When you are trying to lose weight it isn’t just about the number of calories that you eat. Certain foods have hidden benefits that help you burn off that excess fat. We’re not talking unusual foods here or expensive supplements, just everyday foods. If you incorporate them into your diet, you could find yourself losing the weight faster than you had imagined. Here are the best fat burning foods to lose weight.
1 Chilies
All varieties of chillies contain the chemical capsaicin, which is what gives them their heat. When we eat capsaicin it literally warms our bodies up, boosting our metabolism and helping us to burn extra calories. Munching chili peppers all day long may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but they can be added to stews, casseroles, soups and salads very easily. They can be eaten fresh, dried, flaked or powdered. Capsaicin is also found in cayenne pepper, and that can be sprinkled on most things to give you a calorie burning kick!
Frequently asked questions
2 Lean Meat
Staying away from meat is a big mistake if you are trying to lose weight. Meat is high in protein, and protein is great for weight loss. The body has to work extra hard to break down protein, compared to the likes of carbohydrates, so you actually use up calories in the digestive process. Eating protein burns 30% more calories than eating other foods. So, for example, 300 calories worth of chicken breast uses up 90 calories while it is being digested, meaning that you only really take on 210 calories. Be careful, though, as some meat it also high in fat. Stick to chicken, fish and lean red meat.
3 Green Tea
Green tea contains the chemical EGCG, which has been linked to weight loss in some studies. It is said to increase your metabolic rate for a short while after you drink it, helping you to burn fat. Green tea is high in antioxidants, and has lots of other health benefits too, such as helping to lower LPD cholesterol and slowing down cell degeneration. Drinking 6 glasses of green tea a day will help you to lose weight, as well as keeping your body hydrated, which is very important for weight loss. Also, as it is drunk without milk, you won’t be adding up calories in the same way as you would by drinking tea or coffee.
4 Whole Grains
The heath benefits of whole grains are amazing, but if you are looking just to burn fat, then they can help you with that too. Because whole grains, such as brown rice, barley, whole wheat bread and spelt, still contain the outer husky fibre naturally found on grains, they are more difficult to digest than their processed cousins. This doesn’t make them less palatable to eat; it just means that your body has to work harder to break down the insoluble fibre that they contain. This extra work burns more calories, so by switching your usual grain for the wholegrain variety, you will burn that fat off faster. Because this extra digestion takes longer, your stomach will feel fuller for longer and decrease your need for snacking too.
5 Low Fat Dairy
Don’t be afraid of dairy if you are trying to lose weight. Dairy is an essential part of a healthy, well-balanced diet. Dairy products, such as milk, yogurt and cheese, are high in calcium and vitamin D. These nutrients are necessary for building up muscle mass, and also for the correct running of your metabolism. A healthy metabolism is essential for your body to work efficiently and burn calories. There are low fat versions of all of your favourite dairy products and they all contain calcium and vitamin D, just less fat. 100 ml of full fat milk contains 3.9g of fat; 100 ml of semi-skimmed milk has 1.8g of fat; whereas 100ml of skimmed milk has only 0.1g. If you usually drink full fat milk, try dropping down to semi-skimmed milk to start off with, before eventually moving to skimmed. It is surprising how quickly you will adjust to the taste, especially when you see what a difference it makes to your waistline.
