Free List Of Fat Burning Foods That Help You Lose Weight Fast

I love you eat, so if you’re anything like me then making a list of foods that you love might not be that difficult. But how about a list of fat burning foods that help you lose weight fast? Not so easy, right?

But that’s where you’d be wrong. I’ve put together a list of delicious and versatile foods. I enjoy them everyday. I’m always satisfied and I never go hungry. So why not try them for yourself and watch the lbs melt away…

 

Click Here To Learn The Truth About Fat Burning Foods
& The “Health Foods” That Are Sabotaging Your Weight Loss

 

Quick links: Click the links below to jump to a specific food. What’s your favorite?

Mango

Every time I eat mango, it’s like I am eating it for the first time. The taste of this delicious, fleshy fruit just blows me away! And I find it incredibly satisfying.

I often eat it it on its own, as part of a tropical fruit salad or with a few mixed berries, and you can even cook with it (it goes great in a curry). One of the most appealing recipe ideas I’ve seen in a long time was a warm, Thai mango and fish salad. I’ll have to try that pretty soon, and post it to the weight loss recipes section of course!

More Than Just A Pretty Taste

But it’s not just about taste. Mango qualifies as a fat burning food because it is packed full of vitamins (A, B1, B2, B3, C, E and K) and minerals (calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc). It’s also a great source of folic acid and tryptophan – which can stimulate the release of serotonin, the “happy hormone”. No wonder I love it so much!

You’ll also be glad to know that mangoes are rich in antioxidants, in particular betacarotene, quercetin and astragalin. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals in the body that can lead to heard disease, cancer, degenerative diseases and cause permanent cell damage.

What About The Sugar Content?

Some people worry that mango has a high sugar content, and I’ve even heard “health experts” recommend against it for that very reason. But the mango’s natural, fruit based sugars will not produce an insulin reaction like refined, processed sugars and artificial sweeteners will.

So just to clear things up, mango does not stimulate the release of fat storing hormones or spike your blood sugar level. It actually helps the production of fat burning hormones.

Raspberries

Generally speaking, berries are a good source of dietary fiber, low in calories, packed full of vitamins and minerals and they are a great way of adding flavor and sweetness to a bland meal. And of course, raspberries are no exception!

The fact that raspberries are high in vitamin C means that they boost your immune system, and help develop strong connective tissue. It has also been proven that they reduce the overgrowth of certain bacteria in the body and can help reduce the chance of yeast infections.

Recent research from the Netherlands, published in the journal BioFactors, shows that raspberries possess “almost 50% higher antixoidant activity than strawberries”. The research also goes on to show that the ellagitannis compounds found in raspberries are thought to prevent cancer.

Go Organic

Always remember to go organic, no matter what kind of berries you choose (I grow my raspberries in the garden). Non-organic berries are amongst the most heavily sprayed commercial crops. And their little porous skins absorb tons of those pesticides and toxins, so try to avoid non-organic wherever possible.

If you’d asked me last summer, I would definitely have listed strawberries as my number 1 favorite berry. But on flavor alone the little raspberry has stolen the spotlight, not to mention the health benefits. Remember to always have a tooth pick handy – the only downside is the little seeds get stuck in your teeth!

Oatmeal

If you follow me on Twitter, you might have heard me coin the phrase: “one person’s cardboard is another person’s caviar!” And you guessed it; I was talking about oatmeal!

That’s right, some people can’t stand oatmeal because it is “plain” and “boring”, and if you cook it wrong you could be left with something that resembles a “bowl of runny snot”.

By the way, am I doing a good job of turning you onto this food yet? Keep reading, it gets better, I promise!

But I’m on the opposite side of the fence; I love the stuff. And here are some of the reasons why…

Oatmeal is actually an incredibly nutritious food. And these nutrients are responsible for creating so many fat-burning mechanisms in your body, that it is a true fat-fighting heavyweight. And it strolls into my top 10.

Soluble and Insoluble Fiber

Up until now in my List Of Fat Burning Foods, I haven’t really spoken too much about soluble and insoluble fibre. But that doesn’t mean that they are not important, far from it in fact.

Insoluble fiber is known to help reduce the risk of several cancers. It does this by attacking certain bile acids in your intestines, which in turn regulates PH level, reduces toxicity and prevents toxins from forming cancerous substances.

It also helps to remove toxins from your digestive system in double quick time and promotes regular bowel movement.

So the health benefits of insoluble fibre help to reduce the risk of cancer (especially bowel/ colon cancer), hemorrhoids (piles) and constipation.

