Excess fat is not only uncomfortable, it is unhealthy. According to MayoClinic.com, if you are carrying extra fat around your midsection, you are at risk for heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, high triglycerides, insulin resistance, cholesterol problems and sleep apnea. Your diet plays a large role in the amount of fat you store. Certain foods should be reduced or avoided if you are battling excess body fat. You should talk with your healthcare practitioner about other health complications, such as low thyroid, if you cannot lose weight with proper diet and exercise.
Foods with Trans Fat
Foods with trans fat are among the top of all foods to avoid. Along with weight gain, trans fat is unhealthy for your cholesterol levels and heart health, because it increases your low-density lipoprotein, or "bad" cholesterol, and decreases your high-density lipoprotein, or "good" cholesterol. Fast-food fries, desserts and meat are generally high in trans fat. Other foods that are generally rich in trans fat include cream-filled cookies, donuts, baked goods, margarine, butter and frozen food. In the United States, trans fat does not have to be posted on nutrition labels if it is less than 0.5 g per serving.
Simple Carbohydrates
You should replace simple carbohydrates with complex carbohydrates if you want to optimally burn fat. Simple carbohydrates like white rice, white bread, pastries and refined pasta will inhibit your fat-burning goals. They will also increase your glucose and insulin levels, making your body a fat-storing machine.
High-fructose Corn Syrup
Princeton University explains that high-fructose corn syrup may allow substantially more fat storage than sucrose, or sugar. Regular soda contains high-fructose syrup, so opt for diet soda or tea if you are attempting to burn fat. Princeton studies concluded that high-fructose corn syrup contributes to the obesity epidemic. Mayo Clinic Nutritionist Jennifer K. Nelson states that, "high-fructose corn syrup is the most common added sweetener in processed foods and beverages."
References
- MayoClinic.com: Belly Fat in Women: How to Keep it Off
- MayoClinic.com: Belly Fat in Men: Why Weight Loss Matters
- Princeton University: A Sweet Problem: Princeton Researchers Find That High-fructose Corn Syrup Prompts Considerably More Weight Gain
- University of Pennsylvania Office of Health Education: The Top 10 Foods to Beware
- MayoClinic.com: Trans Fat is Double Trouble for Your Heart Health
- American Heart Association: Know Your Fats
Member Comments