13 Foods That Burn Belly Fat
Weight is lost in the kitchen. At least, most of it is. If you’re someone who has a hard time with the right balance of foods (more of the good stuff, less of the bad stuff), you can enjoy these fat-cutting foods that help slim you down.
It’s important to know how gut bacteria work and plays a role in your health. It directly affects belly fat and just about everything in your body, so eating healthy and eating these fat-burning foods needs to become a habit, not just a three-day excursion.
The results will come, just stick with it.
#1 Oats and Oatmeal
Oats are basically a superfood (we should really put a cape on it). Oats lead to heart health, which means more effective blood flow and circulatory function, and that aids you in everything from absorption to digestion.
On top of that, it contains soluble beta-glucan fiber. This absorbs water, which your body could do with a little bit more of, and helps slow down how your blood sugar is regulated (and that’s a good thing).
Oats are recommended for anyone with heart issues and/or diabetes, plus the protein will help you feel full for longer. Just add some fresh fruit to your oatmeal and call it a day.
#2 Apples
Fiber is excellent and one of the main components that you’ll see in belly fat-burning foods, and apples are chock full of it. Apples contain pectin, which helps your body slow down the digestion process.
This means it’s more thorough digestion, but you’ll also feel full for a little bit longer.
Plus, that fiber content we talked about earlier? It’s roughly 20% of your RDA of fiber, so eating an apple can help with other digestive issues as well, such as bloating, constipation, and long times between movements.
If you can include apples in your diet every day, you’ll help more than just your belly fat.
#3 Avocados
This one shouldn’t be a surprise to any of us—avocados are extremely healthy and filled with (good) fat. It ironically helps us lose our own fat, and includes soluble fiber, less than a single gram of sugar, and a relatively low amount of calories.
But how does it help our belly fat? Beta-sitosterol helps your body maintain cholesterol levels, which is important for how your circulatory system works with the heart.
Better circulation means your stomach digests food faster, and it hangs around for less time. Avocados also improve digestion and protect you from chronic diseases.
#4 Greek Yogurt (Unflavored)
Greek yogurt has a ridiculous number of benefits, and you can absolutely work it in with other foods on this list to make delicious dishes left and right.
Greek yogurt needs to be plain so the flavors don’t mess with live yogurt cultures, so if you can do that, you’ll be able to reduce your appetite, improve your bone health, and boost your metabolism.
While metabolic benefits would be enough to help cut out belly fat, the real gem here is the gut health benefits thanks to the probiotics. While not everyone will respond to probiotics with the same gusto, it can’t hurt to try and see what your body can do with this amazing food.
#5 Broccoli
Did you know that broccoli was actually invented by cross-breeding other vegetables? It’s also super high in fiber, and includes vitamins A, K, C, and B9, as well as selenium, protein, phosphorus, and more than two grams of fiber. It packs a serious punch in such a little container!
The antioxidants present in broccoli help with fighting inflammation in the body, which not only means short-term belly fat loss, but long-term as well because your body’s reaction to digestion is far better.
Broccoli also contains glucoraphanin, which is converted into a seriously powerful antioxidant in the body during digestion.
#6 Salmon
Salmon is insanely high in protein, and protein helps you stay full for longer. Apart from just feeling full and avoiding bad eating habits as a result, salmon also includes numerous nutritional benefits.
There are B vitamins such as B6, B12, follicles acid, thiamin, and others all present in salmon.
So where’s the belly fat-cutting power? That’s where omega-3’s come in. The omega-3 fatty acid is absolutely fantastic at cutting inches off your waistline and shedding pounds.
The effects vary for everyone, but there’s no downside to having omega-3 fatty acid in your diet (it’s helpful for so much), and salmon is the most accessible way to have it in your diet without supplements.
#7 Ginger
If you’ve ever tried juicing or any similar lifestyle change, you’ve probably seen ginger in just about every juice recipe out there. While it can be hard to integrate into your dishes, fresh ginger is extremely powerful and fantastic for your body.
Ginger is another inflammation-fighting ingredient, and inflammation is the enemy of weight loss. It’s even proven to help with osteoarthritis, an inflammatory disease, while also lowering blood sugar and risk factors for heart disease.
It’s an amazing food for you, and beyond weight loss, it should still be included in your diet.
#8 Flaxseed
It may not be the most exciting food to approach, but flaxseed is known to have far-reaching health benefits, one of which is cutting out your belly fat.
These contain omega-3 fatty acids similar to what you would find in fresh fish. Flaxseed also contains fiber (and we’ve gone over how important that is throughout this post).
Lignan is an antioxidant present in flaxseed as well, which helps fight inflammation in the body and can aid in metabolism. Flaxseed is one of the most recommended foods to avoid high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
If you can find a way to include it in healthy smoothies or other dishes, you’ll be better off for it—a little flaxseed goes a long way.
#9 Quinoa
You can’t go wrong with grains when it comes to gut health. Quinoa is excellent for protein, and protein helps you feel full so you can avoid future meals that would lead to more belly fat.
On top of that, there’s also a host of nutrients such as zinc, potassium, manganese, copper, thiamine, folate, and others that all contribute to healthy gut bacteria.
Quinoa is also ripe with antioxidants that can help prevent damage to your heart, circulatory system, and overall health. It’s very easy to incorporate quinoa into your meals by using it as a starch replacement for pasta or rice, and working from there.
#10 Pumpkin Seeds
Zinc is the most prominent benefit to pumpkin seeds because of how much it contains, but you also have benefits such as omega-3 fatty acids, high levels of protein (for seeds), and a host of vitamins such as phosphorus, manganese, iron, copper, and more.
So how do you use them effectively? The best way is to simply roast them up and eat them.
They can be used in a few recipes here and there, but snacking on them is the best way to curb bad eating habits while replacing your need to snack with something far healthier.
#11 Garlic
Yeah, garlic tastes amazing, and under that layer of flavor is a host of benefits that most people don’t even realize. You get scraps of vitamin B6, selenium, vitamin C, manganese, (and an extremely minute amount of fiber, but hey, it’s still there).
Garlic has been proven to help stave off sickness, reduce blood pressure, improve cholesterol issues, lower your risk of heart disease, and antioxidants to combat dementia and the signs of Alzheimer’s disease.
Basically, it’s all-around amazing and you should include it in as many dishes as possible.
#12 Apple Cider Vinegar
You may have heard of this as one of the best remedies to diabetes and other diseases, but apple cider vinegar is more than just a way to cut down your blood sugar and regulate it.
Apple cider vinegar also kills harmful bacteria in the body and may boost your skin health and potentially boost your heart health.
But what’s the icing on the cake? Apple cider vinegar is a key in weight loss, and not just because it helps regulate other parts of the body.
While studies haven’t been intensely conclusive, months and months of data suggest that it can help you eat fewer calories throughout the day as well, negating appetite while boosting your overall health.
#13 Red Bell Peppers
Apart from being a surprising source of vitamin C (more than oranges), red bell peppers contain loads of vitamins B6 and folate, as well as high sources of antioxidants.
Fighting inflammation and free radicals in the body is great for your health, and that lower inflammation means you won’t feel bloated or lethargic as often.
When you eat inflammation-fighting foods, you’re actually helping yourself to feel more energetic. When we feel energetic we’re more likely to stick to weight loss goals and dietary habits, and far more likely to exercise because we don’t feel nearly as tired.
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