Incidentally, these are all disorders that are rife amongst people with a poor diet; people that eat a lot of processed and refined “junk” foods.

So oatmeal can help you avoid the pain, bloating and sluggishness you feel from constipation and poor digestion on a day-to-day basis. And it also increases your chances of avoiding serious diseases in the long run.

Soluble fiber is where the real fat fighting power starts to kick in. It actually helps to slow down the digestion of starch, holding up the process that converts starch into sugars.

This in turn helps to lower blood sugar level, prevent blood sugar spikes, and regulates insulin levels. And as we already know, this is a massive bonus in helping us to reduce the amount of fat our body stores.

Not only that, but soluble fiber also prolongs the emptying of our stomach, leaving us feeling full for longer and helping us to regulate our appetite. Vital for successful weight loss.

There is also evidence to show that soluble fibre reduces LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol), without reducing levels of the good cholesterol, HDL. So it may also reduce the risk of heart disease.

And that’s not all. One bowl of oatmeal per day can reduce blood pressure. A study of 850 participants found that people who ate one bowl per day had lower blood pressure, independent of age, weight and consumption of salt, potassium and alcohol.

Oatmeal is rich in a certain kind of soluble fiber known as beta-glucan, which is responsible for many of the benefits listed above. Oatmeal actually contains more soluble fibre than whole rice, wheat and corn. So you really are getting a great source of dietary fiber in every bowl.

Vitamins, Minerals And Antioxidants

All of the foods in this list are abundant in vitamins, mineral and antioxidants, and oatmeal is no exception.

Not many people know this, but oatmeal is also high in our fat burning friend, protein. Just 1 cup per day can contain 15% RDA of fiber, and 10% RDA of protein.

You’ll also be getting a good source of vitamin E, selenium, copper, iron, manganese, magnesium and some very clever antioxidants.

According to The Journal of Nutrition, antioxidants unique to oatmeal known as avenanthramides help to prevent free radicals from damaging LDL cholesterol, reducing the risk of heart disease.

Versatility

I go to bed at night looking forward to my bowl of oatmeal in the morning (sad aren’t I). And one of the reasons that I get so much enjoyment out of the stuff is down to the pure variety it offers up.

You can add fresh or frozen fruit, ground or chopped raw nuts, natural yogurt, raw milk, stevvia, enjoy it as part of a post workout shake and so much more.

You can cook it in the oven, on the hob or in the microwave. And you can play around with the consistency by varying the amount of water/ milk you cook it in.

With so much variety, there really is no reason why you shouldn’t be able to enjoy oatmeal as part of your fat burning diet too!

WARNING: Stay well clear of the instant, flavored and sweetened varieties you find at the grocery store. These things are loaded with processed sugars and other rubbish that reverse most of the good work oatmeal does for you.

Green Tea

Green tea (and oolong tea) has been heavily marketed as a miracle weight loss supplement in recent years. There is no doubting its fat burning qualities, but are green tea supplements nothing more than just hype?

Personally, I enjoy green tea as a delicious alternative to pain old water, but there is no need to take it in any other form than via the good old, traditional tea bag. Don’t forget that green tea can be enjoyed hot, or cooled and served over ice!

Is Green Tea Really Good For Weight Loss?

Be warned, heavily marketed supplements containing tea extracts are over hyped. But that doesn’t mean green tea doesn’t have fat burning qualities. There is some evidence to suggest that it can aid weight loss.

Green tea is a natural source of caffeine, and it is delivered in a much more measured dose than slap in the face handed out by coffee. Caffeine is already well regarded as a decent fat burner. And the good thing is this dosage won’t increase your heart rate uncomfortably.

So this makes green tea a pretty decent fat burner. But that’s not the only benefit…

Antioxidant Power

In addition to caffeine, green tea also contains Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG). This potent antioxidant has been likened to caffeine in its ability to raise metabolic rate, but also mooted as a potential anti-cancer, natural chemical.

Some research has shown that EGCG is 200 times more powerful than vitamin E as an antioxidant!

For more details on these antioxidant and metabolic boosting benefits check out pubmed.com and the American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition.

So green tea contains two metabolic boosting, natural chemicals. And it is high in antioxidants. But I’m not even close to being finished!

Glucose Regulator

That’s right, green tea actually slows the rise in blood sugar levels following a meal! As you know, spikes in blood sugar levels stimulate an insulin response. Elevated insulin levels cause your body to store more fat and lead to sugar and junk food cravings.

