Although you need to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight and burn fat, certain foods offer superior metabolic effects compared to others. The consumption of particular nutrients can promote enhanced improvements in body composition when combined with dieting, but no food magically melts fat; you need to burn more calories than you expend each day. According to PubMed Health, you can lose one pound per week if you create an energy deficit of 500 calories each day.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil may be high in calories, but research suggests that it can be beneficial for dieting. Extra virgin olive oil is rich in fat, but most of the fat is unsaturated, and this food contains no carbohydrates. According to research published in the October 2007 issue of the "Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry," consumption of extra virgin olive oil stimulates enhanced release of the hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline, which results in increased thermogenesis, or calorie-burning, which can aid in fat loss.
Grapefruit
Grapefruit is a citrus fruit with a tangy taste, and it may help you melt away body fat for several reasons. Grapefruit is low in calories, so consuming grapefruit instead of higher calorie snacks can help you lose fat. Grapefruit is also rich in fiber, a nutrient that promotes feelings of fullness and can encourage decreased calorie intake. Lastly, grapefruit contains the flavonoid naringenin, which a study from the July 2010 issue of "Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications" found can increase the amount of glucose absorbed by your muscles, which can enhance muscle growth and leaves less glucose to be stored in fat cells. Increased muscle mass helps increase your metabolic rate, which can aid in melting fat.
Low-Fat Cottage Cheese
Low-fat cottage cheese offers two distinct mechanisms for encouraging your body to melt fat away. Low-fat cottage cheese is rich in protein, with one cup providing 28 g of this muscle-building nutrient. Research from the October 2009 issue of the journal "Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases" suggests that high protein intake can produce more fat loss when dieting than low protein intake. In addition, low-fat cottage cheese is rich in calcium, a nutrient that may help your body excrete more fat, according to research from the January 2010 issue of the "International Journal of Obesity."
Mackerel
Mackerel is a species of fish that is rich in protein and fat, which makes it higher in calories than lean fish such as tilapia. The high protein content of mackerel can help your body build muscle and melt fat, as your body expends more energy absorbing protein than it does absorbing other nutrients. Additionally, the fat in mackerel contains omega-3 fatty acids, which may help improve insulin sensitivity and reduce body fat, according to research from the December 2007 issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition."
References
- PubMed Health; Tips For Losing Weight; October 2009
- "Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry"; Extra Virgin Olive Oil Increases Uncoupling Protein 1 Content in Brown Adipose Tissue and Enhances Noradrenaline and Adrenaline Secretions in Rats; Y. Oi-Kano et al.; October 2007
- "Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications"; Naringenin, A Citrus Flavonoid, Increases Muscle Cell Glucose Uptake via AMPK; K. Zygmunt et al.; July 2010
- LIVESTRONG.COM MyPlate: Calories in Fresh Grapefruit
- "International Journal of Obesity"; Effect of Dairy and Non-Dairy Calcium on Fecal Fat Excretion in Lactose Digester and Maldigester Obese Adults; M.S. Buchowski et al.; January 2010
- "Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases"; High Protein Diets Decrease Total and Abdominal Fat and Improve CVD Risk Profile in Overweight and Obese Men and Women with Elevated Triacylglycerol; P.M. Clifton, K. Bastiaans, J.B. Keogh; October 2009
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