10 Foods That Shrink Belly Fat

Eating good and healthy foods is the most fundamental aspect to weight loss. With or without exercise you will never drop any body fat without a clean diet full of healthy and nutritious foods. With that being said, we have compiled a list of ten key foods that if you don’t already, you really should consider including in your diet as they are proven to help burn body fat.

1. MATCHA TEA

Matcha tea has gained popularity due to being similar to green tea but even more potent. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the potent belly-fat-melting catechin in the tea, is 137 times greater in concentration than the amount of EGCG available from green tea, a study in the Journal of Chromatography found.

2. AVOCADO

Avocados are multitalented and especially when it comes to fighting belly fat. They’re loaded with monounsaturated fats that keep you slim and satiated. A study in Nutrition Journal also found that participants who ate half a fresh avocado with lunch had less desire to snack or eat afterward.

3. DARK CHOCOLATE

Cocoa butter, the natural oil found in chocolate, is made up of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats (specifically, fat-burning oleic acid) as well as oft-avoided saturated fats. However, one-third of the fats in cocoa is stearic acid, a saturated fat that doesn’t elevate blood fat levels to the same degree that other saturated fatty acids do. What’s more, dark chocolate containing 70 to 85 percent cacao packs in more fibre than the milky variety, an important factor for weight loss and maintenance.

4. EGGS

Eggs are high in muscle-building protein and fat-burning choline. Make sure you eat the whole egg as around half of the egg’s protein is found there and also happens to be the top dietary source of fat-burning choline. One study found that choline supplementation reduced BMI as well as levels of the hunger hormone leptin, adding that the nutrient breaks fat down for use as an energy source.

5. PEANUT BUTTER

Peanuts pack in a surprising belly-fat-blasting effect. Genistein, a compound that acts on obesity genes and reduces your body’s ability to store fat, is present in them. What’s more, peanuts are brimming with polyunsaturated fats, which have been shown to “turn on” genes in visceral fat that are linked to reduced fat storage and improved sugar metabolism in the body, according to a Uppsala University study.

6. GARLIC

A study in the journal Nutrition Research and Practice found that mice given a high-fat diet supplemented with garlic lost significantly more visceral abdominal fat than those who avoided them.

7. SALMON

If you’re looking to get lean with visible definition then you may want to eat more omega-3-rich salmon. A study in the journal PLoS One reveals that participants who added omega-3 fats to their diets shed more weight and had an easier time keeping it off than those who didn’t. In particular, wild salmon contains more anti-inflammatory omega-3s and less omega-6s, which can cause inflammation in excess.

8. SKYR

This Icelandic-style cheese dates back to over a thousand years old, yet it’s completely underrated in the western world. One cup of the yogurt-like blend requires nearly four cups of milk to produce, which is how it achieves that divinely creamy texture. Skyr’s high protein content (it’s got about 17 grams per plain, 5.3-ounce cup) and gut-loving probiotics make this twice as effective against belly fat.

9. TART CHERRIES

Tart cherries are a great evening snack thanks to their ability to increase your body’s melatonin levels for better sleep quality. They are also great at helping you shed belly fat. A study in the Journal of Medicinal Foods found that tart cherry intake was associated with reduced abdominal fat. Researchers also found that the fruit can ward off metabolic syndrome, therefore reducing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

10. SUNFLOWER SEEDS

Sunflower seeds are a great belly buster. The type of fat in the seeds have been shown to reduce abdominal fat in women with no other change in diet. Sunflower seeds make an ideal snack and, like peanuts, can also be made into a butter.