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The Foods That Shed Fat

When people begin a diet, there's often the temptation to look for a "magic bullet"- a quick fix that makes you shed fat without the effort. Although there's no replacement for regular exercise and good nutrition, incorporating certain foods into your diet will help increase your metabolism, which will help speed weight loss. These fat shedding foods work by burning more calories than they contain, helping to get rid of stored fat.

  1. Milk

    • Milk helps burn fat in two ways: by containing high levels of calcium, which is a metabolic trigger, and also by containing complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates help keep insulin levels low, which keeps your body from holding onto excess fat. Milk also helps break down the fat stored in fat cells. Be sure to choose skim or one percent milk when adding it to your diet, as full fat milk defeats the fat burning purpose.

    Fruits

    • Fruits that are high in vitamin C, such as oranges, grapefruit, papaya and tangerines, are also excellent fat burning foods. The high levels of vitamin C encourage the body to process fat faster while simultaneously speeding up your body's fat burning abilities. It also dilutes body fat, making it less likely to be stored.

      Apples, despite not being high in vitamin C, contain pectin, which blocks fat absorption. The high water content in apples also helps cells to release stored fat.

    Whole Grains Cereals

    • Whole grain cereals are a good source of complex carbohydrates and fiber, which speed up your metabolism by lowering insulin levels, thus keeping fat from being stored in the body. The high levels of fiber in whole grains also help to curb hunger, making them a filling snack that won't add on the pounds. Be sure to purchase only "whole grain" or "100% wheat" grains, as often simply "wheat"

      grains are less nutritious.

    Hot Peppers

    • Chili peppers, such as jalapenos, contain the chemical capsaicin which has been proven to increase the heart rate while boosting the metabolism. Hot peppers are a thermogenic food, meaning that they boost your body's ability to burn extra calories for 20 minutes after consuming them. If adding hot peppers to your diet seems like too much of a major change, consider trying to incorporate cayenne pepper and foods which contain a high level of spiciness into your diet instead.

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