Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

organic extra virgin coconut oilIf you’re a regular reader, and even if you’re not, then you’ll probably hear me talking about the benefits of cooking with organic extra virgin coconut oil at some point.

Before we even get into the reasons why you should cook with it, let’s talk a bit about its general health benefits. Coconut oil is made up mostly of unique, healthy saturated fats, known as medium chain triglycerides (MCTs for short).

MCTs are easily broken down into energy by your body, and they are good for the health of your heart and arteries.

The short and medium-chain fatty acids found in organic coconut oil are also vital for speeding up your body’s metabolism, aids a healthy thyroid (vital for metabolism and weight loss) and enzyme system, and removes digestive stress on the pancreas, leaving you more energy to burn body fat.

N.B. One of the MCTs found in tropical oils is Lauric acid. It is known to strengthen the immune system, and medical studies are being carried out to determine its effectiveness at controlling contagious disease.

organic coconut oil palmOK, I know it’s a lot to take in, but cast your mind back to the part where I said extra virgin, organic coconut oil is “made up mostly of unique, healthy saturated fats”. This statement is the key reason why it is the number #1 choice for use in cooking.

Saturated fats are actually the healthiest fats to cook with! Why? Because they are the most stable when exposed to heat/ light. Combine this with the fact that the saturated fats in coconut oil are mainly healthy MCTs, and you’re on to a winner.

On the other hand, processed polyunsaturated fats (found in vegetable cooking oils, soybean, cottonseed, corn, grape seed, and sunflower oils) are highly reactive to heat and light, making them prone to oxidization. This inflammation is what makes polyunsaturated fats so unhealthy, causing heart disease, clogging arteries and causing degenerative disease such as diabetes.

Click here to read more about healthy vs unhealthy cooking oils

This is basically the complete opposite to what you’re used to hearing from the so-called “health industry”.

Choosing The Best Coconut Oil

Like I always say, organic, and in this case extra virgin, is best. Make sure you do not pick up any hydrogenated coconut oil by mistake.

I’ve done a lot of research on the web, and tried at least 15 brands of coconut oil myself, and I have to say Nutiva Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil, or Barlean’s if you live in the UK, are by far the best.

The texture, taste and aroma that these guys produce is second to none. And it looks as though the reviews on Amazon.com tend to agree with me too.

 

   
 

 

me and Barlean's

Me with Barlean's extra virgin, organic coconut oil

Seriously, if you’ve never cooked with coconut oil before, the aroma will blow you away! Especially if you throw in some spices!

I use it no matter what I’m cooking, using all techniques from baking, roasting, stir-fry, shallow-fry and sauté. Recently I wanted to lightly sauté some potatoes and decided to throw in some paprika. What can I say! By far the most amazing aroma I’ve ever experienced, at least as far as my cooking goes :-)

Why not try your own little combinations and let me know what works.

 

Discover the TRUTH About the Foods You’re Eating and why they’re making you STORE More Belly Flab

Check out my in-depth article on saturated fat for more information.

Return to the Fat Burning Foods home page.

Five Fat Burning Foods

 

Super Foods That Burn Fat Fast!

 

 

Oatmeal - Rolled OatsOatmeal – Think rolled oats and stay clear of the instant, sweetened variety. Rolled oats might be very plain in terms of flavour but you can add to the taste easily with fruit, nuts and some of the berries listed below. Steel rolled oats are even better for you but can be quite expensive.

The Science: Oatmeal is loaded with soluble fibre which causes a slow energy release. Because it releases energy slowly, your metabolism is running at a steady pace – perfect for fat loss. It also helps to reduce blood cholesterol levels and flush out bad fatty acids. Oatmeal has also been proven to prevent heart disease and colon cancer. The perfect food to help you get a flat stomach!

Shop For: Steel rolled oats (if you can find and afford them) or regular rolled oats.

Avoid: Sweetened/ Instant oats.

Tip: Don’t add sugars and syrups, instead try honey, berries and nuts.

