The Best Natural Fat Burners

The Best Natural Fat Burners
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Losing weight can be difficult, especially if you have trouble burning fat. Exercise is a key component to weight loss and fat burning, but there are natural fat burners that can assist you in your efforts. Several foods can naturally rev up the metabolism or take more calories to digest than to burn. These include fiber, eggs, oolong or green tea, coconut oil and peppers. Don't overlook the importance of drinking eight glasses of water daily, because it can stimulate metabolism. Ice water burns more calories than water at room temperature.

Fiber

Fiber helps you feel full longer, slows digestion and reduces hunger. You should consume 25 to 38 g of fiber per day, depending on your age and gender. Men from 14 to 50 need the highest amount, 38 g. Women 19 to 50 only require 25 g, while children and older adults fall between the two. High-fiber foods include artichokes, quinoa, brown rice, figs, pears and almonds. Beans also have high levels of soluble fiber. They can lower insulin levels, which helps suppress appetite. Two cups of beans provides 25 g of fiber, and there are several varieties from which to choose, including pinto, kidney, navy and lima. Not all beans are good to stimulate fat burning. Baked beans are usually high in sugar, and refried beans often have high levels of saturated fat.

Eggs

Eggs are high in protein, which burns fat. They also contain vitamin B12, which helps break down fat cells. Eggs are no longer implicated in elevating cholesterol levels, but health-conscious people with concerns can omit the yokes and still enjoy the protein-rich egg whites.

Tea

Oolong and green tea can increase metabolism. Both teas contain polyphenols, which help suppress the enzymes that build fat. Your metabolism stays elevated for two hours after a cup of oolong tea, according to Dr. Oz. Green tea also contains epigallocatechin gallate, a phytochemical that seems to prevent adipose, or fat, cells from enlarging.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil can be a valuable addition to anyone's diet, but especially for someone wanting to burn more fat naturally. Most types of fats are long-chain triglycerides, composed of six to 12 carbon chains. The more carbon chains, the more difficult it is for the body to digest. As a result, the body often stores LCT fats. Unlike LCTs, coconut oil is composed of medium-chain triglycerides that quickly break down in the body. These MCTs are readily absorbed for energy while promoting the metabolism of LCTs. It might seem contrary to consume fat to burn fat. You might assume MCTs would increase your cholesterol levels, but a study performed by the University of Kerala, in India, found coconut oil actually lowered "bad" cholesterol levels.

Peppers

Hot peppers, like cayenne or chilies, contain capsaicin. A thermogenic substance, Capsaicin stimulates metabolism by increasing the core body temperature. Black pepper also speeds up metabolism, because it contains piperine, which also works thermogenically.

References

Article reviewed by Allen Cone Last updated on: Jun 10, 2011

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