21 FOOD TO EAT IF YOU WANT TO BURN BELLY FAT QUICKLY

Belly fat cannot be specifically targeted and reduced by itself. When losing excess weight, you have to work on reducing your weight overall. If you do this, you’ll see the weight that has gathered around your belly will reduce too.

Everyone is familiar with the old saying “you are what you eat!” and this couldn’t be truer when it comes to achieving and maintaining your ideal weight! Diet is going to be one of your most important weapons in the fight against belly fat – you can lose weight through dieting alone. Experts estimate that around 80 to 90 percent of the success or failure of your fat loss will be attributed to your food intake.
However, diet shouldn’t translate as “stopping certain foods altogether”, rather, you should think about diet as your attitude towards food. Changing the kinds of food you
eat as well as the frequency you eat them, and your portion sizes!

The first rule is to simply eat real, whole foods that were grown from the ground or a tree. Processed foods (any food that comes in a box) is often low in nutrition, fibre, and high in sugar, salt, additives and preservatives. They don’t fill you up and lead to more cravings and overeating! What’s more, don’t fall for marketing gimmicks like “low fat” and “made with whole grains”. They often mean very little and are pumped full of sugar.
Below are some examples of real, whole foods that are especially good for you during the weight loss journey.

The first rule is to simply eat real, whole foods that were grown from the ground or a tree. Processed foods (any food that comes in a box) is often low in nutrition, fiber, and high in sugar, salt, additives and preservatives. They don’t fill you up and lead to more cravings and overeating! What’s more, don’t fall for marketing gimmicks like “low fat” and “made with whole grains”. They often mean very little and are pumped full of sugar.
Below are some examples of real, whole foods that are especially good for you during the weight loss journey.

1.  Cucumber

Cucumber is a low-calorie and extremely refreshing food. It contains about 96% of water, which can help to keep you full. A fresh cucumber has just 45 calories.It also provides you with generous quantities of essential nutrients, such as vitamins C & K. Cucumbers also have fiber, which may be beneficial for weight loss.

2. Coffee

Black coffee is a wonderful drink in the morning or to help keep you awake in the afternoon. The caffeine in coffee may provide  fat-burning qualities.^[ One cup of coffee may boost metabolism by  4% for up to 2 hours and 30 minutes. Remember not to add sugar or cream, which would negate the benefits!

3. Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants – nearly eight times more than that found in strawberries. It also has stimulants that may help reduce fat deposition.^[25] [26]. It is also high in flavonoids and proanthocyanidins that can boost the good high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or good cholesterol levels. The natural substances present in it also support you in controlling insulin levels, relaxing blood vessels, and reducing blood pressure levels. In addition, dark chocolate also provides you with other important minerals such as copper, potassium, calcium, iron, and magnesium.

4. Grapefruit

Grapefruit is your new best friend when it comes to burning belly fat. It stimulates the production of cholecystokinin, a known hunger suppressant. Additionally, grapefruit lowers insulin levels of the body, which prevents our body from storing fat.
Again, you should always aim to eat the whole fruit as the flesh stores most of the nutrients and contains the fiber you need to digest the fruit’s sugars properly.

5. Apples and Pears

Pears and apples are two of only a handful of fruits that have low calories and high fiber. Since they are a rich source of dietary fiber, apples and pears will make you feel full without eating too much. Just be sure to eat the whole fruit, as juice alone lacks the necessary dietary fiber needed to digest and process the sugars properly!

6. Green Tea

A study in the Journal of Functional Foods in 2012 indicated that people who drank 1 ½ cups of green tea that contain about 600 mg of catechins (catechins – a group of antioxidants, which have been indicated to assist in burning fat cells) daily for about 3 months lost nearly 16 times as much belly fat as those people who consumed green tea without the antioxidants. Along with that, the caffeine in green tea is a stimulant, which may help to increase metabolism.Three cups of green tea daily may help with weight loss. 

7. Sweet Potato

Sweet potato’s inherent natural sweetness makes it a very appealing ingredient for a range of recipes. It is a rich source of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients that benefit our eyesight, heart and digestive system.
Compared to its close relative the potato, sweet potato has a lower Glycemic Index which measures how fast it releases sugar into the bloodstream, so it makes a great substitute! It’s another food that’s rich in dietary fiber steadying the pace of digestion and giving enough time for the starches to be converted into simple sugars in the digestive tract.

8. Chili Peppers

Chili peppers have one particular ingredient that suppresses appetite and burns fat – capsaicin. Capsaicin is responsible for that burning sensation in our mouth when we eat chili, but it also burns fat through a process called thermogenesis (literally converting food into heat) for over 20 minutes after we eat it.

9. Leafy Greens

Leafy greens such as kale, spinach, and romaine lettuce are known for their rich nutrient and fiber content while being low in carbohydrates and calories. Leafy greens are one of the healthiest foods you can add to your diet because of their low energy density (low calories), meaning you can eat more without much risk of gaining weight, plus they help you feel fuller for longer (31).

