When it comes to weight loss, we always talk about what not to eat: fatty foods, junk and sugar. But what about the foods that can actually help you burn fat and lose weight?
Yes, certain foods have the ability to boost your metabolism, to eliminate toxins and to burn fat. However, these fat burning foods don’t work like a magic pill. You can’t eat whatever you like, take a spoonful of kale extract at night and expect a miracle!
Are you disappointed?
Sorry, but these fat burning foods can only work their magic if they are part of a healthy diet. But don’t worry, they don’t taste like bird food.
Of course, no one will be surprised to know that these amazing foods are all plants…When it comes to detoxification, purification and weight loss, plants always win!
Here are the best fat burning foods to boost your metabolism and lose weight.
6 Fat Burning Foods to Lose Weight
Lentils
Lentils and other legumes are great fat burning foods. Doctor Michael Greger, author of the best seller book How Not to Die, recommends eating three servings of legumes daily. Beans and lentils do not only promote weight loss, they also encourage regular bowel movements and a healthy colon.
Lentils and other legumes are rich in iron, an essential mineral that allows your body to work efficiently. An iron deficiency will slow down your metabolism and make it more difficult for you to burn calories.
If your body is not getting the nutrients it needs to function properly (like carrying oxygen to your muscles, one of the functions of iron), losing weight will soon become an impossible task.
One cup of lentils provides you with 35% of our daily need for iron. What is great about lentils and other legumes is that they also contain high amounts of protein, fibre and other essential minerals, while being very low in fat. This makes legumes a better choice than meat, knowing that animal products are loaded with fat and cholesterol, which is linked to heart disease, diabetes, cancer and obesity.
Hot Peppers
Hot peppers can definitely burn your mouth… but can they also be fat burning foods? They surely can!
Have you ever heard that eating spicy foods can help with weight loss? How true is that? Well, there have been scientific studies on that subject in which they found that a compound in hot peppers called Capsaicin can truly help us burn fat!
Capsaicin is what makes chilli peppers hot, and it has the ability to heat up your body, just like your adipose tissues do when you are cold and shivering, which makes you burn more calories.
Yes, when you shiver, you burn fat. And you also do when you eat hot peppers!
So eat them raw, cooked, dried or powdered, it doesn’t matter. Hot peppers are fat burning foods in every form you want to eat them. They will help you lose weight while killing harmful parasites, yeasts, viruses and bacteria in your body.
Whole Grains
Choosing whole grains over processed grains is an important part of a successful weight loss program. A clean diet should not contain any processed and refined products, like white bread, white rice and pasta.
Choosing ingredients like whole wheat, brown or wild rice, barley, buckwheat, quinoa or bulgur is a wise choice. Eating whole foods is the best way to boost your metabolism and have a healthy body, which will permit weight loss.
Whole grains are not fat burning foods themselves, but your body needs to burn twice as many calories when breaking down whole foods, in comparison to processed foods.
Whole grains are packed with more nutrients and fibre than refined grains. They provide more energy to your body and encourage healthy and regular bowel movements (which is linked to weight loss).
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are great fat burning foods for several reasons. First, they are low in fat and in calories, while being rich in fibre. That is the perfect combination for weight management. Plus, they contain vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients that help fighting illnesses.
When it comes to weight loss, it seems that tomatoes contain a powerful compound called 9-oxo-ODA, that has the ability to burn fat. Researchers have also discovered that the beta-carotene and lycopene found in tomatoes encourage weight loss.
There is no doubt that tomatoes should be part of a healthy diet, for longevity and for weight loss.
Grapefruit
You probably have heard that grapefruit is a great detoxifier and a fat burning food. Fact or fiction? It turns out that grapefruit does in fact promote weight loss.
A study published in the journal of Metabolism demonstrated that those who ate grapefruit during six consecutive weeks were able to lose one inch of their waistlines.
Another study found that the people who ate half of a grapefruit before their meals during twelve consecutive weeks were able to lose about 3.5 pounds.
So, what’s up with grapefruit? It seems like this amazing citrus fruit is able to activate your fat burning hormones, as well as suppressing your appetite. That’s incredible!
You should know that grapefruit is not the only one in the citrus family to be so powerful. In fact, all citrus fruits are great. They all boost DNA repair and help prevent cancer.
However, it’s interesting to know that most of the compounds responsible for these health benefits are found in the peel of the fruit. This is why adding the zest to your meals is the best way to to get full benefits from citrus.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar may be a liquid but it can definitely be classified as a fat burning food. It has been used for weight loss for about 200 years.
Vinegar is a dilute solution of acetic acid. It takes energy for your body to metabolize it, which is done with the activation of an enzyme called AMPK. This enzyme is like your body’s fuel gauge. When you are low, it tells your body to stop storing fat and to start burning it instead. If vinegar is able to activate AMPK, it should certainly be on your fat burning food list.
One study done on obese people showed that consuming apple vinegar daily was efficient at reducing body weight, without any changes in the diet or physical activity. Drinking 2 tablespoons of vinegar daily during 3 months showed that the subjects were able to lose 5 pounds and 1 inch of waist.
Apple cider vinegar is also a calorie-free way of flavouring your food. Choosing vinegar instead of a sauce from the store that is full of sugar is a wiser choice.
The enzymes found in apple cider vinegar also encourage a healthy digestion and the regulation of blood sugar levels, which can be very helpful at eliminating food cravings.
When you choose an apple cider vinegar, make sure that it is organic, raw and unpasteurized. It should look unclear, with a cobweb-like substance in it. This is called the “mother”. It means the apple cider vinegar still contains beneficial bacteria (probiotics). Studies have proven numerous times that probiotic-rich foods encourages weight loss as well as our ability to keep the weight off.
So, do you already eat fat burning foods?
