Healthy Foods That Can Help You Burn Fat

Burning fat becomes much easier when you increase your metabolic rate. There is no safe “magic pill” that can help you burn hundreds of extra calories every day, but there are quite a number of natural foods and beverages that are proven to help increase your metabolism and able to lose fat. Here are some of these fat-burning foods:

Healthy foods. Photo: That Sugar Film

Fatty Fish

Fatty fish can help you burn fat (as odd as this statement sounds). Oily fish like salmon, sardines and mackerel contain omega-3 fatty acids that may help promote fat loss. It is also a good source of protein, which gives you the feeling of fullness and helps increase your body’s metabolic rate. It also helps promote heart health. Include a minimum of 100 grams of fatty fish in your diet at least two times every week.

Eggs

Eggs are one of the most nutritious foods on the planet. Although the yolks are normally avoided due to their high cholesterol content, whole eggs have been proven to actually help protect heart health, especially in those at increased risk of disease. Apart from this interesting discovery, eggs are also a killer weight loss food. Breakfasts that include this high source of protein, according to studies, reduce hunger, increase metabolism by up to 35 percent and promote feelings of fullness for hours after eating.

Coffee

One of the most popular beverages in the world, coffee is a good source of caffeine, which has been shown to improve one’s mental and physical performance and also boost metabolism and help burn fat. Take caffeine before exercising and you can lose twice as much fat and still be able to exercise longer than when you don’t take caffeine, as a small study has shown. To get the fat-burning benefits of caffeine without the potential side effects, like anxiousness or insomnia, aim for about 1–4 cups of coffee, depending on its strength.

Olive oil

Another healthy fat is olive oil. It appears to aid the reduction of the risk of heart disease, promote feelings of fullness and boost metabolic rate, thus promoting fat loss. A study showed that eating extra virgin olive oil as part of a meal significantly increased the number of calories the women burned for several hours. Add virgin olive oil to cooked food or drizzle a tablespoon or two on your salad.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is packed with health benefits. Adding this to your diet potentially increases “good” HDL cholesterol, increase the feeling of fullness, promote fat loss and reduce heart disease risk factors. The fats in coconut oil help with appetite-suppressing and fat-burning properties. However, some studies suggest that the metabolism-boosting effects may reduce after long use. Start with one teaspoon and gradually increase to two or more over time to help maximise the fat burning effects.

Green Tea

If you are looking for a beverage that will totally help improve your health, green tea may help reduce heart disease risk and protect against certain types of cancer. It provides a moderate amount of caffeine and is an excellent source of epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), both of which may boost metabolism, promote weight loss, protect heart health and reduce the risk of cancer. However, there is a difference in different studies, with some showing an increase in fat burning after taking green tea, while others have found that it has little to no effect on metabolism or weight loss. This means that its effects possibly vary from person to person, depending on the amount consumed.