So a cup of green tea with each meal can help regulate appetite and prevent your body storing fat.

It does this by slowing down the action of the digestive enzyme amalase. Amalase is key in the breakdown of starches (carbohydrates) into sugar, a process that would normally lead to the dreaded blood sugar spike.

Store Less Fat

In addition to inhibiting amalase, green tea may also get in the way of synthase. This fatty acid is involved in the process of turning carbohydrates into fat. At the moment research is in its early stages, but studies have shown that synthase inhibition can lead to weight loss.

There is also evidence to show that the friendly little tea bag reduces both LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglyceride levels.

So green tea provides us with fat burning and weight loss benefits from several angles. But it is worth bearing in mind that there is no need for expensive supplements. Like I’ve already said, the traditional tea bag is all you need.

Try to go for at least 2-3 mugs of tea a day to really see the benefits, and go organic from a reputable brand where possible. It’s also worth noting that chamomile, white, black, oolong, berry, red, mint, nettle, and herbal teas all contain unique antioxidant combinations so don’t be afraid to experiment!

If hot drinks aren’t up your street then you can chill your tea blend and serve over ice. It is worth noting that you should never pour boiling hot water over your tea bag as it can damage the antioxidants contained within. Just let the kettle cool off for a moment or leave your mug of water to stand for several minutes before adding the tea bag.

Just one last point: don’t sweeten your tea with sugar or artificial sweeteners. These “bad guys” will undo all of the good work your green tea is doing for you!

Broccoli

According to a CNN Health article I read recently, Broccoli seems to be the king of cruciferous veggies. In fact, it might even be king of all veggies, and that’s saying something!

There are almost too many health benefits to mention. And new scientific studies are being released all the time proving its health credentials.

But all I can think about is how much I used to HATE this stuff when I was a kid.

 

Not The Childrens’ Favorite

I used to tut and moan under my breath when my mum served broccoli up for dinner. But I’m glad she stuck to her guns because these days, brace yourselves, I actually really quite like it!

So if you’ve banished broccoli to the back of your memory after some not so pleasant childhood experiences, now is time to give it another go.

Don’t forget that our taste buds mature as we get older. But not only that. I’ve discovered that the more we learn about the foods we eat, the more it influences our choices. So here’s some really cool information that will bounce broccoli back into your good books.

As Much Calcium As A Glass Of Milk?

Ounce for ounce, broccoli actually contains as much calcium as a glass of milk (check out my piece on raw milk if you’d like to learn about calcium’s effectiveness as a fat fighter).

Now that very fact alone was enough to make my eyebrows reach for the ceiling. But that’s not the only amazing feat. Broccoli actually contains more vitamin C than an orange. And 1 medium spear has 3 times the fiber of a slice of wheat bran bread!

And let’s not forget that we are talking about an ultra-low calorie food here. In fact, this is exactly the kind of nutrient-dense, calorie-light food that makes healthy and fast weight loss possible.

If you fill up on the green stuff rather than fries you will lose that belly fat in double-quick time.

Does Broccoli Help Prevent Cancer?

The complete list of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants found in broccoli is a little daunting, but I will attempt to list as many here as possible:

Folic acid, K vitamins, vitamin C, E, multiple B vitamins, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, calcium and fibre.

Hardly surprising then that 3 or more portions per week of leafy vegetables significantly reduces the risk of stomach cancer. Not bad when you consider that it’s the fourth most common cancer in the world.

But that’s not all. Broccoli, along with cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts all contain natural chemicals that reduce the risk of colon, breast, prostate and other cancers. It is worth noting that broccoli sprouts contain 10 times the sulforaphane (anti-cancer substance) than mature broccoli.

But the antioxidant power of the vitamins and minerals helps to protect against more than just cancer. Adding this fat burning super-food to your diet can also help to prevent the following disorders:

Alzheimer’s

Diabetes

Arthritis

High blood cholesterol

Calcification of the muscles

Atherosclerosis – arterial plaques and other inflammatory diseases

So if your health, and the health of your family is important to you, I hope I’ve given you enough information to help put broccoli back on your plates.

How Does Broccoli Help Us To Lose Belly Fat?

One of the major contributors to stubborn belly fat is the presence of estrogenic compounds in our diet.

These estrogenic compounds (xenoestrogens) come from the pesticides, herbicides and hormones that are sprayed onto our fruit and veg, and fed to the animals that we eat. Incidentally one of the biggest contributors of estrogenic compounds to our food supply is the so-called “health food”, soy.

