. And eggs’ reputation as one of nature’s best breakfast foods is validated by research: One study found that eating eggs for breakfast helped people feel more full and satisfied than those who had bagels—which helped them eat less throughout the day.
3) Nuts
1 ounce of almonds contains 6 grams of fiber, almost half of which is insoluble fiber. Insoluble fiber won’t help you lose weight directly, but it helps your body maintain normal bowel activity and supports a healthy metabolism. In other words, if you don’t get enough insoluble fiber in your diet, you may have a hard time losing weight and will probably end up constipated.
4) Spinach
Leafy greens are one of nature’s superfoods, thanks to their high nutritional value. One cup of cooked spinach provides you with a huge portion of your daily requirements for vitamin A, vitamin C, iron and calcium. It also has a hefty dose of soluble fiber, which can help lower your cholesterol levels and reduce fat absorption in your digestive tract—so while it may seem like spinach is adding unnecessary calories to your plate, it’s actually helping you lose weight!
5) Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate isn’t just good for your taste buds. In fact, it’s loaded with flavonoids that can help you lose weight by lowering fat storage and increasing your body’s ability to burn fat. Since you probably don’t have time to eat five pounds of dark chocolate per day, consider adding it to your diet in other ways like eating a square before bedtime.
6) Salmon
Salmon is a source of omega-3 fatty acids, which is a type of healthy fat that can help you burn belly fat more quickly. A study in Obesity Research found that people who ate fish regularly lost more weight and body fat than those who did not eat fish. Aim to eat salmon three times per week for maximum results.
7) Flaxseed Oil
A study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that flaxseed oil reduced fat in overweight participants when taken for eight weeks. Participants lost an average of 2 pounds, with some losing as much as 4 pounds. How did they do it? The secret lies in flaxseed oil’s omega-3 fatty acids, which are thought to enhance weight loss by improving lipid profiles and preventing metabolic syndrome, a condition associated with abdominal obesity and insulin resistance.
8) White Beans
Loaded with fiber and protein, white beans are just one of those foods that give you lasting energy throughout your day. Plus, since they’re so high in fiber, they help you feel fuller for longer. Just three cups of cooked white beans contain roughly 66 grams of fiber—that’s about half your daily value! High-fiber diets have been shown to help reduce belly fat.
9) Apples
When you're trying to drop a few pounds, choose apples over chips. Researchers in New Zealand discovered that obese women who ate one apple before meals lost more weight than those who didn't. The reason: Apples fill you up with air, so you eat less. In fact, researchers say eating an apple at each meal can lead to 50 percent greater weight loss than if you don't munch on fruit before meals. (1)
10) Coffee
If you’re not a coffee drinker, don’t worry—you can still lose fat. Coffee provides something called chlorogenic acid, which triggers metabolism and stimulates fat burning. According to a study in Bioscience, Biotechnology, & Biochemistry, chlorogenic acid reduces body weight and body mass index (BMI) in rats. Another study found daily human intake of chlorogenic acid (not from coffee) reduced body weight by four pounds over 16 weeks.