Fat-Burning Diet Food

Despite claims from proponents of "negative calorie foods" and nutrition nonprofessionals who have discovered fat-burning diet foods, there are actually no foods you can eat that will actually burn body fat and make you lose weight. If you want to drop pounds and inches, you will need to burn more calories than you eat. The most healthful way to do this is to eat fewer calories by eating low-calorie foods in place of high-calorie foods. Low-calorie foods that are low in or void of saturated fat and sugar and are rich in nutrients and fiber are usually your best choices.

Spinach

According to registered dietitian Jane Kirby and the American Dietetic Association, leafy green vegetables are generally the most nutritious vegetables that you can eat. In addition to being healthful, vegetables are ideal for weight loss since they are so low in calories. Spinach may be the best vegetable of all. At only 7 calories per cup, spinach is especially low in calories and is called the "epitome of health food" by the American Council on Exercise. Spinach has virtually no fat and sugar and contains dietary fiber among the very few carbohydrates that it does have. Spinach can be eaten raw, cooked or added to omelets or quiche dishes to keep the calories low.

Swiss Chard

Swiss chard is among the most low-calorie and nutritious vegetables you can eat, Jonny Bowden, a clinical nutrition specialist, says in his book "The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth." Like spinach, swiss chard is a leafy green vegetable, but it has a red stem and a texture closer to kale. One cup of swiss chard has 35 calories, but it actually has more vitamins and minerals than spinach. A single cup has 4 g of fiber, an "incredible" 961 mg of potassium and 10,000 international units of vitamin A. Since swiss chard is so rich in fiber, it will be more filling than other vegetables. Dietary fiber adds volume to food and can help satisfy and curb your appetite without adding any extra calories. Although fiber is a carbohydrate, it cannot be digested and has no calories.

Grapefruit

Although foods are essentially just calories and will not directly burn fat off your body, some foods such as grapefruit have compounds that may help keep your blood sugar low and improve insulin resistance. A medium grapefruit is only 40 calories and high in vitamin A and vitamin C, like most citrus fruits. A 2006 study in the "Journal of Medicinal Food" by the Division of Endocrinology at Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, San Diego, concluded that grapefruit can aid your weight-loss efforts. The researchers admittedly state that they were not certain why grapefruit or which compounds in grapefruit increased weight loss, but they believe that grapefruit can be a beneficial addition to a weight-loss diet.

Raspberries

Raspberries, compared with antioxidant powerhouse berry fruits such as blueberries, do not receive much acclaim or attention. According to Bowden, however, raspberries are tremendously healthful and are ideal for a weight-loss diet. A cup of raspberries has 64 calories and contains 8 g of fiber. Raspberries, calorie for calorie, are one of the most fibrous foods you can possibly eat. In addition to keeping your hunger at bay, dietary fiber also slows down how fast you digest food and glucose. This helps keep your blood sugar low and your insulin levels stable. If you are trying to lose weight, you want to prevent insulin release. Insulin release promotes fat storage, which will certainly hinder your weight-loss efforts.