Be a lean slim eating machine!
No food will magically make you lose weight. Nevertheless, certain food items can be incredibly helpful on your weight loss journey, and these are considered fat burning foods! Some foods keep cravings away with high water content, while others boost your metabolism with thermogenic compounds. Additionally, foods that are high in fiber, protein, and healthy fats help you lose weight because these macronutrients are harder to break down than sugar and other simple carbs. This means that the body uses more calories in the digestion process. And while your body works to break these foods down, you’ll feel comfortably full and won’t be reaching for junk food snacks.
Forget about sugary snacks that cause blood sugar spikes and weight gain. Instead, check out these twenty-one healthy and tasty fat burning foods!
21 Best Fat Burning Foods
1. Green Tea
Green tea has been around for over 4,000 years. It’s known for its numerous health benefits, including its metabolism boosting abilities. Green tea contains caffeine, which energizes you and temporarily increases the amount of calories you burn. Additionally, green tea has been found to lower cholesterol and lower your risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
2. Oatmeal
Oatmeal helps you burn calories because it is rich in fiber and other complex carbs. The body has a hard time breaking these down, and therefore uses more energy. Conversely, high-sugar foods are processed quickly, causing spikes in blood sugar that trigger the fat-storage process.
Try: Triple Berry Baked Oatmeal
3. Chicken Breast
Foods high in protein have a similar effect as foods high in fiber. The body uses up energy in breaking down protein. It’s estimated that about 30% of calories from protein are used just in digestion. Lean chicken breast is an excellent source of low-fat protein, which makes it high on the list of fat burning foods.
Try: Greek Chicken Kebabs
4. Soybean (Edamame)
For plant-based protein, soybean is an excellent source. One cup of boiled soybeans contains about 30 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber! Additionally, soybeans are an excellent source of potassium, iron, magnesium, and calcium.
5. Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt tastes like dessert, but has none of the fattening qualities! In fact, its high protein content can help you keep lean and strong. Try plain, non-fat Greek yogurt, and flavor it yourself with stevia, berries, and shredded coconut.
Try: Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad
6. Kefir
Kefir is a fermented milk drink that tastes similar to yogurt. It contain little to no lactose because the fermentation process has broken down most of it. It also boasts a variety of vitamins and minerals, and provides a healthy dose of probiotics. A 100-calorie serving of kefir has 6 grams of protein.
7. Quinoa
One cup of quinoa has 20% of your recommended daily fiber, as well as 8 grams of protein. As an added bonus, quinoa also boasts a healthy dose of iron, which many women lack. Iron deficiency can leave you feeling slow, sluggish, and fatigued.
Try: Quinoa and Egg Protein Breakfast Bites
8. Lentils
One cup of lentils has a whooping 16 grams of fiber! That is 64% of your recommended daily intake. Lentils are also high in protein (18 grams per cup), iron (36% daily value), and magnesium (17% daily value). Try having your protein with a side of lentils instead of rice.
Try: Mushroom Fajitas with Lentils
9. Pumpkin
We’re talking about real pumpkin, and not pumpkin-flavored sugary treats. Real pumpkin is high in fiber, low in fat, and full of nutrients. One serving provides your entire daily requirement of vitamin A. Additionally, for just 80 calories, you get 7 grams of satiating fiber. Canned pumpkin is available year-round, and can be used in baking, sauces, or smoothies.
10. Broccoli
Broccoli is great for weight loss because it is filling without being high-calorie. One serving of broccoli contains 4 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein, and only 50 calories.
Try: 3-Ingredient Spicy Roasted Broccoli
11. Chili Peppers
Capsaicin, the compound that gives chili pepper their heat, also acts as a thermogenic. When you consume foods with capsaicin, the heat momentarily raises your metabolism and helps you burn more calories.
12. Cayenne Pepper
This common spice is also loaded with capsaicin. Try adding a dash of cayenne on anything from morning eggs to evening soup.
13. Paprika
If you’re not a fan of the heat in cayenne, try paprika instead. It contains capsaicin, but to a lesser degree. Paprika goes great with chicken, egg scrambles, or a veggie stir-fry.
14. Coffee
Just like with green tea, the caffeine in coffee temporarily boosts your metabolism. A cup of java in the morning will kickstart your system. However, watch out for all the empty calories in flavored coffee shop drinks. Whenever possible, choose black coffee, unsweetened milk and coffee, or a non-fat cappuccino.
15. Watermelon
Foods that are high in water content help you feel full without loading you with calories. Try replacing junk food snacks with bites of watermelon. Not only will you feel fuller, it will also help with your weight loss efforts.
16. Chicken Broth
Low-calorie chicken broth makes your stomach feel full and kickstarts your metabolism. Nevertheless, at 10 calories per cup, it’s a low-fat, low-carb diet staple. Try making a broth soup by adding some other fat-burning veggies and protein, such as cubed squash or shredded chicken breast.
Try: Instant Pot Classic Chicken and Dumplings
17. Apple Cider Vinegar
This pantry staple might be beneficial for weight loss. Apple cider vinegar has an anti-glycemic effect. It slows or halts the digestion of certain starches, helping maintain stable blood sugar levels.
Try: Apple Cider Vinegar and Cranberry Detox Drink
18. Avocado
Despite its high calorie content, adding some slices of avocado to your meal can help you stay in shape. Avocados are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are believed to promote the burning of fat stores. Additionally, avocados are rich in fiber, which helps prevent insulin spikes and keeps your blood sugar levels stable.
19. Flaxseed
Flax seeds are also loaded with omega-3 fatty acids. Try adding some flax seed to your smoothies, granola, or cereal, or use it to add a little crunch to yogurt.
Try: Wild Blueberry, Mint, and Flax Seed Smoothie
20. Grapefruit
Many experts recommend eating half a grapefruit before breakfast. This low-calorie treat will feel you with vitamins and minerals, and its fiber content helps keep you from overeating. Additionally, one of the main benefits of grapefruit is that it helps prevent sugar spikes. When your blood sugar suddenly spikes, insulin is released and this triggers your body’s fat storage mechanisms. Grapefruit prevents this from happening.
21. Water
That’s right, water is the ultimate fat burner. Although water contains zero calories, your body still uses energy to process it, which means that water gives you a calorie deficit. Although this number is slight, drinking plenty of water can help you lose weight in other ways. It keeps your muscles hydrated for peak performance, it keeps your stomach full to prevent over-eating, and it helps flush out excess waste and toxins that make you bloated.
Try: 55 Summer Fruit-Infused Water Recipes
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