Belly fat isn't attractive, but its worst quality is that it
increases your risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, and other
deadly diseases. In most of us, belly fat tends to be stubborn,
but some foods can give you an advantage in your battle to
banish the bulge. Watermelon, for instance, is an ideal food to
melt belly fat, according to the American Dietetic Association.
A study conducted at the University of Kentucky found that
drinking two glasses of watermelon juice every day for eight
weeks helped people lose weight — especially belly fat — and
didn't reduce muscle mass.
The magic component may be the amino acid arginine. A study
published in the Journal of Nutrition found that adding
arginine to the diets of obese mice decreased body fat by 64
percent in only three months.
Five additional foods that will help you beat belly fat are:
Green tea. Green tea contains polyphenols
called catechins. A study published in the American Journal
of Clinical Nutrition found that green tea increased the
body's ability to burn fat. Taking 690 milligrams of catechins
for 12 weeks reduced the subjects' total fat, including a
significant reduction in waist circumference. A study published
in the Journal of the International
Society of Sports Nutrition found that volunteers who took
green tea extract increased fat oxidation, which aids in weight
loss, by 25 percent when compared to a placebo group. A further
study in the British Journal of Nutrition
found that the EGCG (which contains the highest concentration of
catechins) and caffeine found in green tea significantly
increased resting metabolic rates. Drink at least four cups of
green tea each day.
Tomatoes. Tomatoes may be a secret weapon in
the war against belly fat. A study in the journal Nutrition
found that women who drank eight ounces of tomato juice daily
for eight weeks dropped almost an inch from their waists without
dieting or making other lifestyle changes such as exercising.
Tomatoes contain 9-oxo-ODA (9-oxo-10,12-octadecadienoic acid), a
compound that lowers lipids in the blood, which helps control
belly fat.
Eggs. High-quality protein, such as in eggs,
can help you lose belly fat. A study published in the
Journal of Nutrition found that people who followed a diet
moderately high in protein lost 38 percent more fat than people
who followed a diet moderately high in carbohydrates. It takes
more calories to break down protein, and protein also helps
control hunger so you don't want to eat as much.
Walnuts. In a study published in the
Archives of Internal Medicine, more than 1,200 adults were
divided into three groups. One group followed a Mediterranean
diet and ate an ounce of nuts — mostly walnuts — every day. The
second group also followed a Mediterranean diet, but it was
supplemented with olive oil, and the third group served as a
control. Only the group eating nuts lost belly fat. Walnuts,
almonds, and other nuts contain healthy polyunsaturated and
monounsaturated fats which keep you feeling satisfied.
Blueberries. Blueberries are rich in
anthocyanins, which are phytonutrients that help burn belly fat.
A study at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor found that
rats who got 2 percent of their daily calories from blueberry
powder lost all of their belly fat in only three months.
Researchers say anthocyanins regulate fat metabolism, and people
might get similar results by eating a cup of blueberries each
day.