This intense feeling of “The appearance must be stunning or nothing” does not set in until the puberty bunny visits you. It doesn’t perturb anyone to be a plump and freckled kid at school, but from high school to college, and beyond, it is no longer cool to flaunt belly rolls and waist fat. But then, what can you do? How can you transform from the nerdy geek to high on fleek in just a couple of months? Well, regular exercise of course, and the right foods.
Read on to find out more about the best foods that burn belly fat, help to shed the extra pounds, and make you fit and gorgeous.
What is belly fat and how does it accumulate?
Belly fat is a pervasive problem, especially in women. Almost 70% of women and 50% of men in the age bracket of 50-79 years suffer from abdominal obesity in the US. It is the accumulation of fat in the abdomen which increases the circumference of the waist.
Excess belly fat increases the risks of cardiac ailments, diabetes, colorectal cancer, high blood pressure, and more. Did you know for women, a belly size beyond 35 inches is unhealthy. For men, a waist size beyond 40 inches makes the body prone to health risks.
A lot of factors contribute towards belly fat like sedentary lifestyle, excessive consumption of junk foods, low fiber, and low protein diet, sugary foods, fruit juice, etc. (1)
What type of food is right for the busting belly fat and flab?
- The foods that are high in soluble fibrous content and low in calories are incredibly beneficial for burning fat. Nutritionists say that for every 10g intake of fibrous content the amount of visceral fat in the body gets reduced by about 3.7% in every five years.
- The foods that have a low glycemic index are good for weight loss and cure of diabetes.
[Also Read: Effective Ways to Lose Belly Fat Naturally]
Top 18 Foods That Burn Belly Fat Quickly and Naturally
- Beans
- Black beans
- Beetroots
- Guacamole
- Cinnamon
- Eggs
- Peanuts
- Skyr cheese
- Cottage cheese
- Quinoa
- Sunflower Seeds
- Blueberries
- Cranberries
- Sweet potato
- Lemon
- Broccoli sprouts
- Edamame
- Cayenne pepper
1. Beans
- Cut down on the plump middle with boiled or baked beans.
- Beans possess soluble fibrous content which cures intestinal inflammation and promote healthy digestion and bowel movement which help in weight loss.
2. Black beans
- Black beans are rich in soluble fiber.100g of black beans possess 4.8g of fiber.
- The consumption of black beans helps in burning body fat to a great extent.
3. Beetroots
- The splendid red color of beetroot is due to the presence of anthocyanins which make it one of the best foods that burn belly fat and cure abdominal obesity.
- Trim the top off the beetroot and slice them into thin pieces. Drizzle the pieces of beetroot with a little olive oil and then sprinkle the oiled pieces with a teaspoon of sea salt. Pop the pieces into the oven and bake for a few minutes to caramelize the natural sugar and turn the vegetable into a delectable, calorie-free, sugar-free dessert.
[Read: Reduce Belly Fat With Diet]
4. Guacamole
- Guacamole is one of the best foods that burn belly fat because of the rich content of monounsaturated fatty acids.
- Guacamole also helps to curb appetite and prevent overeating.
5. Cinnamon
- Cinnamon possesses cinnamaldehyde which makes it remarkably beneficial for the loss of excess belly fat and body weight.
- Sprinkle your daily cereals, smoothies, and lattes with a tablespoon of cinnamon powder and lose body fat in a delicious way.
[Read: Benefits of Amaranth For Belly Fat]
6. Eggs
- Eggs are not only rich in fat-burning choline but also contain a high amount of muscle-building proteins.
- Choline that is mostly present in the egg yolk helps to regulate metabolism and control the action of leptin, the hunger hormone.
7. Peanuts
- Peanuts are not only delicious but also contain Genistein which is a compound that works on the genes of obesity and also helps in inhibiting the ability of the body to store excess fat.
- Peanuts are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids that help to burn visceral fat and improve sugar metabolism in the body.
8. Skyr cheese
- Skyr cheese is remarkably high in protein. 5.30 ounces of skyr cheese contains 17g of protein.
- Skyr cheese possesses a host of gut-friendly bacteria which enhances the shedding of belly fat and excess weight.
9. Cottage cheese
- Cottage cheese is low in calorific content and high in protein-casein which works in curbing appetite by slowing down the process of digestion.
- Select a brand of cottage cheese packed with probiotics for the maximum health benefits.
10. Quinoa
- Quinoa is rich in proteins and possesses a variety of nine different amino acids which is quite rare in the kingdom of grains and cereals.
- The consumption of quinoa helps in burning belly fat and reducing the level of serum triglycerides in the body.
11. Sunflower Seeds
- Sunflower seeds make for one of the best foods that burn belly fat.
- The butter extracted from sunflower seeds possesses a special kind of fat which accelerates the metabolism and dissipation of body fat effectively.
12. Blueberries
- Blueberries are rich in antioxidants which not only fight against oxidative stress but also help to reduce the level of triglycerides in the body.
- Snacking on fresh and juicy blueberries assists in reducing abdominal fat in the body.
