Belly fat, also called visceral or abdominal fat, is a common problem area for people seeking weight loss. Abdominal weight gain is particularly common among men and post-menopausal women, according to the Mayo Clinic. A healthy dietary lifestyle that includes certain foods and increased physical activity can help reduce belly fat and reduce your risk for diabetes, heart disease and certain forms of cancer. For best results, seek specified guidance from a qualified health-care professional.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are prime sources of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, which help your body defend itself from infections and disease. As nutrient and fiber-rich foods that are relatively low in calories, fresh fruits and vegetables can allow to you feel more satisfied while eating less. This is important, since reducing abdominal fat requires a caloric deficit. For maximum weight-loss results, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends whole fruits and vegetables over juices and purees most often. If you have an excessive amount of abdominal fat to lose, you may benefit from eating more non-starchy vegetables, such as bell peppers, leafy greens, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower, instead of fruits, which contain more calories. In either case, incorporate a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables into your diet regularly. Replacing sugary desserts with fresh fruit may also enhance your efforts.
Whole Grains
Whole grains provide significant amounts of nutrients and fiber, which enhances fullness between meals and improved blood sugar levels. Replacing enriched carbohydrate sources, such as white bread, instant rice and commercially prepared baked goods, with complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, is an important dietary tool for reducing belly fat, according to the Harvard Medical School. Examples of nutritious whole-grain foods include 100 percent whole-grain breads, tortillas and English muffins, steel-cut or old-fashioned oatmeal, long-grain brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, cooked barley and air-popped popcorn.
Lean Protein
Protein-rich foods enhance lean tissue growth and repair, strong immune system function and long-lasting energy and appetite control. Increasing your lean tissue through weight-bearing activity increases your metabolism, allowing you to lose weight while eating more calories. For your muscles to develop, however, you must consume sufficient amounts of protein. According to a study in "Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Disease" published in October 2009, increasing your protein intake may also accelerate abdominal weight loss. In the study, the diets, body composition, abdominal fat and heart-health of 215 obese men and women were tracked over the course of 12 weeks. At the end of the study, researchers found that a high-protein diet -- diets containing 20 to 30 percent protein -- lost more abdominal fat and experienced greater cholesterol improvements than participants who consumed less protein. To reap potentially similar benefits, incorporate lean, high-quality protein sources, such as lean meat and poultry, fish, low-fat dairy products and legumes into your meals and snacks regularly.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Fruits, Vegetables and Weight Loss
- Harvard Health Publications: Taking Aim at Belly Fat
- Mayo Clinic: Belly Fat in Women: How to Keep It Off
- Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Disease: High Protein Diets Decrease Total and Abdominal Fat and Improve CVD Risk Profile in Overweight and Obese Men and Women with Elevated Triacylglycerol
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