Not only is belly fat unsightly, but it also poses a significant health risk. The American Heart Association warns that men with a waist circumference greater than 40 inches and women with one greater than 35 inches are at a significantly increased risk of developing chronic health conditions. Along with exercise, try a reduced calorie diet that includes specific foods to help encourage loss of inches in the belly area.
Dairy
Consume more low-fat dairy products daily, such as one percent milk, low-fat yogurt and cottage cheese to encourage fat loss. In a study released in October 2009, researchers at Curtin University of Technology in Australia found that dieters who ate five servings of diary per day lost more weight and fat (specifically in the belly area) than dieters eating three servings of dairy a day. Researchers surmise that the calcium, protein, vitamin D and other bioactive ingredients make dairy such a good fat loss food.
Whole Grains
Whole grains, such as oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, barley and 100 percent whole wheat bread, take longer to digest than their refined grain counterparts, thus making you feel full longer and preventing extreme spikes in insulin and blood sugar. In a study published in a 2008 issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," lead researcher Heather Katcher found that people who substituted whole grains for refined grains while following a low-fat, low-calorie diet lost more fat around their midsections than people eating refined grains.
Monounsaturated Fats
Switching from a diet high in saturated fats to one that includes more monounsaturated fats discourages belly fat accumulation. As reported in a 2007 study covered in the journal of the American Diabetes Association, "Diabetes Care," a diet that includes monounsaturated fat in lieu of saturated fat discouraged accumulation of fat at the belly in 11 participants. Another study in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in 2009 tested the effects of safflower oil (a monounsaturated fat) supplementation on 35 overweight women and found that although the women lost no weight (they did not reduce calories), the addition of safflower oil induced a reduction in mid-section fat and an increase in lean muscle mass. To include more of these good fats, cook with safflower oil instead of butter, snack on one-ounce servings of nuts instead of potato chips and choose lean sources of protein, such as skinless chicken, fish and egg whites.
References
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: The effects of a whole grain--enriched hypocaloric diet on cardiovascular disease risk factors in men and women with metabolic syndrome
- Diabetes Care: Monounsaturated Fat--Rich Diet Prevents Central Body Fat Distribution and Decreases Postprandial Adiponectin Expression Induced by a Carbohydrate-Rich Diet in Insulin-Resistant Subjects
- American Heart Association: Metabolic Syndrome
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Comparison of dietary conjugated linoleic acid with safflower oil on body composition in obese postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Member Comments