The human body is like an “engine”. It needs certain foods at certain intervals each day, and if you don’t eat the right foods at the right times, then, those calories will be left unburned. The result is a store of calories as fat tissues.
Remember, it is not food that is the problem. It is the kind of food, pattern of meal and types of calories per meal that counts. So we are talking about foods doctors, scientists, medical researchers and nutritionists say help weight loss.
- Tomatoes: A recent study identified a compound extracted specifically from tomato called 9-oxo-octadecadienoic (9-oxo-ODA) was shown to influence the amount of blood lipids in circulation. This compound helps the prevention of obesity-related chronic diseases by allowing people to manage the onset of dyslipedemia through their daily diet. Too much of lipid is primary cause of belly fat.
- Blueberries: Are fruits of a shrub that belong to the heath family, which includes the cranberry and bilberry as well as the azalea, mountain laurel and rhododendron. The University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center study suggests that blueberries may help reduce belly fat and risk factors for cardiovascular disease and metabolic syndrome. So far, we know that the fruit works on rats, which were the test subjects. A blueberry-enriched powder was mixed into the rats’ diet, which was either low-fat or high-fat rat chow. After 90 days, the rats with the blueberry-enriched diet had less abdominal fat, lower triglycerides, lower cholesterol and improved fasting glucose and insulin sensitivity. And their health was even better when combined with the low-fat diet. That group had lower body weight, lower total fat mass and reduced liver mass than the rats on the high-fat diet. An enlarged liver is linked to obesity and insulin resistance, a hallmark of diabetes. Although more research is needed to confirm these results in humans, a related study presented at the same conference showed that men with risk factors for heart disease who drank wild blueberry juice for three weeks seemed to experience slight improvements in glucose and insulin control. Choose blueberries that are firm and have a lively, uniform hue colored with a whitish bloom. Shake the container, noticing whether the berries have the tendency to move freely; if they do not, this may indicate that they are soft and damaged or moldy.
- Grapefruit: A Louisiana State University study found those who ate half a grapefruit three times a day lost four pounds in 12 weeks, without changing the rest of their diet. Eating half a grapefruit (or drink 8 ounces of grapefruit juice) may block enzymes involved in fat and carbohydrate storage, and speed up the way our bodies burn fat, resulting in weight loss. The Grapefruit Diet usually lasts about 12 days, but if you want to continue, you must take at least two days off before doing so. Providing no more than 800 calories a day, the grapefruit diet menu involves eating lots of ‘fat-burning’ grapefruit to kick-start your metabolism, some daily protein (mainly boiled eggs) and the odd piece of dry toast.
- Strawberries: Research shows that strawberries can stimulate your metabolism and suppress your appetite. They can help you lose weight and even help control blood sugar. They increase the body’s production of a hormone that stimulates your metabolism and suppresses your appetite. By slowing down the rate of digestion of starchy foods. This helps control the rise in blood sugar that follows a starchy meal. This is a key benefit for those with adult-onset (Type 2) diabetes.
One cup contains only 49 calories, and comes loaded with vitamin C, three grams of fiber, and some calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Strawberries give you flavor, color, and aroma, awakening your taste buds to the fresh, natural foods your body needs to be healthy and vital.Banana: Packed with 422 milligrams of potassium, a mineral that can help limit the amount of belly swelling sodium in your body, banana can serve you well. Presence of Potassium helps in building muscle, which in turn helps to burn fat. It also prevents excessive water retention and assists with the release of energy from food sources during the process of metabolism.
- Avocado: They are a good source of monounsaturated fats. Being not inflammatory, they actually help to flatten belly fat, according to a 2010 segment on the “Dr. Oz” television show. An ounce of avocado gives you 60 percent more potassium than bananas. This fiber-filled fruit is loaded with Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, magnesium and folate. It is cholesterol and sodium free, too. Incorporate at least 1 – 2 avocados per week into your eating. Have them in salads, on toast, in pasta dishes or on sandwiches.
Eat two servings of fruits a day. Sounds harder than it is, because most of us are simply too lazy or too disorganized to do it. Have a banana and an orange with your cereal in the morning. You’ve at least got your daily requirement of fruits. Note: a serving is half cup of raw, cubed fruit, one medium – sized whole fruit or two tablespoons of dried fruit.
A healthy diet and regular exercise are two key components to belly fat loss.