When you think of fat-burning, you may think of healthy eating and exercise. While both are definitely necessary to burn fat and lose weight, there are certain fat-burning foods you can eat that will help you improve your results.
That’s right, fat-burning doesn’t mean you have to starve yourself to lose the extra fat. Instead, decreasing body fat is about transforming your diet. You’ll want to eat less of certain foods and, instead, stock up on some fat-burning foods that will help the process of reducing body fat.
How the Body Burns Fat
Our body uses the food we eat as a source of energy to fuel our bodily functions and processes. Traditionally, the body’s primary source of energy comes from carbohydrates, specifically the glucose and sugar that are derived from it.
If you eat foods with fewer carbohydrates, such as the way a ketogenic diet suggests, your body will have less access to carbohydrates for energy. As a result, the lack of carbohydrates will cause your body to turn to fat in the body as a source of fuel, thus inducing fat-burning.
10 Fat-Burning Foods to Stock Up On
The fact is that our bodies need some kind of energy source to function properly, so old myths about starving yourself to lose weight are counterproductive. Instead, you’ll want to stock your pantry and fridge with fat-burning foods that will prompt your body to use fat for energy rather than rely on carbs.
Here are 10 fat-burning foods that will aid you in your quest to reduce fat in the body:
1. Salmon
You’ve heard about how good salmon is for your heart, but did you know it is a powerful tool for burning fat as well? Salmon is low on the glycemic index, meaning it prevents big spikes in insulin and prevents fat storage. Salmon is also full of healthy fats that will make you feel satisfied and satiated, preventing you from overeating.
2. Walnuts
Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which decrease insulin resistance and activate fat-burning in the body. Walnuts can be a great snack to rely on in your day rather than a high-sugar granola bar or another carb-heavy snack.
3. Green Tea
Rather than pick up an afternoon coffee, why not try a cup of green tea? Green tea has been found to support the thyroid and its production of thyroxine, a hormone that keeps your metabolism going for hours.
4. Brown Rice
Brown rice is a whole grain rich in chromium, a mineral that helps regulate blood sugar levels and prevent fat storage in the body. Try swapping out white rice in favor of brown rice for your meals, or pair brown rice with other fat-burning foods like salmon.
5. Hemp Seeds
Boost your metabolism with hemp seeds. These kind of seeds are abundant in a type of omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid. You can add hemp seeds to your salads, morning smoothie, or eat them as a snack on their own.
6. Hot Peppers
Add some spice to your life by incorporating hot peppers into your diet. Studies have shown that capsaicin, a chemical compound found in hot peppers, can generate heat in the body, causing it to burn calories and break down fat.
7. Coconut and Palm Oil
While olive oil is definitely a healthy fat that’s encouraged for healthy cooking, research has found that the mixture of coconut oil and palm oil can actually promote the breakdown of fat and increase energy expenditure in the body.
8. Avocados
You may be pleased to know that avocados are superb for burning fat. Avocados are full of vitamin B6, which is known to directly counteract the stress hormone, cortisol, that’s responsible for building fat around the belly. According to recent research, avocados can also decrease the expression of certain fat genes in the body.
9. Dark Chocolate
It may seem crazy that dark chocolate could actually help you burn fat, but its true. The microbes in our gut react with dark chocolate to create a fatty acid called butyrate, which prompts the body to burn fat as fuel. Before you start stocking up on chocolate bars, make sure you’re going for dark chocolate that has at least 70% cocoa content.
10. Berries
Berries are full of powerful polyphenol antioxidants, which help the body burn fat and prevent fat from being produced in the body. Plus, berries are low in sugar, even though they are an excellent way to satisfy your sweet tooth cravings.
References
