Stored fat is what your body uses when it needs a backup supply of energy. We need fat in our daily menu to keep our bodies functioning. However, there are nutrient-rich foods we can eat that give us the energy we need without leaving fatty deposits in our body tissue. These foods give the body the opportunity to function at a high level while releasing excess fat from your body.
Whole Grains
Whole grains such as steel cut oats and brown rice will give you the energy you need in the form of complex carbohydrates, protein and fiber. Use whole grains to satisfy hunger while giving your caloric intake purpose.
Beans and Legumes
Legumes such as peas, beans and chickpeas are high-protein, low-fat foods. Combining legumes with whole grains gives your meal an amino acid combination that is similar to lean meats but with less fat.
Berries
Fruits such as raspberries and goji berries are low glycemic snacks that keep insulin low and metabolism high. Raspberries have compounds called ketones that help your body produce the hormones responsible for changing stored fat to energy.
Citrus Fruits
Fruits loaded with vitamin C, such as lemons, limes, strawberries and grapefruit, break down fatty tissue so it can exit the body easily. Vitamin C metabolizes cholesterol to bile, so it is essential to your digestion and the fat-burning process.
Leafy Green Vegetables
Leafy green vegetables are packed with vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. They are high in fiber and low in calories. Give your body a boost by adding greens to your daily menu.
Lean Meats
Small portions of lean meats provide you with protein without contributing leftover calories. They are a fat-burning food because energy is required to digest protein, which stimulates a release of glycogen, a hormone that breaks down fat stored in the body.
Spices
Spices such as cinnamon, tumeric, ginger and garlic raise body temperature and improve circulation. Good circulation improves heart function and helps the body burn calories.
Chiles
Cayenne, jalapeno and habernero peppers have an active ingredient called capsaicin that heats up your body's metabolism. Adding cayenne pepper to your meals can increase digestion and boost fat-burning potential.
Low-Fat Dairy
Keeping a healthy ratio of low-fat and high-protein foods in your diet can help the fat-burning process. Along with protein, low-fat dairy products such as cottage cheese and skim milk provide calcium, which encourages the release of fat from fat cells.
Essential Fatty Acids
Foods that contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, such as salmon, avocados, walnuts, olive and flax oil, provide you with unsaturated fat you need for healthy skin and good digestion, and also transport and breakdown cholesterol in your blood stream. The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that people who supplement with fish oil or eat walnuts can lower high triglyceride levels in their bloodstream.
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