30 surprising foods that melt fat

Lifestyle

Published: 2019-09-15 16:40

Last Updated: 2024-03-28 23:15


30 surprising foods that melt fat
30 surprising foods that melt fat

Those who wish to lose weight and live a healthy life, may not have to follow a diet or make special weight loss recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner as long as their fridges are full of particular types of food.

According to msn, the following types of food would help you lose weight and would melt fat.

1. Pumpkin Seed Pesto

"Blend [pumpkin seeds] with basil, parm and garlic for a twist on a nut-free pesto," suggests Rebecca Lewis, RD for HelloFresh, a leading healthy meal kit delivery service. Or, you can toast the fat-blasting seeds and sprinkle them onto salads in lieu of toppings. Lewis also suggests adding them to soups for a dose of added protein.

2. Green Tea

"you can drink 4 to 5 cups a day, you may actually not only warm up but speed up your metabolism and even burn more calories (and fat, including belly fat!) in your sleep, thanks to its polyphenol called epigallocatechin-3-gallate, or EGCG,” explain The Nutrition Twins, Lyssie Lakatos, RDN, CDN, CFT and Tammy Lakatos Shames, RDN, CDN, CFT, and authors of The Nutrition Twins’ Veggie Cure. “It also contains the amino acid theanine that brings on a mental alertness and calmness that helps you to make rational decisions, so you can turn down fatty, caloric foods that you’d normally eat due to stress."

3. Roasted Brussels Sprouts

The perfect meld of delectably crispy and bright with fresh flavor, this cruciferous veggie is one of our favorite superfoods. "Roast them with spices and a sprinkle of nutritional yeast," suggests Julieanna Hever, MS, RD, CPT, a plant-based dietitian and author of The Vegiterranean Diet and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition. "They’re excellent weight loss foods because they are loaded with fiber and detoxifying glucosinolates."

4. Pickles

Pickles are filled with water, vinegar, and fiber, and barely any calories! In fact, just one cup of the pickled cucumbers pack in two grams of fiber for only 16 calories. Not to mention, studies show that acidic foods like vinegar help increase the body’s carb-burning rate by up to 40 percent. Once your body burns off carbs, it moves onto torching fat, which can help you finally rock your skinny jeans muffin top-free.

5. Dried Plums

"Dried plums are one of the best natural constipation remedies. A serving of four to five dried plums packs three full grams of fiber," shares Rebecca Scritchfield, RDN, author of the upcoming book, Body Kindness. "About half of that is insoluble, which helps speed food through the digestive tract. The other half is slow-moving soluble fiber, good for enhancing satiety, lowering cholesterol and regulating blood sugar levels. They both add up to a very healthy gut." And trim tummy!

6. Spaghetti Squash

"Just when the cooler weather has you craving warm, unhealthy comfort foods, spaghetti squash is one of the best replacements for spaghetti!" exclaim The Nutrition Twins. "It feels like a hearty meal, but one cup only has about 40 calories—more than 75 percent fewer calories than a cup of plain pasta." Even better? It’s a good source of fiber, which means it will keep you fuller for longer and help keep belly bloat at bay.

7. Kiwi

"They may be small, but these sweet-tasting fruits contain a hefty amount of actinidin, a natural enzyme unique to kiwifruit that aids in digestion by breaking down protein in the body. Kiwifruit also contains prebiotic fiber, which primes the gut for healthy digestion," says Scritchfield. "Research indicates that a daily serving of green kiwifruit helps to increase bowel movements. So, cut in half, scoop with a spoon, and pop into your mouth like nature’s Tums (SunGold kiwis, with a yellow flesh and tropical taste, offer three times the vitamin C of oranges and as much potassium as a medium banana).” Did we mention they’re just hankering for a heavenly breakfast bowl?

8. Mushrooms

Game, set, ‘shrooms. As in, time to add a hefty helping of this potent and nutrient-packed fungi to your next meal. Sautée them into a tomato-based sauce or roast them until crisp to add as a topping to tasty salads brimming with autumnal bounty (think: squash, pumpkin seeds, massaged kale). “Swapping any of the infinite types of hearty, umami-flavored mushrooms for meat will keep your belly flat due to their very low fat and calorie count and super nutrient profile,” explains Hever.

