Ladies, we get it. Figuring out how to slim down can be as perplexing as figuring out where all of our bobby pins have gone over the years. It’s just sort of a mystery. But what if we told you there was a way to lose body fat…by eating? This sounds-too-good-to-be-true approach to how to weight loss comes courtesy of a few fat burning foods.
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| Credit:womanlylife.com |
Well, kind of. Before we dive into our list of foods that burn fat, we need to address a common misconception. Technically there is no such thing as a “fat burning food” in the magic-bullet sense, but there are foods that help burn fat by cranking your metabolism into overdrive with their thermogenic effects.
“Foods don’t actually burn fat,” explains Sonya Angelone, an Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Spokesperson and registered dietitian and nutritionist. “Your metabolism uses the energy within foods, which is measured in calories, to burn fat or store it.” In other words, consuming foods that stave off your appetite and rev up your metabolism can help burn fat. Plus, focusing on what to eat more of, rather than just what to eat less of can be a helpful dieting strategy, Angelone adds. Far too often, we get into a mindset of “we can’t have that,” which may fuel cravings even more. If you change your mindset to focus on what you can eat in larger quantities (a cough, protein- and fiber-rich foods, cough), Angelone says you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
Ready to pump up your grocery list with natural fat burners? Get ready to make your metabolism purr, curb cravings and torch calories as you chew. Here, nine of the best fat burning foods for women.
Fat Burning Foods:
- Apples and Pears We’ve all heard the adage: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” but is there any truth to this fruit’s cure-all reputation? Thanks to its high fiber content, maybe.
- One mistake people make when trying to lose weight is skimping on fiber — an essential nutrient that prevents blood sugar spikes and overeating. “Both [apples and pears] contain fiber, especially pectin, which is a soluble fiber that can help promote satiety and fullness and curb hunger,” Angelone says. Unlike that bag of chips, you mindlessly munch in front of “America’s Next Top Model” reruns, fiber-rich apples or pears will keep you fuller longer, and therefore, are some of the best fat burning foods.
- When you’re noshing on these white-fleshed fruits, you don’t run the risk of a sugar crash. As your body slowly digests the fiber, it slowly digests the sugar. When you consume something lacking fiber (like a soda), sugar absorbs quickly and goes straight to your liver, pushing your liver into overdrive (aka a sugar spike). To help the liver out, the pancreas begins to produce the insulin hormone, which expedites the sugar for energy or turns it directly into fat for energy storage. Yikes. This goes to show that not all calories are created equal (think: a 100-calorie apple is much better for your body than a 100-calorie soda).
Fat Burning Foods:
- Berries Though berries are but little, they are fierce. Raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries are all high in fiber and low in sugar — but that’s not all of these fat burning foods. “They can help increase the expression of adiponectin, a hormone recreated by fat cells that helps stabilize blood glucose [blood sugar], suppress appetite and increase metabolism,” Angelone says.
- A study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine found that in mice, adiponectin spiked metabolism, causing the critters to burn more heat and lose body fat over time — even though their food intake remained the same. So grab a handful of berries each day, and watch your love handles slowly melt away (well, provided the rest of your diet and exercise is on point, of course).
Fat Burning Foods:
- Red Peppers To rock a smoking hot bod you’ve got to keep your food hot too. What’s one major cause for obesity? The obvious: overeating. But you can keep yourself from going back for seconds (or thirds) by adding natural fat burners, like hot red peppers to your plate, according to Angelone.
- “Capsaicin, the compound that gives peppers their heat can help reduce hunger and increase metabolism,” Angelone explains. “However, you need to eat the actual pepper and feel the burn. Capsules won’t do the trick.” It behooves you to break a sweat outside of the gym too, according to Angelone. “Spicy foods enhance and prolong the thermic effect of food, aka the increased calories burned just from eating that food,” she says. Meals made with chili and mustard may increase the metabolic rate up to 33 percent more than an un-spiced meal would, and this effect may last as long as three hours, according to “Krause’s Food and Nutrition Care Process.” Good thing it’s chili season.
Fat Burning Foods:
- Tea Okay, so tea isn’t technically a food that burns fat, but it definitely deserves a spot on our list of fat-torchers.
