During a weight loss diet, take advantage of the boost from certain foods that will help you lose fat faster.
While they don’t work miracles, these fruits, vegetables, and plants offer an interesting aid, especially due to the lipolysis effect of some of them.
See you after the list for more theory on the effects of these foods on weight loss.
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1. Eggplant
Rich in pectin, the flesh of the eggplant captures fats and traps them, thus promoting their natural elimination by the body. Eggplant is also very low in calories and helps improve intestinal transit.
Recipe ideas: If you want to lose weight, favor roasted eggplant in the oven or steamed, lightly seasoned with miso and soy sauce, ideal for pairing with grilled fish or poultry. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds to complete the dish.
2. Green Tea
Beyond its diuretic properties, green tea is also an excellent fat burner due to its catechin content, known to increase thermogenesis and hence fat burning. Made from whole green tea leaves reduced to powder, matcha tea is even more interesting than regular green tea because it contains more caffeine and antioxidants.
Recipe ideas: To enjoy the many benefits of green tea, experts recommend drinking at least 3 cups a day. However, be careful not to overconsume as tea can reduce iron absorption, and the theine it contains might cause difficulty sleeping.
3. Kiwi
Low in calories, the kiwi is also very rich in vitamin C, essential for the synthesis of carnitine, an amino acid that facilitates fat loss. It also promotes intestinal transit, thereby allowing good elimination of ingested fats.
Recipe ideas: To improve your transit and get a vitamin C boost, eat one kiwi every morning for breakfast. You can also blend it with spinach, apple, banana, and a bit of lemon juice to make a delicious green smoothie!
4. Lemon
The citric acid in lemon helps to break down fats, sugars, and proteins. Lemon also stimulates metabolism and helps the liver digest better, acting as a real detoxifier for the body.
Recipe ideas: Rich in vitamin C and low in calories, you can consume it throughout the day, diluted in sparkling water, for a tasty and energizing drink.
5. Apple
Very rich in pectin, the apple is a satisfying fruit that facilitates fat elimination by improving transit. A real natural appetite suppressant, it also contains numerous beneficial nutrients like vitamin C and beta-carotene, an antioxidant essential in the synthesis of vitamin A.
Recipe ideas: To fully benefit from the apple’s appetite suppressant action, consume it preferably whole, to bite into. But don’t hesitate to add variety by making cinnamon-flavored compotes or roasting it in the oven. A real treat!
6. Pineapple
A quintessential fat burner, pineapple contains bromelain, a mix of enzymes capable of digesting proteins. It is also a fiber-rich food with micronutrients that can improve intestinal transit.
Recipe ideas: Enjoy it fresh or cooked! Pineapple is indeed delicious sautéed with a bit of vanilla or cinnamon, or crumble style, under a mix of oats and coconut butter.
7. Coffee
Just like green tea, coffee is an excellent fat burner! The caffeine it contains helps stimulate lipolysis, which is the breakdown of fats in the body. However, be careful not to exceed 3 cups of coffee per day as excess caffeine could promote, among other things, high blood pressure.
Recipe ideas: For a flavorful and aromatic coffee, choose beans harvested at high altitudes, which are less caffeinated and more flavorful, and guaranteed “artisan roast”.
8. Oat Bran
Sometimes confused with oatmeal, oat bran is the layer that surrounds the oat grain. Composed of soluble and insoluble fibers, it is an excellent natural appetite suppressant and helps to trap ingested fats.
Recipe ideas: It is perfect for breakfast, accompanied by yogurt, plant-based milk, or fresh fruit, but it can also be sprinkled on salads or used to make bread or pancakes.
9. Bell Pepper
Rich in fiber and vitamin C, the bell pepper is a low-calorie food that fits perfectly into a balanced diet. Furthermore, the capsaicin it contains would stimulate the metabolism and prevent the development of immature fat cells, thus preventing body fat. A real asset against fat storage!
Recipe ideas: It can be eaten raw in a salad or blended into a refreshing gazpacho, or grilled and seasoned with a little olive oil.
10. Cinnamon
Cinnamon may help speed up metabolism and lower the blood sugar levels to prevent it from being stored as fat. Very flavorful, it also has a particularly interesting appetite suppressant effect when trying to lose weight. The flavonoids it contains help control blood sugar (glycemia), which, when too low, leads to cravings and desires for sweets.
Recipe ideas: Incorporate it into daily meals by sprinkling it on yogurts, smoothies, and compotes or by preparing a cinnamon and oatmeal porridge for breakfast.
11. Raspberry
Red fruits, and more specifically raspberries, contain ketone, a natural active substance that captures fats and promotes their burning. The ketone in red fruits would also stimulate the production of adiponectin, a molecule involved, among other things, in the regulation of lipid metabolism.
Recipe ideas: To fully benefit from the goodness of raspberries, create delicious fruit salads by mixing them with other fat-burning fruits like apples and kiwis. Otherwise, blend them into smoothies, add them to yogurt for a very pleasant tangy note…
12. Cabbages
Very low in calories, cabbage, whether green, white, Brussels, or curly, is also very rich in insoluble fibers. Its digestion thus leads to a great energy expenditure, favoring weight loss. Moreover, cabbages help improve intestinal transit, thus facilitating the elimination of fats.
