The Best Fat Burning Foods

Best Foods for Burning Fat

All foods require energy to be metabolized, or broken down, by the body.  This process is called thermogenesis.  However, according to a research study by the Center for Medical Weight Loss, there are some foods that have a particular “thermogenic” effect.  In fact, these foods can actually raise your metabolism for a period of time which helps burn fat around your tummy, belly, or stomach. Two of such fat burning foods which can be easily incorporated into your daily diet are chili peppers and green tea.

Top 5 Fat Burning Foods (List)

Chili Peppers

Chili peppers’ ability to burn calories comes from capsaicin.  Capsaicin is a chemical in these peppers which gives them its hot flavor. Studies have shown that this chemical can also help burn calories. When it is taken in amounts that are “tolerable,” capsaicin actually burns about 20 extra calories per day.

Additionally, one study has indicated that capsinoids, other chemicals in peppers that lack the “heat” of capsaicin, might also have a thermogenic effect. It was demonstrated that following a month of consistent intake of a capsinoid called dihydrocapsiate, there was an increase in one’s resting metabolic rate by approximately 50 calories per day on average.

Similarly, a 2010 Japanese study has indicated that piperine, the “pungent” chemical in black pepper can decrease the accumulation of body fat in lab mice.

Green Tea

Green tea’s thermogenic effect comes from the chemical epigallocatechin-3 gallate, or EGCG.  EGCG increases one’s resting metabolic rate. Yet, according to the Center for Medical Weight Loss, three to four cups of tea a day are needed to get an 80-calorie increase in metabolism over a one day period.

Coffee also raises metabolism to a degree, according to nutritionist Leslie Bonci, but this effect is minor and is eliminated when other calorie-rich items are added to coffee.

Other Fat Burning Foods

Besides the two above, there are other fat burning foods which can be part of your daily weight loss plan as they contain protein or other nutritional elements that make you feel fuller longer and therefore, not hungry or craving to eat less healthier foods.

• For instance, Greek yogurt contains lots of protein compared to other yogurts.  That extra protein means it takes longer for your body to digest Greek yogurt, giving you the feeling of being full for a longer period of time.
• Other high protein foods with lots of nutritional benefits include lean meat, quinoa, eggs, and oatmeal.
• Significantly, Quinoa (rather than just being low in fat and high in protein like other foods) also contains lots of other nutrients such as zinc, selenium, iron, and vitamin E, thus helping to beat food cravings.
• Some watery fruits like watermelon, grapes, and berries simply keep you full, thus reducing the chance that you will eat unhealthy and therefore reducing your chance of gaining weight. These foods contain lots of water that can increase the feeling of fullness, therefore reducing your daily consumption of unhealthy foods.

The above fat burning foods can either increase your resting metabolism or make you feel full longer, helping you to eat less in order to lose weight.

All the foods mentioned above can be especially good for anyone on a weight loss diet.