Many people look for fat burning foods that have the ability to encourage weight loss without doing exercise.
These fat burning foods, while are perfectly healthy and provide the micro-nutrients that your body can’t live without, will not do you much good if you eat them exclusively of all other foods.
It’s important to note that a diet that is varied and balanced across the three macro-nutrients (protein, carbohydrates and fats) will ensure your body is the healthiest it possibly can be and any excess weight will come off as a result of healthy eating habits and sensible exercise routines.
Savage in his published review of Greek and Japanese eating habits found that these two cultures have the longest life expectancies in the world. He suggests that by eating a wide variety of foods providing essential naturally occurring chemicals to the body, longevity may be increased. (Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2002;11 Suppl 3:S637-41.)
The foods that have been suggested to be more beneficial for fat burning are as follows, however, this is by no means an exhaustive list. These foods may only encourage weight loss when used within a well-balanced diet. For best results, I recommend consulting a dietician for optimal individual macro-nutrient combinations.
| Fruit: | Vegetables: | Grains: |
| Apples | Brocolli | Wholemeal Bread |
| Bananas | Cabbage | Wholegrain Pasta’s |
| Lemons | Cauliflower | Brown Rice or Japanese Rice |
| Oranges | Celery | Air-popped corn |
| Grapes | Leeks | |
| Melons | Lettuce | |
| Grape Fruit | Courgettes | |
| Pears | Peppers | |
| Pineapple | Root Vegetables |
The fat burning foods above focus on carbs, but what about protein. The role of protein is that it feeds and maintains muscle. The higher your fat to muscle body ratio, the more fat you will burn automatically.
So what kind of protein should you be eating to burn fat? You’ll find a list below:
Protein Sources
Soya beans
Low fat soy milk
Mushrooms
Eggs
Low fat, lean beef
fresh fish
fresh tuna
lean chicken
The list also includes a list of fat burning foods that contain fats that your body needs to function. These are called “essential fatty acids”. Having said that, they should not be consumed in large quantities.
The right fats, consumed in small quantities have the effect of slowing the digestion of carbs and protein, thus causing the body to expend more energy in the process of digestion. So just what are the right fats to be consumed. The list below follows:
| Polyunsaturated oils | Foods High in Omega-3 Fatty Acid |
| Cotton seed oil | Bass |
| Nut Oils | Cod |
| Safflower oil | Herring |
| Soya oil | Oysters |
| Sunflower oil | Sardines |