As in any weight loss program, the goal is to burn more calories and fat than you consume each day. In addition to exercise, certain foods can help you get there. Natural fat-burning foods help increase metabolism, or the rate your body burns calories while resting. They also help remove stored fat from cells quickly to break down and use as energy. If you are trying to lose weight, it is important to know what foods can help you burn the most calories and fat.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal contains a rich combination of calcium, complex carbohydrates and fiber that work together to keep insulin, or blood sugar, levels low. High insulin levels signal the body's metabolism to slow down and the body to store fat.
Vitamin C
In addition to boosting your immunity, foods high in vitamin C, such as citrus, help increase metabolism and dilute fats so they are burned quickly.
Eggs and Low-Fat Dairy
Calcium found in milk and low-fat dairy products are metabolism boosters. According to a University of Tennessee study reported in "Obesity" in 2005, "high dairy diets among blacks resulted in decreased total body fat, trunk fat, insulin and blood pressure, as well as an increase in lean mass."
Jalapenos, Habaneros and Cayenne
The hot ingredient in peppers, capsaicin, increases your heart rate. The faster your heart beats, the more calories and fat you burn.
Coffee
The caffeine in coffee has the same effect as peppers. It increases your heart rate and you burn more calories.
Beans and Lean Meats
It takes more energy for your body to digest the protein found in beans and meat than it does to digest the carbohydrates or fat found in other foods such as breads, pastas, junk food and desserts. This means that protein-rich foods will boost your metabolism by causing your body to work harder and burn more calories in the process.
Water
Drinking at least six to eight glasses of water a day helps your body work optimally while removing toxins that are released when you burn fat. In addition, cold water can burn more calories because more energy is required to heat the body once the cold water brings your body temperature down.
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