Recipe ideas: To make cabbage more appealing, cook it sautéed in a wok with a bit of soy sauce and sesame seeds. You can also prepare an Auvergne pot with potatoes, carrots, and boiled meat. Ideal to warm up during long winter evenings!
13. Guarana
A plant from Brazil, guarana often finds its way into dietary supplements because of its stimulating and energizing properties as well as its effect on metabolism. It helps activate it, thus burning more calories even at rest. It also contributes to eliminating bad cholesterol.
Recipe ideas: Not easy to cook, but you can find guarana in powder to dilute in juice or sprinkle on yogurt. It’s also available in capsules and drinks (but check the guarana content).
14. Avocado
Despite appearances, avocado is an excellent fat burner as it is rich in omega-3s and monounsaturated fats, the “good fats” that prevent fat storage. It also helps lower cholesterol levels and eases liver function.
Recipe ideas: Delicious, avocado can be enjoyed savory or sweet! Stuff it with tuna or shrimp, prepare it in guacamole, blend it for a cold soup, smash it on your morning toast, the list is endless!
Discover our recipe for avocado with aloe vera virgin sauce, a delicious and detoxifying starter!
15. Papaya
Containing papain and pepsin, digestive enzymes that facilitate the digestion of fats, papaya is a very interesting fruit for people looking to lose weight. A true slimming ally, it is also said to improve bowel movement and reduce cellulite.
Recipe ideas: Papaya is delicious freshly cut, but it can also be baked with coconut milk and a little powdered vanilla for an even more exotic dessert.
16. Yerba Maté
Well known to Argentinians who consume it as an infusion throughout the day, Mate or Yerba Maté is derived from an Amazonian plant related to holly. Rich in vitamins A, B, and C, magnesium, calcium, and antioxidants, this plant also promotes weight loss thanks to the caffeine it contains. Caffeine indeed plays a role in increasing the basal metabolic rate and has an appetite-suppressing effect.
Recipe ideas: You can find dried and chopped Maté, which you just need to infuse in boiling water, but be aware it is also available in capsule form if you do not particularly enjoy its flavor.
Understanding Fat Storage in the Body
To better understand how certain foods can help us burn fat, it’s essential to go back and first explain the process of fat creation in the body.
The food we consume daily is made up of three main food groups: proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Proteins are primarily sourced from meat, fish, eggs, and legumes; carbohydrates from fruits, grains, and starches; and fats from oily products, dairy products, and certain dried fruits.
During digestion, our body transforms proteins into amino acids, carbohydrates into glucose, and fats into fatty acids. But when we consume excess fats, they cannot be converted into fatty acids and are stored as fat masses in adipose tissues.
But fat also originates from the glucose produced by carbohydrates and the amino acids contained in proteins. In this case, it’s the excess glucose that cannot be stored as glycogen which is transformed into fatty acids and stored as fat.
To curb fat storage, it’s not just about limiting fat intake but also carbohydrates and proteins! In other words, it’s essential to adopt a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables, high-quality proteins, and healthy fats.
How Fat is Utilized by the Body?
Now that we better understand the fat storage mechanism, we can move on to the next step: how to get rid of our excess body fat?
In humans, as well as in animals, fat serves to store a large amount of energy for future use. But fat also contributes to thermal regulation of the body by producing heat.
In other words, to burn stored fat in the body, one must expend energy. For this, several solutions are available: increase your level of physical activity or boost your basal metabolism, which is the energy needed to allow the body to survive, ensuring organ function, respiration, cell repair, etc.
The good news is that there are foods that can increase the basal metabolism and reduce fat storage, known as fat-burning foods!
The Different Actions of Fat-Burning Foods
Foods that Stimulate Lipolysis
All foods that stimulate thermogenesis, meaning the production of heat in the body by increasing cellular metabolism, are called fat burners. This thermogenesis phenomenon increases our energy expenditure by transforming the fatty acid molecules present in fat cells to promote their breakdown.
Simply put, a fat-burning food is one that stimulates the dissolution of fats in the body – or lipolysis. Among these foods, tea and coffee are notably included.
Appetite Suppressant Foods
Although they do not have a direct effect on fat dissolution in the body, some foods are still considered fat burners due to their effect on the sensation of fullness.
Rich in natural fibers, fats, or proteins, they help regulate appetite and reduce snacking cravings. Among these appetite suppressant foods, apples, loaded with pectins, are certainly the most well-known!
Foods that stimulate digestion
Finally, some foods that capture fats and facilitate their elimination, like eggplant or green vegetables in general, are also included in the list of fat burners. Rich in fiber, they stimulate intestinal transit and thus help the body avoid storing fats.
How to incorporate fat-burning foods into our diet?
Consuming fat-burning foods can help us lose weight as they promote the natural burning of fat by the body.
But if we truly want to slim down, their consumption must be part of a balanced diet, rich in fruits and vegetables, dietary fibers, lean proteins, and quality fats, accompanied by regular physical activity.
