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Seven Foods for Burning Fat

There are many foods that can help the body speed up its metabolism and therefore burn fat faster. For these to be effective, they should be consumed as part of a balanced, healthy diet. It's also of no use to go on a crash diet of fat-burning foods only to return to bad eating habits afterward, as any weight lost will simply creep back on. By including several fat-burning foods into your daily diet, however, you can speed up weight loss.

  1. Citrus Fruits

    • Citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C. This vitamin helps the body speed up its metabolism and burn fat faster. It also helps dilute fat, slowing down the process of storing fat, as the longer it takes for the body's cells to absorb it, the more likely the body will release it.

    Fish Oil

    • Fish oil contains omega-3 fats, which help lower cholesterol and fat levels in the bloodstream by stimulating circulation. The following fish have the highest levels of omega-3: mackerel, salmon, trout, herring, sardines and albacore tuna.

    Green Tea

    • The antioxidants contained in green tea speed up the metabolism, meaning that fat is burned faster. Drinking several cups a day is thought to help people who are trying to lose weight, as long as this is part of a healthy diet.

    Apples

    • Apples contain antioxidants and pectin, a substance that restricts the amount of fat the body's cells can absorb. Pectin also encourages the body to absorb water, which in turn helps flush out fat and toxins.

    Chilies

    • Chilies contain capsaicin, which speeds up the metabolic rate. Capsaicin is a "thermogenic" nutrient that causes the body to continue to burn calories for up to 20 minutes after it is eaten, though some experts argue that the effect can last up to three hours. Thermogenic foods are thought to increase energy levels and promote weight loss.

    Broccoli

    • Broccoli is high in vitamin C as well as calcium. Calcium helps break down the fat in cells and release it from the body. This, coupled with its vitamin C content, makes it an ideal fat-burning food.

    Spinach

    • Spinach is a natural laxative due to its high fiber content, and helps cleanse the liver by releasing toxins and fatty deposits from the body. Despite this, however, it should be noted that many of its nutrients are not readily absorbed. Therefore, do not rely on spinach alone for your intake of iron and other nutrients.

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