How Do Foods Burn Fat?
We know that the key to effective and healthy weight loss is nutrition and exercise. There is no specialized exercise apparatus that will aid you spot decrease. Similarly, there is no wonder fruit that will cause weight loss. However, there are numerous foods that facilitate weight loss and help you burn calories.As an added bonus for weight loss, fat-burning foods typically have numerous other health benefits.
Top 10 Fat Burning Foods
We will cover the main ways in which fat-burning foods go about helping us to burn calories or reduce our calorie intake followed by our ultimate top 10 of fat-burning foods!
High Protein Consumes More Energy
Meats and Legumes particularly are the best examples of foods that can be taken in with high protein. High protein foods require more energy from the body to process, thus the fat-burning properties. The protein is good for muscle building, which in turn helps to increase metabolism and add satisfying bulk to meals.
Top Picks
- Chicken (lean cuts, no skin)
- Pork
- Salmon
- Beef (lean cuts)
- Tuna
- Turkey (lean cuts)
- Sardines
- Chickpeas
By Creating Heat And Speed Up The Metabolism
When your body temperature is increased, your metabolism too will speed up, helping your body to burn calories. It then makes sense that food that will raise the body temperature more than other foods will have improved fat-burning properties.
What foods increase our body temperatures more than most other foods? Why Chillies of course!
Top Picks
- Habaneros
- Cayenne Chiles
- Jalapenos
Chemical Properties
Some foods contain chemicals that are conducive to weight loss in a variety of ways, including vitamin C from citrus fruit and capsaicin in chilies.
Top Picks
- Green tea
- Chilies
- Oranges
- Lemons
- Mandarins
- Mangoes
- Garlic
- Onions
Reducing Calorie Intake By Digestion
Some foods reduce the number of calories that you absorb from food with their fiber content. Fiber is excellent for digestion and moves food faster through the digestive tract, meaning fewer calories are absorbed.
Additional ways that high-fiber foods help us with weight loss is by helping us to feel satisfied and fuller for longer.
It is important to drink plenty of water when you increase your fiber content, or it can actually build up in your intestine, leading to constipation.
Top Picks
- Oatmeal
- Whole grain bread
- Brown rice
- Oats
- Broccoli
- Berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries)
The Top 10 Fat Burning Foods List
To make it into our top 10 list of fat-burning foods, the food must
- Have fat-burning properties
- Be easily introduced into the diet
- Be versatile
- We commonly available
- Be enjoyable
- Be easy to prepare
- Be beneficial to our overall health in multiple ways
- Green Tea
Make green tea your drink of choice to quench that thirst, and satisfy your minimum daily fluid intake while at the same time burning those calories. Green tea contains the anti-oxidant EGCG which works to burn calories throughout the whole day.Also, keep in mind the added benefit of green tea replacing those drinks laden with sugars and the host of other health benefits such as the anti-cancer and cholesterol maintenance properties.
- Whole grain bread
The fiber content of wholegrain bread is high along with the nutritional benefits of the seeds within. Wholegrain toast makes for a satisfying and low GI breakfast, and wholegrain bread is excellent for sandwiches or as a side carbohydrate for a meal like soup.Important to note is that brown bread does not mean whole grain. Some brown bread can contain coloring to achieve its brown appearance.
- Salmon
It is packed with good fats which are conducive to weight loss. It is super easy to prepare and a cost-effective, satisfying meal with a plate of vegetables and brown rice, for example. A steak of salmon can be covered in a bowl and cooked in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. Try the condiment Chermoula if you can get your hands on it. Delicious! - Garlic and Onions
Yes, we know, garlic and onions are two foods, not one. We will bunch them together because of their ease of use and common combination and addition to foods.
Minerals and oils inside garlic and onions help to break down fat and increase metabolism.Onions and/or garlic can be utilized in every meal.
- Broccoli
If you can appreciate the green flavor of broccoli, you have yourself a low-calorie, zero-fat vegetable that can accompany any meal. Broccoli boasts a great deal of fiber and a host of other health benefits in your daily diet. It is a great accompaniment to almost any meal and is filling. - Berries
Berries are high in nutrients, including antioxidants. When you buy them frozen, their freshness is locked in, and they can be kept for some time and used in a variety of ways. In summer, thaw a few berries in your mouth. Just like ice cubes, only tastier. Add them to your oatmeal, cereal, low-fat ice cream, or yogurt. - Lean Chicken
Versatile, tasty, filling, and high in protein. Chicken can be used in a variety of dishes for lunch and dinner. - Yogurt
It is high in protein, great as a part of breakfast, dessert, and a tasty snack. Low-fat yogurt is a great way to get your daily dose of dairy and can be transformed into a delicious meal with the addition of fruits or cereal. - Brown Rice
Once you go brown, you’ll never want to go back to white. It has a substance and is covered in fiber. The nutty taste and texture of brown rice go beautifully with your meats (such as lean chicken) and vegetables and is very filling.Be sure to drink plenty of water when you have something as fiber-rich in your diet as brown rice.
- Oranges
Not just rich in Fiber, the high vitamin C content of oranges is conducive to fat burning. Vitamin C promotes the production of Carnitine in the body, which oxidizes fatty acids (breaks them down/burns fat).Preferably, eat your oranges fresh rather than in supplement form or juice. The fruit is highest in fiber and a filling and sweet, satisfying end to meals.