 

Raw nuts - AlmondsNuts (Almonds, Walnuts, Macadamia etc) – Yes, nuts are a fatty food, but this fatty food actually helps you burn body fat! So if you want to get rid of fat and lose inches on your stomach then you’ll want to incorporate nuts to your diet. Nuts are perfect as a side order for a larger meal, a light snack (ditch those chips and crisps) or for desert.

The Science: Although nuts are loaded with fat, this fat is healthy fat. Furthermore, nuts are packed with vitamins, minerals, fibre and protein which are all vital for controlling blood sugar level and encouraging fat loss.
Nuts also maintain fat burning hormones, they fill you up quickly and keep you feeling full – suppressing your appetite.

Shop For: Aim for raw nuts or mixed nuts – Almonds, Walnuts and Macadamia nuts. Unsweetened peanut butter.

Avoid: Definitely steer clear of the dry roasted and salted variety.

Tip: By varying your nut intake you’ll get a good cocktail of vitamins, minerals, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Peanut butter is also an excellent substitute for margarine or butter for sandwiches but once again you must go for the natural, unsweetened variety if you’re going for fast abs.

 

Organic BerriesBerries (Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries, Cranberries etc) – We’ve already mentioned that berries are a great way of sweetening your usually bland oatmeal, but that’s not all they are great for. You can also add them to your protein shake, salad, natural yogurt or a mixed bag of nuts for a fat busting snack.

The Science: Berries are a natural source of dietary fibre, which helps slow your carbohydrate absorption, controls blood sugar levels and prevents the insulin spikes that can cause your body to store fat. Berries are also packed full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, all of this with low calories – a real flab fighter!

Shop For: Fresh berries if possible, frozen berries are cost effective.
Avoid: Tinned berried with added sugar.

Tip: Try exotic berries such as the Goji, which boasts one of the highest levels of antioxidants of any food on the planet!

 

Grass fed beef, bison and gameRed Meat: That’s right, we’re talking beef, bison and game! Traditionally Beef is seen as a fatty meat. And it’s seen as a fat gaining food rather than a fat burning food. However, Beef that has been raised on grass and other natural foliage is actually much healthier than the grain reared meat you’ll find at your local grocery store. It has 30% less fat, but the fat content has the perfect ratio of essential fatty acids required for fat loss.

The Science: Beef raised on grass (a cow’s natural diet) is much higher in healthy omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin E and healthy fat than that brought up on an artificial diet of grains. Not to mention that grass fed beef is some of the highest quality protein available, vital for building muscle and burning fat.

Shop for: Organic, grass fed beef, bison and game from farms where the animals can graze on wild foliage and get much needed exercise!

Tip: Avoid grain fed, mass production animals. The protein in this meat is harder to digest, not to mention the higher ‘bad fat’ content.

 

Organic, free range, whole eggsWhole, organic, free range eggs: Most people are scared of eggs because they believe them to be high in fat and cholesterol. But the truth is, organic, free-range eggs have no affect on blood cholesterol (blame processed and refined fats for that). Furthermore, the essential fatty acids inside an eggs yolk are vital for fat burning.

The Science: Eggs contain iron, zinc, phosphorus, thiamin, B6, folate, and B12, and panthothenic acid. But you’ll actually find that 90% of these nutrients are found in the yolk, so it’s important to eat whole eggs. In addition, the yolks contain ALL of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K in the egg, as well as ALL of the essential fatty acids. Also, the protein of whole eggs is easier to digest than egg whites alone, due to a more balanced amino acid profile that the yolks help to build.

Shop for: Free range, organic, whole eggs.

Tip: Small farm shops are a great source of free-range eggs. Some of the “free range” eggs you find in the grocery store come from hens that are allowed out for about 10 minutes a day! Remember, the natural foods a free range hen eats basically decides the quality of the nutrients you’ll get from her eggs!

My Unique Diet “Trick” That Eliminates Cravings for Junk Food and Controls Your Appetite Automatically

Fat Burning Foods: Key To A Flat Stomach

 

Fat burning foods might not be top of your list in your bid to get a flat stomach, or to lose belly fat. After all, food is the enemy and makes you gain weight, right?