13. Cranberries
- Cranberries are rich in ursolic acid which is responsible for the anti-inflammatory nature of the tart little berries.
- The ursolic acid increases the strength and mass of muscles, improves glucose tolerance, promotes the deposition of brown adipose tissues, decreases the removal of white adipose tissues, and reduces belly fat as well.
14. Sweet potato
- Sweet potato is rich in carotenoids which make it incredibly beneficial for the loss of excess fat in the abdomen and the natural treatment of obesity.
- Sweet potato contains slow-digestive carbohydrates which help to stay full and prevent binge-eating.
15. Lemon
- Drinking lemon water works wonders for the loss of excess belly fat and body weight.
- Begin your day with a glass of lemon water to cut down on the flab and get fit.
16. Broccoli sprouts
- The miniature trees are excellent foods that help to burn belly fat naturally and quickly.
- Eating steamed broccoli sprouts help in lowering the level of unhealthy cholesterol in the body and is incredibly useful for the reduction of belly fat.
17. Edamame
- Edamame is rich in nutrients and fibrous content besides being low in calories.
- Snacking on edamame helps to stay full and suppresses the appetite for a long time.
18. Cayenne pepper
- Sprinkle your foods with cayenne pepper powder to accelerate weight loss and quicken the process of disintegration of belly fat. You can also drink cayenne pepper water for the same effects.
- Cayenne pepper contains capsaicin which is a powerful compound that helps in the elimination of visceral fat from the abdomen
4 DIY Fat Burning Recipes That You Cannot Refuse
- Quinoa Protein Bar
- Broccoli sproutsZero- fat guacamole recipe
- Baked eggs with black beans
- Superpower salad bowl
1. Quinoa Protein Bar
Ingredients
- ½ cup quinoa
- 5 cup of water
- ¼ cup almonds
- ¼ cup choco chips
- 10-12 pitted dates
- One tablespoon of honey
- ½ teaspoon almond butter/peanut butter
Process
- Boil the quinoa in water and cook on a medium flame for 10-15 minutes
- Strain the quinoa away and refrigerate after it cools down, you can also keep it over-night
- Take a food processor jar and add all the dates into it and make a thick paste of it, similarly shred the almonds but don’t overdo as it can milk the almonds out. Remove and keep them separate.
- Now in the jar add chilled quinoa, dates paste, almond butter, almond shreds, choco chips and make a paste of all the ingredients
- Remove it in a bowl and add honey as desired and mix it well
- Shape it into small bars of your desired thickness and refrigerate by wrapping them in a kiln film or silver foil
- Your mid-meal high protein energy bar is ready to eat
2. Zero- fat guacamole recipe
Ingredients
- Three peeled and chopped avocados
- Juice of 1 lemon
- ½ sliced red onion
- ½ diced tomato
- One tablespoon cumin powder (if required)
- One tablespoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup cilantro finely chopped
Process
- Take a bowl and add avocados, lime juice, and salt and mash it with a fork
- Add other ingredients and mix it well with the help of a spatula
- Your fat-free guacamole is ready to eat
3. Baked eggs with black beans
Ingredients
- Four eggs
- ½ cup boiled/baked black beans
- Half a cup shredded cottage cheese
- ½ cup diced tomatoes
- Two tablespoons of olive oil
- One tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup diced onion
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
- Freshly chopped coriander leaves and spring onions
- One tablespoon of honey
Process
- First of all, preheat the oven for 20 minutes on 160 degree Celsius
- Now in a pan add olive oil and heat for some time, in it add onions, tomatoes, black beans, cumin powder, garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes
- Transfer the contents on a bowl add honey. Then break the eggs into it one by one and add salt and pepper
- Mix well and sprinkle coriander leaves and spring onions on it
- Bake it in the oven on 170 degrees for 10 minutes
- Remove and add a little coriander, salt, and pepper
- Your baked beans and eggs are ready to eat
4. Superpower salad bowl
Ingredients
- Broccoli sprouts
- Blueberries
- Cranberries
- One tablespoon sunflower seeds
- 1 cup frozen edamame thawed
- ½ cup beetroots
- ½ cup skyr cheese
- One tablespoon peanuts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- One tablespoon vinegar
- One tablespoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
- Cayenne pepper powder
Process
- First of add oil, garlic powder, vinegar, cayenne pepper powder, salt and pepper in a bowl and prepare the dressing
- Mix all the other ingredients in a bowl and add the dressing into it
- Mix it well and enjoy the nutritious salad to burn the belly fat
A few words of caution
- The foods are remarkably beneficial for weight loss and burning fats and calories, but only when eaten in baked, steamed, boiled, and roasted form. Do not fry any of the foods as that strips the food of all its nutrients and medicinal values.
- Do not drink fruit juice, but have the whole fruit instead of its fibrous content.
Sneak in the healthy and delicious foods that burn belly fat into your daily diet to shed the extra pounds and get fit and flexible. Break your sedentary lifestyle and do regular exercise for about half an hour daily to accelerate weight loss and keep diseases like obesity, heart problems, diabetes, etc. at bay.
