Before we get to the list of foods that help burn fat, or reduce fat, it’s important to get a basic understanding of how “fat” gets deposited in the first place and how the body can be made to lose it. Having this information will enable you to be more prudent in your choice of foods and also in the way you design your eating habits. Once you get this understanding you can peruse through the list of fat burning foods that are given below and recognize the reasons why these foods help in fat reduction.
The process of fat deposition
A body needs food for acquiring the energy to feed/sustain its cells and for performing internal and external functions. The energy present in a food can be measured loosely in terms of “calories”. The more calories that are present in a food, the more fuel/energy that the body can get from it. The body also needs to expend energy in order to digest the foods to get energy from them – so a small percentage of old fuel is burnt off in the process of acquiring new fuel. The harder the food is to digest the more energy is expended by the body to digest it.
Macro-nutrients and their calories – There are three macro-nutrients, or fuel units, that can be present in a food – Carbohydrate, Protein and Fat. Fact, 1g of protein yields 4 calories, 1g of carbohydrate yields 4 calories and 1g of fat yields 9 calories. So basically fats can provide more (double) calories to the body compared to the other two nutrient units. But please refrain from coming to the conclusion that fats are bad for you, they are not. Many healthy fats are essential for the harmonious functioning of the body and foods that provide these fats need to be an integral part of your diet.
The process of fat deposition in the body – When you consume foods, the body gets the fuel in the form of carbohydrates, proteins or fats. It starts generating energy from these fuels through the process of digestion and assimilation. The body uses up a part of the fuel to fulfill its sustenance, and functional, requirements and the excess fuel is stored up eventually in the form of “Fat” in the “fat cells” of your body, some amount of fat is also stored around the kidneys and in the liver.
The reason for the “Flab” – One important point to understand is that a human body, under normal conditions, has “limited” fat cells and there is a limit to how much fat can be stored up in these cells. Once these cells reach their limit, the fats start getting stored up in muscle linings.
Fat cells are usually present in the regions of your chest, waist and hips. As more fats get deposited in these cells, the larger they grow in size and this enlargement is what shows up as flab around the chest, waist and hip regions in men and women. Once the fat cells reach the limit of their expansion, the fats start getting stored in the muscle linings of arms and thighs creating flabbiness in these limbs also.
How can foods help burn fat in the body?
Once you understand the process of fat deposition, you would question as to how a food can ever help in burning fat when it’s a source of calorie, and hence a possible source of fat creation rather than fat reduction. It’s true that all foods can be a possible sources of fat creation, but certain foods can help burn fat or reduce fat in the following ways.
• Some foods contain certain vitamins or minerals that help improve the metabolism, and improve the fat burning capacity, of the body and act as virtual fat burners.
• Some foods contain less calories while requiring more complex digestion and assimilation causing the expenditure of energy and thus acting as virtual calorie burners
• Some foods create a sense of satiation even when consumed in small amounts while also being low of calories
• Certain means of cooking reduces the calorie profile of the food and thus helps in reduce fat creation.
Eating these foods, in the right quantities, over a period of time will ensure that the fat profile starts reducing. When we talk about burning fat it also includes foods that help reduce the possibility of new fat creation, because this would indirectly help you burn fat at a faster pace through your activities (like exercising).
A list of practical foods for burning fat (and reducing fat deposition)
A lot of people try to starve their nutrition in a bid to reduce fat. This approach can have spurious effects on the harmony of the body and is not a wise or healthy way to reduce fat. The right way to reduce fats would be to eat foods that reduce the possibility of further fat deposition, or foods that assist in burning fats, while also taking up calorie-burning exercises (like aerobics, yoga and resistance/weight training) to use up the past-stored fat in your body. So here’s a compiled list of some easily available foods that can help in this process of burning fats or reducing the fat profile of your body.
Citrus Fruits
I would rank these as the best fat burning foods around. Eating a breakfast of citrus fruits, or other Vitamin C rich fruits, is one the best ways to start reducing the fat profile of your body. Citrus fruits provide the body with easy energy to hike up its metabolism while also supplying a rich amount of Vitamin C which is scientifically known to help burn fat as it’s a vital chemical used by the body in the process of fat metabolism.
Some citrus fruits you can try are Oranges, Kiwi fruit, Grape fruit, Tangerines, Kumquats, Clementine and Fresh Lime. While fruits like Strawberries, Apples, Tomatoes, Plums, Grapes, Cherries, Raspberries, are also good sources of vitamin C. Depending on your budget, and fruit availability, try to use a mix of these fruits for your breakfast to combine health with taste. You can also try out a “citrus fruit only” breakfast for a few weeks to see how effectively it helps in burning fat around your waist and hips. I’ve personally seen excellent results with this method of eating a fruit only breakfast.
Fruits in general are excellent foods for fat reduction because they are natural, they are rich in vitamins & minerals, high in water content and low on calories compared to refined foods. Fruits are known to improve body metabolism and reduce bad cholesterol. Papaya, bananas, mangoes, sapote, pomegranates and blueberries make for excellent snack foods as well as breakfast foods.
