15/02/14 Foods to help burn body fat

1. Avocado

Active ingredients: healthy fats

High in healthy monounsaturated fats, which are less likely to be stored as body fat.

Avocados contain a sugar called mannoheptulose, which is associated with blunting insulin release; since excess insulin is directly involved with fat storage, maintaining normal levels of insulin can mean less body fat.

Try this: Mash half an avocado with a fork and add half of a diced tomato, the juice of half a lime, and salt and pepper to taste.

2. Chilli

Active ingredient: capsaicin

Capsaicin is a potent metabolism booster; it can reduce hunger and increase the feeling of fullness in order to help you eat less.

Try this: Combine half a cup of orange juice, two tablespoons olive oil and one sliced jalapeno pepper to make a spicy marinade. Add two chicken breasts and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour or up to 24 hours.

3. Eggs

Active ingredients: protein, healthy fats

When you eat a breakfast that includes two eggs, people often report feeling fuller throughout the day and eat less at lunch than people who don’t have eggs for breakfast, don’t ditch the yolk—it’s full of healthy fats and vitamins A, D and E, and contains most of the egg’s protein.

Try this: Beat two eggs, and add a quarter cup low-fat shredded cheese and some diced tomato before pouring into a pan set over medium heat. Scramble egg mixture and then place it in the middle of a whole wheat tortilla. Garnish with salsa, and roll it up.

4. Ginger

Active ingredient: gingerol

Popular in Eastern cuisines, ginger boosts metabolism in two ways. It may increase your muscles’ oxygen consumption, helping you burn more calories. It also increases lactic acid production, which in turn increases production of the human growth hormone, which then increases the amount of fat released from fat stores to be burned as fuel.

Try this: Peel and dice some fresh ginger. Sauté with garlic and a variety of fresh vegetables like capsicum, snow peas, and zucchini and one tablespoon of olive oil.

5. Grapefruit

Active ingredient: naringin

In one study, people who ate half a grapefruit daily lost, on average, 1.5 kilos after 12 weeks without changing anything else about their diets. Grapefruits contain a compound called naringin, which boasts fat-blasting properties.

Try this: Peel half of a grapefruit and separate the sections, then slice them in half. Toss with two cups spinach, one bunch chopped baby beetroots, a quarter cup toasted pine nuts, a quarter cup low-fat feta cheese crumbles and one tablespoon red wine vinaigrette.

6. Green Tea

Active ingredients: (EGCG), caffeine

While caffeine is a well-known fat-burner, it’s not the most powerful component at work. EGCG, the phytochemical also responsible for green tea’s myriad of health benefits, has been shown to increase metabolic rate and burn fat, most recently in a large review of existing research.

Try this: Mix two cups iced green tea with a half cup of 100-percent pomegranate juice and one cup water add ice.

7. Pomegranate

Active ingredients: antioxidants

Talk about an easy sell! Pomegranates are a whopping 300 times better than their fellow fruits at protecting nitric oxide (NO) in the body. Since NO is associated with increased fat burning, it’s worth protecting.

Try this: Mix a scoop of whey protein powder with one cup of 100-percent pomegranate juice for the perfect pre-workout shake.

8. Spinach

Active in ingredients: glutathione, alpha lipoic acid, fiber

A cup of cooked spinach contains a mere 41 calories and two powerful detoxifying nutrients—glutathione and alpha lipoic acid—along with soluble fiber, which does the nifty fat-ridding job of binding bad cholesterol (LDL) in your digestive system and dragging it out of your body.

Try this: Use pre-bagged spinach instead of lettuce in your sandwiches and salads, have it heated in soups and wilted in pasta.

9. Salmon

Active ingredient: omega-3 fatty acids

The omega-3s in salmon are so powerful, they can actually turn on genes that increase fat-burning and turn off the genes that regulate fat storage, all while making sure your cardiovascular system stays healthy.

Try this: Make an SLT: Mash one (five-ounce) can of boneless, skinless salmon with one tablespoon reduced-fat (2%) Greek yogurt and the juice of half a lemon, and spread on a tortilla with two slices extra-lean turkey bacon, one leaf of romaine lettuce and two tomato slices 

10. Tofu

Active ingredient: genistein

Soy is a powerhouse food. Genistein, an isoflavone responsible for many of soy’s health-promoting effects (from reducing the risk of several cancers to promoting cardiovascular health), also appears to be the main factor responsible for boosting fat burning, as it reduces appetite and abdominal fat.

Try this: Heat two cups chicken or vegetable broth in a saucepan over medium heat, add a quarter (12.3 oz) container silken firm tofu.