Now it doesn’t matter if you are male or female, these xenoestrogens cause us to store stubborn belly fat, or hold on to the body fat we already have. So if you want to lose your belly fat then you’re going to need to beat this threat, right?

Well guess what? Broccoli can help us do just that!

One of the helpful phytochemicals in cruciferous veg is indole-3-carbinol (I3C). This stuff actually helps inhibit the effects of estrogenic compounds in your diet by promoting “good” hormones and working against the “bad” ones.

In fact, by filling up on broccoli during a “cutting” phase, fitness models can take there body fat percentage as low as 5-6% or even lower.

Broccoli is definitely a must if you’re looking to lose weight fast. And with so many health benefits, it’s definitely worth putting it on your plate, and serving it up to the rest of your family while you’re at it. Trust me, the kids will learn to love it if they know it’s good for them (it just might take a little while ).

Hot Chili Powder

Almonds

Red Peppers

Free-Range Chicken Breast

A source of good quality protein is essential part of every balanced nutritional program, and free-range chicken breast is my number 1 choice.

I find that chicken breast is the nicest tasting cut of chicken, and I love the versatility it offers up. From soups, to wraps, salads and curries, cold or warm, chicken has it covered!

 

Why Is Good Quality Protein So Important?

Protein intake is important to promote good health as well as a fat burning environment in your body.

All of the evidence points to the fact that a moderate-high protein diet has the following benefits:

Improve your body composition (muscle to fat ratio)

Increase lean muscle mass

Facilitate weight loss

Help you to maintain your “goal weight” after a weight loss regime.

As long as your protein intake is balanced, it will also help you to maintain optimum blood sugar levels, preventing insulin spikes, and keeping you in a fat burning mode at all times.

Not to mention it keeps you feeling full for longer. And with no insulin response it will help you control junk food cravings, and that annoying ‘post meal tiredness’.

The Health Benefits Of Free Range Chicken

As consumers, we are becoming much more mindful of the conditions our little chickens are raised in, and their general welfare and happiness. Gone are the days that we didn’t care if our food was happy and healthy before it was served up on our plate.

But choosing free range poultry doesn’t just benefit the health and welfare of the chickens; it’s a much healthier choice for us too!

You Eat What They Eat

The problem with battery-farmed animals is that they are kept in conditions that don’t allow for any exercise, and they are forced to eat a diet of hormone and antibiotic-enhanced grain.

The result is a lower quality meat, full of bad fats, hormones and toxins.

On the other hand, free range chickens are raised in a natural environment that allows for exercise, relatively little stress, sunlight, and a diet that includes vegetarian grain, greens, insects and worms. What more could a happy chicken want?

The result is free range chicken that contains the right ratio of good to bad fats (omega 3 to omega 6), and contains highly bio-available protein, which means it is easier to digest.

Omega 3 fatty acids are important because they help to maintain your metabolic rate (weight-gain is a symptom of omega-3 deficiency), and preventing fatty deposits in your heart and other internal organs.

The good news is that free-range chicken is becoming much more readily available and easier to find at the grocery store. While it is a little more expensive than the battery farm, commercially raised meat, I think the health benefits are worth the extra money.

How Much Should I Eat?

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is around 0.8g of protein per kg of body weight, per day. If you are currently under this threshold then you should notice the benefits listed above taking effect as you increase your protein intake.

However, there is no magic number. Everybody has different requirements, and of course the quality of protein and the other foods that make up your nutritional program have a massive impact.

As a general rule, 20-30 grams of protein per meal, and eating 5-6 small meals per day is all that a normal sized person will need. However, many fitness models and athletes will go for an even higher protein intake.

My absolute favorite chicken dishes are:

Chicken, red pepper, onion and tomato omelette

Chicken and avocado salad with extra virgin olive oil and black pepper dressing

Home made chicken curry with paprika sautéed potatoes

Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil

I don’t think that any list of fat burning foods would be complete without the number 1 healthy cooking oil in existence. Because let’s face it, people cook. And how you cook your food goes one heck of a long way in deciding how healthy your meals really are.

My number one choice is organic extra virgin coconut oil. Simply because it is the most stable cooking oil when exposed to heat and light, i.e. cooking.

Free-Range Whole Eggs

You might be a little surprised to find eggs in my list of fat burning foods. Unfortunately they have been given a pretty bad image by fast food companies that fry them in hydrogenated oils, serve them as part of a fried English breakfast, and shove them into omelette burgers!

