Foods That Flatten Your Stomach

The key to achieving a flat stomach lies in choosing foods that help burn fat, especially around the waist. Foods that cleanse the digestive system can keep it healthy by expelling toxins and impurities, and also help eliminate bloating.

Fiber and Whole Grains

• Oatmeal, whole-wheat bread, nuts and seeds help keep you full and promote a healthy digestive system.

Beans/Legumes

• Excellent sources of fiber and protein, beans and legumes contain these essential nutrients needed for weight loss.

Fish

• Fish such as salmon and tuna are abundant sources of omega-3 fatty acids. Studies have shown that dieters who consume omega-3 fish oil will burn up to 26 percent more calories.

Yogurt

• The probiotics in yogurt help promote digestive and intestinal health, and the calcium can help break down fat. A study published in the April 2005 issue of the International Journal of Obesity found that yogurt eaters lost 81 percent more stomach fat than those who did not eat yogurt.

Grapefruit

• There is truth to the popular grapefruit diet; studies have found that the fruit lowers insulin levels, which encourages weight loss.

Green Tea and Diuretics

• Renowned for its numerous health benefits, antioxidant-rich green tea also has become a popular weight management beverage. Researchers have discovered that tea drinkers burn an average of 266 more calories per day than non-tea drinkers. Green tea also is a diuretic, as are cranberries, cucumbers, watermelon, asparagus and celery. Diuretics can relieve the heaviness and bloating caused by water retention.