9. Brown Rice

"Healthy eating may be triggering gas overload," offers Scritchfield. "Rice is the only starchy food that does not cause gas, research says." To keep things healthy, stick to a fist-size portion with your meals.

10. Winter Squash

Yes, you can get ’em all year around (and should!). “Note: These winter squashes have thicker skins so require longer cook times than summer squash,” says Lewis. The outcome? A tantalizing, roasted veggie side that’s worthy of being an entrée (just stuff with beans, veggies and garlic or herbs for a tasty medley of flavors).

11. Apples

"Nature’s perfect weight loss food are apples," says Hever. "Eat them raw, sprinkled with cinnamon, or baked as a seasonal treat. You cannot overeat them, there are myriad varieties as options, and studies show that enjoying an apple before a meal decreases total caloric intake at that meal."

12. Pistachios

Bet you can’t have just one. And that’s okay, pop a handful of these nutrition superstars. "Pistachios are the perfect fall-flat belly food (harvested in early September with harvest lasting approximately six weeks and popular right through the holidays) are our favorite because they have a winning combination of protein, fiber and healthy fats to keep you satisfied throughout the day," say The Nutrition Twins. In addition to keeping vending machine-cravings in check, the fact that you have to de-shell them, also helps you avoid mindless snacking. "Most snacks with a satisfying crunch also cause stomach irritation and bloat from salt, fat, and from digestive distress, but not pistachios! Also, their fall hues (green and red-purple colors) come from antioxidants!"

13. Dark Leafy Greens

These antioxidant-packed powerhouses are perfect to toss into soups, stir fries, and chilis. Some ideas: "Massage your kale to help break down the fibers a bit, then sautée it with garlic and olive oil; Blend spinach in your morning smoothie with bananas for a green power breakfast; add swiss chard to your hearty soup recipes — its texture is able to stand up to the longer cook times."

14. Peanut Butter

Besides for making a delicious spread or dip, peanuts also pack in a belly-fat-blasting effect. Genistein, a compound that acts on obesity genes and reduces your body’s ability to store fat, is present in this versatile nut. What’s more, peanuts are brimming with polyunsaturated fats, which have been shown to "turn on" genes in visceral fat that are linked to reduced fat storage and improved sugar metabolism in the body, according to a Uppsala University study.

15. Baked or Roasted Potatoes

And add to that: yams and sweet potatoes. "They’re very low in fat, high in satiating complex carbohydrates and fiber that helps you stay lean and satisfied with delicious, comforting sweetness," suggests Hever.

16. Pumpkin

If you’re buying it from a can and not fresh, be sure to opt for the unsweetened variety of one of our favorite high fiber foods. "It makes a great, low-calorie dessert, just add cinnamon," suggest The Nutrition Twins. "Pumpkin is only 40 calories and 5 grams of fiber per half-cup so it will keep your belly lean and flat while the fiber helps to flush unsightly belly bulges from constipation. You can also use pumpkin to replace oil in brownies and butter in other recipes to keep your recipes low-calorie and delicious and your belly flat." Pumpkin brownies? Don’t mind if we do.

17. Lemons

This citrus fruit is well worth befriending in your daily routine if you haven’t already. "If you drink alcohol, it can cause gas to form in your face and belly. Cut your alcohol in half by swapping a water with lemon between drinks. Try it over ice, sparkling, or hot water with lemon," suggests Scritchfield. “The vitamin C in lemon helps break down the bloat." Making fish? "You can also zest [a lemon] and then slice it and add to any fish recipe,” offers Lewis. Green tea with lemon? Even better, you overachiever, you.

18. Tomatoes

Oh tomatoes, let us count the ways we love you. "They contain the magical combination of water and potassium, which brings on an instant flat stomach by flushing excess sodium, water and bloat from your body and belly," explain The Nutrition Twins. "Plus, they’re fiber-packed (goodbye constipation and the puffiness that comes with it!) and super low in calories, so you can eat a lot of them without gaining weight."