Well not necessarily. There is actually an elite group of foods that stimulate your metabolism, create a fat burning hormonal response in your body and leave you feeling full and satisfied. They are actually vital to getting a tight, toned, sexy physique. So let’s learn more about them…

 

Fat Burning Foods Are Not What You’d Think!

Fat Burning FoodsYou might be forgiven for thinking that the best foods to help you with your fat loss are the low-calorie, zero-fat, sugar-free, diet, and lite foods advertised in the media. But you’d be wrong!

These foods can actually increase the amount of fat your body stores. This is because they are packed full of artificial sweeteners, highly refined carbohydrates, sugars and other processed nasties.

These so-called “health” foods are useless for controlling cravings and suppressing appetite. What’s more they send confusing hormonal signals to your body, spiking blood sugar levels (yes even the artificial sweeteners!) and putting you into fat storage mode.

Here are a few tips for finding foods that burn fat

Eating Fat Doesn’t Necessarily Make You Fat

I’m sure you’ve heard this one before, and thought to yourself: “yeah right”. But it all comes down to the type of fat you eat. Eating the right kinds of fat can actually make you leaner.

avoid vegetable oil and hydrogenated fatsObviously the type of fats to avoid are the processed, hydrogenated fats found in junk foods, ready meals, processed foods etc. These junk food evils actually prevent your cells from metabolizing calories and nutrients properly. And for what? A little extra shelf life.

Unfortunately it is commonplace to think that all fats are detrimental to your health and cause you to gain weight. But those found in natural, wholesome, unprocessed foods are vital to losing flab and maintaining a healthy immune system.

And before you get too worried about avoiding polyunsaturated, monounsaturated or saturated fats, remember that all three occur naturally in plant and animal life. You can’t avoid these types of fats, nor should you attempt to. How much of each fat contained within these food sources depends on the climate, diet and overall environment in which they grew and developed.

Here is a very simple way to work out which fat sources are healthy, and which are unhealthy. Just ask yourself these questions before making your food choices:

For fruit, vegetable, nut and all other plant based sources: “Is it natural, minimally processed and organic? Or has it been chemically altered and heavily processed?”

For meat, fish and dairy (animal based sources): “Is it from a free range, wild or grass-fed animal? Or is it from a mass production, controlled farm environment?”

In both cases, fats from natural, free range, organic sources are far healthier than those from man-altered, mass-produced food. Once you get used to asking yourself these questions, your food choices will become much healthier, and easier!

Eat Wholesome, Natural, Unprocessed Food

I could go on to talk to you about processed and unprocessed sugars, natural and unnatural sweeteners. But my arguments would be pretty similar to what I’ve already written about fat sources, so I’ll save that for another article.

What I’d like to talk to you about instead is how easily a fat burning food can be transformed into a stomach-bloating time bomb!

I’m going to use the example of fruit juice.

Fruit Juice: Healthy Food?

Fruit juice should be avoidedFruit juice has been touted as a true health food (yes I know it’s a drink ;-) ). In fact you can get anywhere from 1 to all 5 of you’re recommended 5 a day in one hit, and with no added sweeteners or preservatives! Win-Win it sounds, not so…

As natural as fruit juice sounds, it has actually been processed and altered. But this time it’s not about what has been added, but what has been taken away.

Fruit juice has had almost all of the fruit’s flesh and skin removed. So what? This is where all of the natural fiber is contained. Dietary fibre actually slows the body’s absorption of sugar. So without this your fruit juice is delivering a blood sugar spiking, hormonal fat storing sucker-punch.

And you might be getting 2 of your 5-a-day from that juice, but that doesn’t mean you’re getting the sugar from 2 pieces of fruit. More likely, you’re getting the juice, and sugar, from 10-12 pieces of fruit all at once! Not good for your waistline, I promise you.

Stick to eating organic, whole fruit for a healthy dose of natural sugar, antioxidants and fiber.