- Teas like black, green and oolong are calorie-free and high in antioxidants called flavonoids, which come with serious anti-inflammatory and immune system benefits, according to Angelone. “These compounds help increase metabolic rate, increase fat oxidation (fat burning) and improve insulin sensitivity,” she says. Remember, managing those insulin levels (aka blood sugar levels) prevents the body from converting and storing sugars into fat, and a cup of tea not only helps prevent your body from storing more fat, it aids in torching unwanted fat in the process. Simply sip throughout the day. Pinkies out.
Fat Burning Foods:
- Plain Greek Yogurt One of the most common errors people make when trying to lose weight is forgetting to pile on the protein. “Protein increases satiety more than fiber, fat or carbs,” Angelone says. And packing a whopping 22 grams of protein, Greek yogurt is a great choice — especially in the morning.
- But keep in mind not all yogurts are created equal when it comes to foods that help burn fat. “Greek yogurt is higher in protein than regular yogurt and is one of the highest foods in protein for the fewest calories,” Angelone says. It also contains about half as much sugar as regular yogurt. So skip the sugar spike (which contributes to fat storage) and reach for plain Greek yogurt the next time you’re in the dairy aisle. You can always add a touch of honey or some berries (another food that burns fat) to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Fat Burning Foods:
- Eggs Speaking of protein-loaded breakfasts, eggs are another hunger-curbing food that burns fat. “Protein-rich foods like eggs enhance satiety and lead to reduced caloric intake at the next meal,” Angelone says. “This is especially true when eggs are consumed for breakfast instead of boxed cereal and milk.”
- Three large eggs contain about 18 grams of protein per 234 calories. However, if you’re looking to cut some of the calories, you can always combine one egg with three egg whites, which totals about 16.8 grams of protein per 129 calories. How can Cap’n Crunch compete with that fat burning food?
Fat Burning Foods:
- Beans and Legumes Remember when low-carb diets were all the rage? Oh, wait — they still are. Well, what if I told you loading up on the legumes is just as effective, if not more effective than a low-carb diet?
- “Beans and legumes are rich in fiber with about 12 grams per cup,” Angelone says. “They greatly enhance satiety, and one study even found that a bean-rich diet was as effective as a low-carbohydrate diet for weight loss. Researchers also discovered a bean-rich diet lowered bad cholesterol levels, whereas the low-carb diet did not.” The embarrassing side effects of the so-called musical fruit seem like a small price to pay for their fat-burning and heart-helping potential (though the people around you may not agree — whoops).
Fat Burning Foods:
- Salmon Let’s talk about the f-word. No, not that one. Fat. Just saying the word is enough to make some woman head straight for the gym, which is probably why so many people still avoid fat in their diets — to their detriment.
- “One of the most common mistakes I see when people are trying to lose body fat is avoiding all — or not eating enough — healthy fats,” Angelone says. “The body actually metabolizes healthy fats very efficiently, and a meal that includes healthy fats can promote satiety.” Healthy fats, like avocado, nuts and olive oil, are all worthy of a place on your fat burning foods grocery list. But you may want to make salmon your top priority fat-wise. Salmon is not only a lean protein, offering a heaping 40 grams per serving, but it’s also a rich source of vitamin B-12, vitamin B-6, vitamin C, and magnesium. This allows you to feed your body with essential vitamins and nutrients as you curb your hunger. It’s a win-win way to lose body fat.
Fat Burning Foods:
- Soup While you may think it wise to skip the soup before your main course, think again.
- Broth-based soup eaten 15 minutes before a meal can help reduce caloric intake in the meal following by 20 percent, according to Angelone, which is why it landed on our list of best fat burning foods for women.
- Now, this isn’t exactly licensed to slurp down clam chowder and other creamy bisques.
- The type of broth definitely matters when it comes to losing body fat. “Vegetable soups or broth-based puree soups are low in calories, and high in fiber and water, which contributes to satiety before the full meal even begins,” Angelone says. The next time the server asks if you want soup or salad? Opt for the soup, as it may keep you from gorging yourself in the meal to come.
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