When people aim at weight loss, they generally focus a lot on belly fat. It is a good move as abdominal fat has a strong association with heart disease and type 2 diabetes risks. Several exercises and supplements might help you lose abdominal weight. However, if you want to incorporate your fitness regime with your diet, here are some foods that burn belly fat.
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Do you need the foods that burn belly fat?
Should you worry about finding foods that burn belly fat? Measure your abdominal circumference around the waist. If you measure more than 40 inches (men) or 35 inches (women), you have abdominal obesity. The best way to reduce belly fat is to avoid sugary beverages and carbohydrates. Include more protein and fiber in your diet. Moreover, it is essential to add exercise to your daily regime too.
Peanut butter – a snack that burns belly fat
Peanut butter serving holds 8g of protein and 4g of fiber. There are several types of peanut butter, including flavored ones too. So, pick the original version that contains only peanut, salt, and oil. Avoid the ones that have unwanted additives, especially fructose corn syrup. Peanut butter helps to reduce your hunger as it is a low glycemic food. Thus, you will feel fuller, and it would reduce the need for unhealthy snacking.
Chickpea – plant fiber for your plate
Chickpeas have high antioxidant content and micro minerals. You can add chickpeas to your stews, salad, side dishes, and more. You can also adjust white flour with chickpea flour while baking. Although not a perfect alternative to white flour, you can reduce the carbohydrates in your baked goods. The legume is full of fiber and would reduce bloating or inflammation. It aids in better digestion that leads to the removal of unwanted toxins from your body.
Pumpkin – the vegetable that burns belly fat
You will be coming across several vegetables in any list of foods that burn belly fat. However, pumpkin is a versatile ingredient suitable for snacking, cooking, baking, and more. Pumpkin is an underrated food in the weight loss genre. It has more fiber than the most-healthy quinoa and higher potassium content than a regular banana.
Do not stop with the flesh of the pumpkin. You can add pumpkin seeds to your diet too. These seeds have a high amount of fiber and adequate protein content. It would be a great garnish option for your desserts.
Fish – add seafood to gain lean protein
Protein from red meat could have other consequences. However, fishes are a much healthier option. If you do not want to get confused with the type of fishes to add, choose tuna, sardines, and salmon. These are very rich in omega-3 fatty acids and protein. Do you know that the polyunsaturated fatty acids and the minerals in salmon make it a wonder food? Vitamin D rich salmon can help in weight management. You would need vitamin B6 to fight stress, as stress is one of the major reasons for weight gain and other health disorders. Salmon would add 25% of your daily vitamin B6 requirements.
Fermented foods that burn belly fat
Fermented foods have a high association with weight loss. These fermented foods are rich in probiotics. Probiotic bacteria help in healthy gut functioning and eliminates bloating. Moreover, it improves immunity and nutrient absorption ability. Better absorption of the nutrient can lead to less snacking as you will be full with a smaller serving of food. The best fermented food to add to your diet is plain yogurt. Choose the yogurt brand that has five or more bacterial cultures in a six-ounce pack.
Similar to yogurt, kefir is also a fermented dairy product full of probiotics. If you feel constipated, you can add kefir to your diet. Besides, it is rich in protein too. It is a good alternative for yogurt in your smoothies. Although sauerkraut is not famous in many households, this fermented vegetable is getting popular for its belly fat burning ability. Use it in your sandwich or salad to add more fiber to your food.
The prebiotic food that burns belly fat – oats
Many experts recommend consuming overnight soaked oatmeal for breakfast. It would increase healthy bacteria in your body and also offer a heavy load of fiber. Thus, you can easily remove toxins from your body and keep your digestive system healthier. Moreover, oats are a high glycemic food that would keep you full for a longer time.
Nuts that burn belly fat
People commonly consider nuts as weight gaining foods, and it is true. Nuts are a very rich source of nutrients, and over-snacking would lead to weight gain. However, in moderation, certain nuts can reduce weight. Almonds can boost your metabolism, which would increase calorie burning speed even when you are idle. Thus, it would help to reduce belly fat. Moreover, almonds are rich in fiber and protein. Walnut helps in reducing your carbohydrate carving and keeps you full until the next meal.
Berries that you should add to your diet
It is not easy to find fruits in this list of foods that burn belly fat. However, the best options are berries – especially raspberry and blueberry. Blueberries have the least among of sugar than any fruit, and yet they are sweet and a great choice for dessert flavoring. Moreover, a cup of blueberry holds a high amount of fibers and antioxidants. Raspberry has the highest amount of fiber than any berry. Moreover, it would add a good texture and flavor to your smoothies.
If you are looking for more fruits to add to your diet, you can prefer avocados (yes, a fruit), bananas, and citrus fruits.
Add more herbs and spices to your diet. If you are a rice eater, try to switch to whole grains or unprocessed rice. You can also try quinoa, beans, and lentils for a few meals per week. Add more greens to your plate too. Most importantly, drink an ample amount of water – plain, unflavored water.