Foods That Help Burn Fat

Incorporating fat burning foods into your diet along with taking part in a regular exercise regime is an effective way of losing weight. But what exactly are foods that help burn fat?

All foods have a value called the thermic effect, which is the amount of energy your body uses to consume and process the food. Calories are burned through the actions of chewing, swallowing and digesting the food. Foods that help burn fat have a high thermic effect and are considered a useful aid when dieting. The body uses the most energy in processing proteins, and protein rich foods such as red meat can have a thermic effect of up to 30%. This means that for every 100 calories of protein consumed, 30 calories are expended in processing it. Refined carbohydrates and fats have a thermic effect of around 2%.

Diets such as The Atkins Diet and The Green Tea Diet were created using this knowledge of thermic effect, but require a lot of self discipline and can be quite unhealthy for you. A diet that contains foods that help burn fat needn’t be so restrictive as there are many foods that can be used in this fashion for weight loss. The following are a few examples that I have found effective:

• Berries – Berries such as strawberries, blueberries and raspberries are a natural source of fibre which helps slow down carbohydrate absorption, controls blood sugar levels and regulates insulin levels making it less likely that your body will store fat. • Nuts – Although nuts contain a lot of fat, it is healthy fat, and when eaten in small quantities is a fat burning food. They are also a rich source of protein and fibre and are full of potassium which decreases the risk of osteoporosis and stroke. • Oatmeal – Oatmeal is packed full of unrefined carbohydrates which release their energy slowly and keep hunger at bay for longer. Refined carbohydrates such as those found in white bread, cakes and biscuits are absorbed by the body much more quickly causing your metabolism to spike before coming crashing down. This makes it more difficult to lose weight. • Red Meat – Organic red meat is one of the best foods that help burn fat due to its high levels of protein. Red meat mass produced from cows fed on grain is very fatty but the meat from cows which live off their natural diet of grass, contains much higher proportions of healthy fats such as omega 3.

There are many foods that help burn fat which can be included in your plan for eating healthy to lose weight. However this plan must be backed up with regular exercise three to four times a week.

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