Fat Burning Foods Diet

The fat burning foods diet is based on the premise that you can eat foods that burn more calories than they provide. The idea is that you can eat an abundance of such foods and still enjoy weight loss. This dieting theory has many iterations whose basic premises are the same. Always consult a health care provider before trying a new diet.

Significance

Some foods on this diet are scientifically proven to rev your metabolism, such as the green tea the diet advocates, according to University of Maryland Medical Center. However, it is not possible for foods to burn more calories than they provide during digestion, also called negative-calorie foods, according to the TIME magazine article "Debunking 10 Myths About Dieting."

Considerations

For an extra kick to your metabolism, habaneros, jalapenos and cayenne peppers are included in this diet. The substance that makes these peppers hot may also increase your body temperature, causing you to burn more calories, according to Karen Kaplan's April 27, 2010, Los Angeles Times article "Spicy Peppers May Hold the Key to Weight Loss, Scientists Say." The peppers' capsaicin is responsible for this thermic boost. However, not everyone can tolerate spicy foods, which may be a deal-breaker for some dieters who'd otherwise try this plan, notes the Diet Spotlight website.

Potential

The fat burning foods diet emphasizes milk because of the calcium it contains. Improving calcium intake may actually help you lose weight. As your calcium intake increases, your body fat and body weight decrease, according to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. This may be due to one of two factors, or both. Higher calcium levels may prevent fat storage. Calcium also may boost metabolism, causing you to burn more calories. Consuming 1,200 milligrams daily in conjunction with a low-calorie diet may help your weight loss efforts, according to the center.

Effects

The bottom line is that this is a fad diet, according to the Diet Spotlight website. However, the fat burning foods diet does emphasize many healthy and relatively inexpensive foods. These include oats and whole-grain cereal because they are slow-digesting complex carbs; and salmon, tuna, chicken, pork, lean beef, turkey and sardines because they are lean protein sources that can keep you full longer between meals.

Expert Insight

Whether you believe in the fat-burning food theory or not, many of the foods on this diet's list are fiber-rich, low-calorie foods. Such foods help you stay full for long periods of time because of the time it takes for them to digest, according to MayoClinic.com. You also can eat larger portion sizes without taking in too many calories. Eating low-calorie foods that keep you full is one good weight-loss strategy, according to the clinic.