It sounds too good to be true! But yes, certain foods have a high thermogenic effect and help you burn calories as you chew. They help in building muscle, promoting fat burning and use lots of energy (calories) to just digest them! They actually spike your metabolism, trigger hormones that release fat and eliminate the toxins, which makes it harder for your body to burn fat. For these foods to work their wonders, they must be included as a part of clean diet.
MELT FLAB AWAY!
Whole Grains
Your body burns twice as much calories in digesting whole grains rich in fiber such as brown rice, quinoa, barley and oatmeal than processed foods. Replace your traditional white rice with whole grains to get rid of that belly fat.
Lean meat
Proteins have a high thermogenic effect and hence almost 30% of the calories the food contains are burnt during its digestion. So a 300-calorie chicken breast requires around 100 calories for digestion.
Low Fat Dairy products
Dairy products have always had a bad name for stocking up calories. However low fat dairy products, rich in calcium and Vitamin d can help in building muscle mass, which is essential for boosting metabolism. Greek yogurt is a delicious tool for weight loss because of its high protein content (almost twice as other yogurts).
Green Tea
Recent studies have shown that people who drank four cups of green tea daily shed more than six pounds in two weeks. It has catechins, which helps in maintaining a robust metabolism essential for weight loss.
Lentils
Stocked up with lots of iron, it must be included in our diet as almost 20% of us are iron-deficient. When our body is deficient of a nutrient, the metabolism slows down as our body cannot work efficiently in its absence.
Hot Peppers
Capsaicin, the compound present in chilly peppers, heats up our body, which helps in burning additional calories. It is also abundant in jalapenos. You can get your daily dose by eating raw, cooked, dried or powdered peppers. Add cayenne or hot sauce to soups, eggs and meats to reap its benefits.
Cinnamon
Studies have shown that cinnamon helps in stabilizing blood sugar levels and can help in curtailing appetite especially in people with type 2 diabetes. Everyone can benefit from it by stirring a teaspoon in your coffee, tea or yogurt for natural sweetness without any calories.
Eggs
Proteins help in weight loss as the body uses more calories to burn it down and it also helps in building muscle mass. Add more egg whites to your diet to burn fat and build muscle.
Salmon
Salmon is loaded with a secret fat burner, Omega 3’s. Omega 3 fatty acids from fatty fish like salmon reduce fat mass. They also make you feel less hungry and more satisfied after a meal. Aim to eat salmon and other fatty fishes like mackerel, herring or tuna at least twice a week.
Coffee
Caffeine kick starts your metabolism and also helps in lipolysis, breakdown of fat. One or two cups a day is ideal.
