The nutrients that help shrink belly fat are not expensive supplements or magic potions, but products found at your local grocery store. Losing belly fat through a nutrition plan requires choosing the right kinds of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Making the wrong choices can increase your weight, lead to heart disease or Type II diabetes, and create a endless cycle of hunger and fat gain. Nutrient-dense, fat-burning foods, on the other hand, keep you full for hours, increase your energy, prevent disease, and inhibit fat storage.
Lean Proteins
According to David Zinczenko, author of "The Abs Diet," lean sources of protein help to shrink belly fat in several different ways. Protein has a thermic effect on metabolism, meaning that it takes more energy to digest protein than any other nutrient. In addition, protein helps to stabilize insulin levels, which prevents fat storage, and it promotes building lean muscle, which is metabolically active and burns calories at rest. Examples of these protein sources include turkey, chicken, fish, egg whites, leans cuts of beef and pork, and protein powders. Protein supplements like whey, egg white, soy, and casein make convenient belly-fat-shrinking additions to your diet.
Low-Glycemic Carbohydrates
In "The Fat Burning Bible," author Mackie Shilstone recommends that you take in 40% of your nutrients as low-glycemic carbohydrates to shrink belly fat. Refined and processed carbohydrates such as white flour, white rice and sugars tend to be high-glycemic, meaning they digest very quickly, raising blood sugar, and creating a surge of insulin to trigger body-fat storage. Low-glycemic carbs, on the other hand, digest very slowly, and do not trigger large insulin spikes. Oatmeal, brown rice, whole-grain pastas and breads, and beans are examples of these carbohydrates. They contain less refined starches, and tend to have higher fiber, which fills you up, slows digestion, and provides energy for hours.
Essential Fatty Acids
Many people overlook the fat-burning power of essential fatty acids, according to "Combat the Fat" author Jeff Anderson. A diet that is too low-fat can actually work against your fitness goals. If you take in fewer than 25% of your total calories from fat, you inhibit your body's production of crucial fat-burning hormones, note the authors of "Xtreme Lean." Examples of healthy fats are olive oil, avocados, peanut butter, and nuts and seeds. Supplementing with certain healthy fats can help you shrink belly fat faster than with diet and exercise alone. Conjugated linoleic acid, medium-chain triglycerides, and omega-3 fish oil are three such fatty acids that can supply energy to working muscle and increase fat burning, adds Jim Stoppani in "Supplements 101."
Vitamin D and Calcium
These nutrients work well together, and are best known for their ability to strengthen bones, but they can also help shrink belly fat. Vitamin D increases the thermic effect of a meal, and boosts fat oxidation for more fat burning, according to "Five Fat Fighters" by Matthew Kadey. In addition, vitamin D also acts like a hormone by delivering chemical message to cells, preventing fat storage. Calcium also acts to deter fat storage, according to "The Fat Burning Bible," which recommends regular intake of low-fat dairy for this reason.
References
- "Xtreme Lean"; Jonathan Lawson and Steve Holman; 2005
- "The Fat Burning Bible"; Mackie Shilstone; 2005
- "Muscle & Fitness"; The Ultimate Supplement Handbook: Five Fat Fighters; Matthew Kadey
- "Muscle & Fitness"; The Ultimate Supplement Handbook: Supplements 101; Jim Stoppani
- "The Abs Diet"; David Zinczenko; 2004
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