And let’s not forget the horrible conditions that battery farmed hens have to endure to produce our eggs in the first place? Not good. And haven’t they have also been classified as a “high cholesterol food”? Well, more on that in a moment…

But I’m going to focus on the positives and show you that the right eggs are actually nutritional powerhouses, and a true fat burning food!

Whole Eggs Are Best

In recent times fitness enthusiasts, and body builders in particular, have taken to eating just the egg whites, throwing the yolk in the bin. This was based on the idea that the whites contained all the good stuff (the usable protein) and the yolk contained all of the bad stuff (fat and cholesterol). Unfortunately the body builders got it wrong…

Whole eggs are a much more bio-available (easy to digest) source of protein than the whites alone. This is because of a more balanced amino acid profile. And that’s not the best bit…

Egg yolks are actually the most nutritious and healthiest part of the egg! They contain almost all of the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. In fact more than 90% of an egg’s micronutrients are found in the yolk.

Egg Yolk: Nutritional Powerhouse

One of the antioxidants found in the egg yolk is lutein. This little guy can also be found in leafy greens such as spinach, and helps to maintain the health of your eyes. It also helps to slow the thickening of arteries, which can lead to heart disease over time.

And let’s not for get the yolks contain vitamins A, D, E and K, and all of the essential fatty acids. You’ll also find the minerals calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, thiamine, as well as vitamins B6 and B12.

So as you can see, by avoiding eggs completely, or just eating the whites you are missing out on a ton of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients.

Let’s Talk Cholesterol

But isn’t it true that egg yolks will send my cholesterol levels through the roof? Well no actually, this is not the case.

Recent research has shown that eating egg yolks increases the levels of HDL cholesterol (good cholesterol) but not the bad LDL cholesterol.

And did you know that HDL cholesterol is important to many of the vital functions in your body. In fact, higher levels of HDL are linked to a lower risk of heart disease!

The Free-Range Argument

In the piece about free range chicken breast, I’ve covered the importance of choosing meat from free range chickens. And choosing eggs from free-range hens is just as important!

A hen’s environment and diet are vital to the quality of the nutrients found in her eggs. Just take a look at the difference between eggs bought from a battery farm and those produced by free-range chickens. Notice the battery farmed eggs have pale yellow yolks and thin shells, but the free range variety have thick shells and a deep orange colored yolk. This indicates much higher nutrition levels.

Chickens that are allowed to roam free and feed on their natural diet will produce eggs that are higher in vitamins, minerals and have a healthy ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acids. So, your choice should be clear!

And For A Treat… Dark Chocolate

Everybody deserves a little treat once in a while. And let’s face it, life is too short not to eat the foods you love some of the time.

I used to have a very sweet tooth; cakes, muffins and brownies were my vice. But now I have 2 secret-weapon, fat burning foods that make sure I don’t get sugar cravings. I never get them anymore. Not ever. And these weapons are…

Organic fruit
Dark chocolate

I include quite a bit of fruit in my day-to-day diet, and I try to include at least one portion with every meal I eat (I’ve already mentioned my favorites). But when I really want to indulge myself I reach for high-quality dark chocolate.

Notice I say dark chocolate, my personal favorite is 90% cocoa. And I would never go below 70% cocoa because you’ll get too many processed sugars and other junk creeping into the chocolate blend. NEVER go for milk or white chocolate by the way. Read more about healthy chocolate here.

Is Cocoa Healthy?

Cocoa is great for you because it is rich in flavonoids, which are plant based antioxidants. As I’ve already mentioned, antioxidants are vital for controlling the damage caused by free radicals in your body. Did you know that a cup of hot cocoa contains almost 3 times as many antioxidants as a cup of green tea?

One of the reasons that it is so effective at controlling sugar and junk food cravings is because of its bitter taste. This actually helps your body regulate appetite.

Cocoa butter also contains high levels of stearic acid which slows digestion and keeps your stomach full for longer.

Portion Control

Just a few pieces at a time, every couple of days will provide you with all of the indulgence you’ll ever need. And it still keeps your calorie intake low.

If you are just switching over to a healthy nutritional program then this fat burning food is amazing for controlling junk food and sugar cravings. It could make all the difference in those first few crucial weeks.

Some people say it is too high in calories to be taken seriously as a health food. But because it helps you control your cravings you are less likely to go on that dreaded sugar binge. So dark chocolate is actually helping you to reduce your calorie intake! And with that extra antioxidant power too, you’re on to a winner.

Back to the Fat Burning Foods home page.