Fat burning foods are very much in the news these days and the idea that food can actually burn fat sounds extremely appealing, but is it too good to be true?
What exactly does the term "fat burning foods" mean? Everyone knows that weight gain is the result of eating more calories than we burn off and therefore weight loss can be achieved by the opposite - eating fewer calories than we use each day. Certain foods boost your metabolism, which increases the rate at which you can lose weight, but only if you are eating them as part of a sensible weight loss program. It is essential to understand that these foods are not a miracle cure to obesity and overweight, but that if used properly, they can help you to achieve your goals.
Incorporating the right type of food into your diet is an excellent step towards healthy weight loss and foods which burn fat are a good place to start. Many of the so-called fat burning foods have been discredited because they became popular as part of extreme diets, requiring slimmers to eat large quantities of one food, leaving out many other foods important for health. In addition, these diets often had an overall daily calorie intake which was much too low to ensure good health.
However, recent research has concluded that some of the foods which were the subject of fad diets, are in fact useful, increasing metabolism, when eaten in sensible combination with other foods and particularly when an exercise programme is also undertaken. The effects of adding grapefruit to the diet have been researched at the Scripps Clinic in San Diego California, where participants were instructed to eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit before each meal. After 12 weeks, they achieved an average weight loss of about 3.5 lbs, with some losing as much as 10 lbs. those in the control group, who did not add grapefruit to their diets, lost an average of only half a pound. It is thought that grapefruit lowers insulin levels in the blood, which reduces feelings of hunger.
Many vegetables and fruits are also considered fat burning foods, and have the additional benefit of being full of vitamins. Amongst the vegetables which could speed up metabolism are: green cabbage, carrots, broccoli, celery, leeks and asparagus. Fruits which will have the same effect include apples, blackberries, blueberries, oranges, mangoes and peaches.
Spices are also fat burners and can be used to add flavour to meals, which will make your diet a lot more interesting. Garlic is known to break down fat deposits and since it is also a great antiseptic and has antibiotic qualities, it is a good addition to any diet. Chili and cayenne peppers are also said to burn fat.
Lean protein is an important fat burner and is found in turkey, chicken, lean meat and fish.
It is important to eat a balanced diet, rather than devouring large quantities of one substance, just because it has a reputation as a fat burner.
Using the information here, you can easily come up with a healthy diet, which will help burn fat at a safe rate, for example, drink grapefruit juice before some meals, combine lean protein with a mixture of green vegetables to form the basis of your main meals and add a moderate amount of good quality carbohydrate, such as sweet potato or brown rice, use spices to add variety and snack on fruit.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Waller_Jamison
No comments:
Post a Comment