19. Cheese

Losing your muffin top doesn’t have to mean giving up all your favorite indulgences— Havarti and Gouda included. Cheese is brimming with butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that’s the product of fermentation in the large intestine, which has been proven to prevent the development of both insulin resistance and obesity, a study in the journal Diabetes found.

20. Chocolate

And you don’t have to give up your sweet guilty pleasures, either. Dark chocolate is rich in polyphenols, plant-based antioxidants, that help you fight both free radicals and stubborn fat. A Louisiana State University study found that gut microbes in our stomach ferment chocolate into polyphenolic compounds, including butyrate, which ignites your body to burn fat as fuel and turns off genes linked to inflammation.

21. Eggs

A study in the journal Nutrition Research divided 21 men into two groups where half ate a bagel breakfast while the other half ate eggs. The findings showed that the egg group showed a lower response to ghrelin and were less hungry three hours later. What’s more, those who woke up to eggs ate fewer calories for the next 24 hours following the study.

22. Avocados

Stop fearing the fat! Creamy avocados are full of monounsaturated fats that dim your appetite and prevent the accumulation of belly fat. In fact, a European study tracked 90,000 people for several years and discovered that participants who tried to eat a low-fat diet had the same risk of being overweight as those who ate whatever they wished! Consider this fast fact another reason to bite into avo toast.

23. Plums

These reddish fruits can give your fat genes the red light. How so? Plums contain phenolic compounds called flavonoids, which lend the fruit its deep color as well as its ability to fight fat. Plums also are a great source of pectin, a gelatin-like type of fiber found in the cell walls of fruits that puts a cap on the amount of fat your cells can absorb.

24. Spinach

There’s a reason why Popeye always chose spinach. The dark green leaves contain a long-chain sugar molecule called sulfoquinovose (SQ), which can help your midsection stay trim. According to a study in the journal Nature Chemical Biology, SQ promotes the growth your good gut bacteria, which prevent bad bacteria from colonizing your gut and causing inflammation and belly fat. Toss the leafy greens with a handful of walnuts, sliced strawberries, and goat cheese for a satisfying lunch.

25. Nut & Seed Trail Mix

According to a 2016 Danish study, people who ate a meal rich in plant protein rather than animal protein reported feeling significantly more satiated. Pack a baggie full of flab-frying peanuts, walnuts, and sunflower seeds to munch on if the hunger pangs begin to distract you in between meals.

26. Tuna

Light tuna is a dietary triple threat in a can: it’s affordable, packed with protein, and blasts belly fat. In fact, a study in the Journal of Lipid Research found that adding omega-3 fatty acids to your diet could help turn off fat genes. While fish contain two types of omega-3s—DHA and EPA—the researchers discovered that DHA can be 40 to 70 percent more effective than EPA at suppressing fat genes and preventing fat cells from enlarging. Crack open a can of tuna because it’s the fish with the highest DHA content.

27. Bananas

When you skimp out on sleep, your body produces more ghrelin, the hunger hormone, encouraging you to eat more the next day. Stay on track with your weight loss goals by noshing on nanners. Not only do their muscle-relaxing minerals, like potassium and magnesium, lullaby your body into a sleep mode, these fruits can also help you look and feel thinner. One study found that women who ate a banana twice daily before meals for two months reduced their bloat by 50 percent, thanks to the fruit’s debloating potassium.

28. Cinnamon

Who knew that zapping fat is as easy as shaking some cinnamon onto your oats? A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that this blood sugar-regulating spice helps reduce insulin secretion, preventing sugar from being stored as fat. Not into oatmeal? Try sprinkling the stuff into your latte or smoothies.

29. Salmon

Wild-caught salmon is brimming with omega-3 fatty acids, which are notorious for squashing inflammation and helping you zap unwanted belly flab. In fact, these healthy fats fight inflammation by increasing in adiponectin, a hormone that boosts metabolism and burns fat. Stock up on this pink fish, as it’s rich in both EPA and DHA, the two active forms of omega-3s.

30. Blueberries

These bite-sized berries are as mighty as they are tiny. In a study in the Journal of Medicinal Food, blueberries were shown to reduce abdominal fat, triglycerides, and total body weight. Next time you’re making a yogurt parfait, don’t forget to toss in some blueberries!