The golden rule in losing weight generally comes down to this: burn more calories than you consume. This is why many people seeking to shed some extra pounds either go on a calorie-restricting diet or perform intense workouts. Sometimes, they even do both. But what if it’s possible to lose weight by carefully choosing the foods you eat? Here’s what you need to know about fat-burning foods.
Fat-Burning Foods, An Overview
Nutritional supplements that boost fat metabolism, inhibit fat absorption, promote weight loss, and increase fat oxidation during workouts are referred to as “fat burners.¹”
The thing is, no food can do all these things at once, that’s why fat burners usually have numerous ingredients.
Hence, when we talk of fat-burning foods, we usually point to foods that can:
- Boost the metabolism or fat loss
- Suppress the appetite, which helps reduce the total calorie intake.
The good news is that some foods can do both of these things.
Fat-Burning Foods You Can Add To Your Diet
Are you looking for fat-burning foods to add to your diet? You might want want to consider the following:
Fatty Fish
First on our list of foods that can help you lose weight is fatty fish.
In a study involving 44 participants, researchers found that those who consumed fish oil supplements for six weeks developed higher lean mass and lower fat mass. They believe it is because fish oil helps lower cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, which plays a significant role in fat storage².
Examples of fatty fish include sardines, herring, salmon, and mackerel.
Coffee
Did you know that coffee is one of the fat-burning foods that not only increase our stamina but also makes us burn more fat? In fact, caffeine is a common ingredient in many fat burners.
A small-scale research that divided the participants into two groups discovered that those who had caffeine an hour before exercise were able to work out 17% longer than those who didn’t have caffeine. Moreover, the participants in the caffeine group also experienced nearly twice as much fat loss as the control group³.
Important: Please note that excessive caffeine intake may result in some side effects like insomnia and anxiousness.
Eggs
If you’re looking for fat-burning foods that not only boost fat metabolism but also make you feel fuller for longer, consider having more eggs.
A study discovered that otherwise healthy participants who were either overweight or obese experienced a greater reduction in BMI, weight, percent body fat, and waist circumference after having eggs for breakfast in 8 weeks⁴.
Eggs are also filling, as evidenced by people experiencing greater satiety during the pre-lunch period after having eggs for breakfast⁵.
Eggs are quite controversial because people think they increase blood cholesterol. However, reports say consuming eggs have little to no association with increased cholesterol levels.
Yogurt
Another one of the fat-burning foods that promote satiety and weight loss is yogurt.
Yogurt, like eggs, is high in protein. One report concluded that less-energy dense and high-protein snacks (like yogurt) improve appetite control and satiety; they also reduce subsequent food intake⁶.
Additional Reminders
Are you looking for fat-burning foods to add to your diet? Consider having fatty fish, eggs, coffee, and yogurt.
However, remember that losing weight involves a holistic approach of consuming a healthy and balanced diet and performing regular exercise.
Aim to have a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, low-fat dairy, and healthy fats. Also, try to have at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity daily.
In case you have problems in achieving your target weight or Body Mass Index, don’t hesitate to get in touch with your doctor.
Learn more about Diet and Weight Loss here.
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