Fat Burning Secret – Eat As Nature Intended

The overwhelming message of this article is that natural, wholesome, organic and unprocessed are the real fat burning foods. By seeking out and eating foods that burn fat the number of calories you consume becomes almost irrelevant.

If you are serious about burning belly fat, losing weight and getting a firm, sexy physique then you need to check out Mike Geary’s Fat Burning Kitchen.

Learn how to choose the right foods, avoid the belly-bulging junk and create satisfying and delicious meals. All while stripping off your belly flab. Click here to learn more.

Related articles:
Negative calorie foods and the negative calorie effect, what are they?
List of the very best, most delicious fat burning foods.

Should you really STOP eating to lose belly fat?

Does Chocolate Have A Place In A Healthy Nutritional Program?

 

dark chocolateMany people will argue, and I would agree, that most diets and weight loss programs fail because they leave you feeling deprived. So does this mean you do have space for the odd chocolate treat in your nutritional program?

Well yes actually, I believe it does. But you have to be very careful about the type of chocolate you choose.

But be warned: If you’re eating too much of the wrong kind then you are seriously jeopardizing your weight loss goals.

 

Milk Chocolate vs Dark Chocolate

types of chocolateNot all chocolate is the same. Milk and white chocolate contain an extremely high quantity of processed sugars and other junk, leaving relative little cocoa (cocoa is believed to have some significant health benefits).

And if you’ve read any of my other articles then you’ll know that processed sugars are one of the main reasons why people put on weight, and one of the main reasons why people find it so difficult to lose their excess flab too.

Basically, processed sugars cause a spike in blood sugar level and a hormonal fat storing response in your body.

On the other hand, organic, dark chocolate with few ingredients is made from 70, 80 or even 90% cocoa! And this is the type of chocolate that I highly recommend you choose.

The Health Benefits of Cocoa (and Dark Chocolate)

I could write an entire article on the health benefits of cocoa (in fact I have). Some of them have been scientifically proven, and others are based on our understanding of the way the human body reacts to what it digests.

raw cocoa beansBut from the perspective of a healthy nutritional program and our weight loss goals, here are the most important:

Dark chocolate’s bitter taste can help the body regulate appetite & reduce cravings

High amount of cocoa butter (stearic acid slows digestion) makes the stomach stay full longer

And let’s not forget that the carbohydrates in dark chocolate also raise serotonin levels, the cause of the famous “mood elevating” effects of chocolate.

Of the above benefits, my favorite is the ability to control cravings. If you’re not craving junk food then your ability to make healthy food choices is hugely improved!

How To Enjoy Chocolate As Part Of A Nutritional Program

As you know, a nutritional program requires you to kick those bad diet habits. But there is also a place for indulging in small amounts.

I’ve already mentioned that I’d like you to choose dark over milk or white chocolate. But it’s also about the amount of chocolate you consume.

I like to enjoy 2 small pieces of dark chocolate after a healthy nutritional meal. I find that it really satisfies my sweet tooth. And for those calorie counters out there, you’ll be consuming relatively few.

enjoy dark chocolate in moderationThe wrong thing to do, and I see this all the time in people who FAIL in their efforts to lose weight, is to deprive yourself throughout the day and then gorge on a large bar of milk chocolate as an end of day treat.

The thinking behind this type of eating pattern is that by consuming few calories during the day, you have can go ahead and eat tons of unhealthy calories without gaining weight.

Unfortunately your body just doesn’t work like this. People that eat like this will almost certainly find themselves unable to lose weight and burn fat, and are far more likely to GAIN weight by eating this way.

So, the aim of the game is to enjoy dark chocolate in moderation. You’ll find that this little indulgence plays a massive part in your nutritional program.

And the result? A fitter, leaner body for you!

If you enjoyed this article why not learn about more foods that help you lose weight and burn fat fast. Warning: some of these fat burning foods are totally not what you’d expect and will surprise you.

Click Here for The Complete Guide To Fat Burning Foods, Meal Plans and Recipes