10. Cruciferous Vegetable

Some of the notable characters in this group are arugula, broccoli, Bok choy, collard greens, kale, daikon radish, watercress, radish, turnip, and mustard greens.
This vegetable family is rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, folic acid (a crucial nutrient for pregnant women), carotenoids, and fiber, while also being low in calories and fat.
Per one hundred calories you consume, you’ll get around 25 to 40 percent of your daily dietary fiber requirement, this not only helps with weight loss but also aids in improving our digestive health.

11. Beans and legumes

Beans and legumes are rare in that they combine high protein and fiber without the saturated fat. This is what makes them ideal for moderating or losing weight because protein and fiber go through the digestive system at a slower pace, leaving you feeling fuller for longer, as well as helping to move along any foods that might be stuck in your gastrointestinal tract.
The slower pace also helps regulate blood sugar balance, and beans lead to a production of a hormone known to be an appetite suppressant.

12. Lean grass-fed beef and organic chicken

Adding lean (keyword) beef to your diet is one way to help you lose weight because of its protein content. Studies have shown that by simply adding protein to your diet, cravings can be reduced by up to 60 percent.
Chicken breast is another fantastic source of protein which makes it a staple of a lot of weight loss diets. You should aim to grill meat wherever possible as frying it will add to the calorie content.

13. Wild-caught salmon

Salmon is a rich source of nutrients that indirectly help in regulating weight. This nutrient-dense fish is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids which boost brain function and contribute to improving mood. Omega-3 also helps reduce inflammation and aids digestion – better digestion means better weight regulation, reducing your chances of obesity and metabolic disease).
New studies have also shown that salmon contains proteins and amino acids that affect insulin effectiveness and the inflammation of the digestive tract.

14. Apple Cider Vinegar

If you love your salads, instead of using fatty or creamy dressings which can make an otherwise healthy dish pretty unhealthy, try using an apple cider vinegar based vinaigrette instead. Alternatively, you could drink it by diluting it in water.
Apple cider vinegar is rich in acetic acid, which in one study was found to suppress body fat accumulation and, in others, linked to improving insulin sensitivity in people who have type-2 diabetes .Plain Greek.

15. Yogurt

This is a healthier alternative to traditional yogurt because it has less sodium, sugar, and carbohydrates, but also has a little bit more protein . Yogurt, in general, is also a rich source of probiotics, a major factor in our digestive health, keeping bad bacteria in check.
Be sure to choose plain unflavored and unsweetened Greek yogurt for the optimal results. You can add fruits to sweeten it up naturally or add it to a healthy smoothie recipe.

16. Nuts

Generally speaking, nuts are a rich source of healthy fats (omega-3 fatty acids), protein, and fiber, but not all nuts are created equal – almonds, cashews, and pistachios contain the least amount of calories so should be your go-to nuts!
Almonds, in particular, are proven to help in weight loss, in one study a 3-ounce almond supplement saw participants lose 7 percent more in terms of body weight compared to the other group that had a supplement of complex carbohydrates.
Macadamia and pecans contain the most calories so you should certainly try and minimize these in your weight-loss journey!

17. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a rich source of fatty acids – great for boosting brain function, lowering blood cholesterol, and potentially helping reduce seizures in people who suffer from epilepsy. Additionally, the high fatty acid content in coconut oil is great for appetite suppression. Use it in place of your usual oil when cooking foods – the taste usually isn’t very overpowering. Alternatively, add it to your smoothies.

18. Chia Seeds

These seeds are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and protein. A total of 14 percent of chia seeds’ weight is protein. Chia seeds can easily be mixed into juices, smoothies, cereal, veggies, or yogurt to add a contrasting nutty flavor.

19. Matcha

Matcha literally means, ‘powdered tea’ and it’s a special form of green tea that is usually grown in Japan. Unlike traditional green tea where the leaves are discarded, you consume the entire chlorophyll-rich leaves that have been handpicked, steamed, dried, and ground into a fine green powder.
Matcha contains EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) a very potent antioxidant. It increases fat oxidation (fat burning) by 33 percent, as well as inhibiting fat cell development.

20. Eat More Fiber

Fiber isn’t just super healthy for your heart and cholesterol; it’s also a tummy toner. A recent study found that foods high in fiber could reduce visceral body fat – the fat cells deep in the belly. Researchers say that for every 10-gram increase in soluble fiber eaten per day, visceral fat was reduced by 3.7 percent over five years.
Where can you get soluble fiber? Vegetables, fruit, and beans. Get them in your diet!

21. Milk

While the link between calcium and weight loss is still feeble (in some studies it promotes greater weight loss, in others it’s a wash), it turns out that milk may really do a body good when it comes to belly fat. A 2010 study by researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that, among a group of more than 100 premenopausal women, fat was significantly reduced in those who consumed the most calcium-rich foods. In fact, for every 100 milligrams of calcium they consumed per day (that’s 1/2 cup of soft-serve frozen yogurt), they lost an inch of intra-abdominal fat—that’s the really bad stuff tucked in and around your internal organs that has been linked to higher rates of heart disease and cancer. Like magnesium, calcium can also help you sleep if you tend to be awakened by muscle soreness or cramps—the mineral, along with calcium, helps relax muscle nerves and fibers.

How to get your dose: Dairy works, but there are other ways to get your calcium in as well, such as sardines, fortified orange juice, tofu, and dark leafy greens like kale and spinach.

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