Certain foods keep your bones strong, and others help out your heart; but for those looking to trim away unwanted pounds, it's time to incorporate fat-melting foods like fish, leafy greens and oats into your diet. Choosing foods like these can help you lose weight faster, boost your metabolism and in turn keep you healthy and feeling better.
Hot Peppers
Capsaicin, the primary component of hot peppers -- such as chili peppers, cayenne peppers and jalapenos -- is the "kick" that gives these plants their spice. Better yet, capsaicin may also help melt away fat. This is because capsaicin enhances the flow of blood, which causes your body to produce more heat. During this process -- called thermogenesis -- you might end up sweating, burning more calories and boosting your immune system. The "Journal of Biological Chemistry" reported in 2008 that capsaicin is associated with increased core body temperature and increased metabolism.
Leafy Greens
Leafy greens such as spinach and kale are full of nutrition, yet low in calories. "Fitness" magazine explains that practically all leafy greens aid in the contraction of your muscles, making them natural fuel providers for exercising.
Fish
Full of omega-3 fatty acids or "good" fats, fish like tuna, mackerel and salmon can help your body burn more fat. These omega-3 fatty acids actually work to decrease the hormone leptin. The American Heart Association's "Circulation" reported results of a study in 2002, in which a diet rich in fish was found to perhaps be linked with lower levels of leptin. Fish is a good food for weight loss, as reduced leptin is, in turn, linked with a high-caloric burn.
Green Tea
Green tea contains a chemical called epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG. NYDailyNews.com explains that EGCG speeds up the pace of your nervous system and brain, resulting in more burned calories. Green tea can help you burn calories even when you're resting.
Low-fat Milk
Milk is not only good for your bones and teeth, but low-fat milk can aid in shedding unwanted pounds, mainly because of its high amounts of calcium. The journal "Obesity" recorded conclusions of a study by the University of Tennessee in 2004, involving calcium and weight loss. According to the experiment, participants who consumed 1200 to 1300 mg daily of calcium lost almost double the amount of weight compared to those who consumed smaller amounts of calcium. Milk also provides you with carbohydrates that are considered complex and do not cause a skyrocketing effect on your insulin levels. This is significant for your metabolism, because insulin is a hormone that, at increased levels, tells your body to store fat.
Oats
Full of complex carbohydrates, oats are full of dietary fiber -- and not just any fiber, but soluble fiber. Soluble fiber keeps you full longer, can remove low-density lipoprotein or "bad" cholesterol, and can help keep your blood sugar from spiking -- therefore keeping your insulin levels regulated.
References
- "The Journal of Biological Chemistry"; Capsaicin Stimulates Uncoupled ATP Hydrolysis by the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium Pump; Yasser A. Mahmmoud; Aug. 1, 2008
- "Fitness"; The 10 Best Foods for Flat Abs
- "Circulation"; Fish-Rich Diet, Leptin, and Body Mass; Mikolaj Winnicki, et al.; 2002
- NYDailyNews.com; 15 Fat-burning Foods; April 28, 2009
- "Obesity"; Calcium and Dairy Acceleration of Weight and Fat Loss During Energy Restriction in Obese Adults; Michael B. Zemel; 2004
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