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Diet for a Flat Tummy

Eating healthy, belly shrinking foods need not be a boring experience, particularly taking into consideration how a vegetable-based dinner can be utterly transformed with fresh herbs and spices. Along with regular exercise--30 minutes a day of cardio or weight training--a low-sodium, low-carb, low-fat diet and six to eight glasses of water a day will transform an oversized tummy into a lean stomach. One should also remember to limit sodium intake, as it can lead to water retention and bloat.

  1. Raw Fruits, Vegetables and Whole Grains

    • Raw fruits and vegetables, and whole grains are positively loaded with fiber. Besides lowering cholesterol, fiber also has a way of making a person feel fuller faster and for longer periods of time, often rendering seconds and thirds at the dinner table unnecessary. According to David Jenkins, M.D., professor of nutrition at Toronto University, the average person should be getting 25 grams of fiber total per day (though not all at once with one meal!). Another great high-fiber, filling food is legumes.

    Nuts

    • Almonds, macadamias, pistachios, walnuts and peanut butter are all listed by Prevention magazine as nutritious, high protein foods that won't contribute to tummy bulge. Nuts need not be seen only as snacks. A number of recipes (particularly vegetarian recipes) include nuts in the list of ingredients. For example, peanut butter can be turned into a peanut satay sauce very easily when mixed with soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger and garlic. Additionally, walnuts are a common topping on leafy green salads, and almonds cooked with paprika, cumin, and a pinch of kosher salt are a fantastic Spanish side dish.

    Dark Chocolate

    • Good news. Chocolate isn't necessarily bad for you...or at least, not the dark kind. While fatty milk chocolate is delicious, it isn't nearly as healthy as chocolate made from defatted cocoa beans without all the extra milkfat added for creamy effect. Dark chocolate also is loaded with antioxidants that are beneficial in fighting cancer and diabetes, and phenols which lower blood pressure. Look for chocolate with a cocoa content of 70 percent or higher.

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