Oats
The benefit of eating cereals like Oats is that they contain a huge proportion of their calorie profile in terms of insoluble fiber. This insoluble fiber not only gives you a feeling of satiation and thus keeps you from feeling hungry for a long time but also does not contribute to any calorie addition to the body. In fact, any foods that contain a good amount of insoluble fiber would help you in the process of reducing the fat profile of the body. Raisin and Barn cereal is another good example of breakfast food that’s rich in insoluble fiber, so is cooked barley.
Vegetables
Except for certain calorie rich vegetables like potatoes, sweet potatoes or yams, most other vegetables have a low calorie profile while containing essential minerals and vitamin that improve the metabolism of the body. When you eat potatoes, if possible, cook them with their skin on because their skin is a good source of insoluble fiber. Veggies like broccoli, spinach, artichoke, lima beans, peas, cabbage and carrots are excellent sources of minerals while being low on calories. Veggies don’t contain fats either and their carbohydrate count is very low (even compared to fruits). Cucumbers are excellent as a salad food, low on calories and rich in water content.
The best way to cook veggies would be to boil them or stir fry them with healthy oils like olive oil, sunflower oil, Soybean oil or sesame oil.
Lentils
These foods, also known as edible pulses, are not only filling and nutritious (in terms of minerals) but are also low on calories and rich in plant proteins/amino-acids. In countries like India, it’s very traditional to have lentil soups, broth and gravies with breads (wheat rotis) and rice. You can also make several food items using the flour of ground lentils. They are excellent sources of dietary fiber and are known to lower the bad-cholesterol (and thus contribute to heart health).
Poultry
If you are a non-vegetarian it would be a good option to eat more poultry than red meats. Poultry like chicken are low on fats and carbohydrates while have a good protein profile. Proteins are not only more complex to digest & assimilate (and thus require a higher expenditure of energy) but they also require more energy to be stored as fats. Go in for lean cuts and avoid eating the skin of the poultry as it contains a lot of fat. Red meats, or white meats, from lamb, beef or pork, can be consumed in moderate quantities a few times a week, instead of eating them regularly in your diet, because they have a high fat profile (but these meat are a good source of minerals and proteins that can assist in the over-all health of the body when consumed in moderation).
Eggs
An average adult can consume one or two eggs a day (whole eggs with yolk) and obtain necessary protein and minerals from it while also keep a low calorie profile. Eggs are not high on calories and are also low on unhealthy fats. The possibility of a variety of food preparations using eggs make them ideal as snack foods as well as regular meal foods. It’s been found, in many studies, that eggs don’t contribute to increasing your bad cholesterol profile but can serve to improve your good cholesterol (necessary for a healthy body) when eaten in moderation.
Almonds and walnuts
These are excellent snack foods and can help you feel satiated with just a fistful of these nuts. These nuts are a great source of healthy fats. It has been seen that people who don’t consume healthy fats are more likely to gain weight than people who do. This is the reason why it’s very imprudent to eliminate healthy fats from your diet in a bid to reduce weight. Remember that healthy fats are needed for a harmonious functioning of the body because most of the body’s cell structure is made from these fats.
Salmon
Fish is a good source of protein and healthy fats (rich in omega-3, omega-6 fatty acids), and makes for a great lunch or dinner meal. Salmon, mackerel, trout and tuna are not only tasty but are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids while also being low on calories and saturated fat content.
Water
Though water would not count as a food, because it has no calories, it would need to mentioned that water helps improve the over-all metabolism of the body and thus helps burn fat. And of course, water helps flush out toxins and thus improves the capacity of the body to stay healthy. Certain foods are rich in their water content and thus help in the process of fat reduction (also foods rich in water content make you feel satiated quickly), some examples are water melons, cantaloupes, cucumbers, snake gourd, papaya and chard.
The benefit of eating these water rich foods is that they supply minerals (electrolytes) along with water and hence do not cause “water intoxication” which can results from drinking too much water while not balancing out the minerals (especially during work outs).
In conclusion
Whole foods are better than refined or processed foods when it comes to reducing the fat profile of the body. If there is a choice between a processed foods (like pastries, pizza, pasta etc) and whole foods (like milk, eggs, chicken, vegetables and fruits), make it your second nature to make a bee-line for the latter. You can use the list of fat burning foods, given above, to come up with ideas for your breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks on a daily basis to keep it enjoyable and healthy at the same time. Of course, don’t be hard on yourself – it’s totally okay to eat/drink foods that you like (that may not be totally healthy) once in a while in moderation, just don’t overdo it and make sure you workout or exercise to burn off the excess calories.
I would like to know about eggs. Are they bad or good for you? I heard that they raise the cholesterol in the body. Is this true? I really like eggs. Thank you. Rosa.
Rosa, eggs are whole foods and are a good source of essential amino acids (protein), carotenoid (good for your eye health), Vitamin D and essential minerals like sulphur (good for hair health). Contrary to the old studies, new studies have proven that eggs contain dietary cholesterol which does not negatively impact the lipid profile. It’s saturated fats cause the production of bad cholesterol, and eggs are very low on saturated fats and hence eating one or two eggs a day will not raise the bad cholesterol (LDL) levels. In fact, some studies have shown that eating one or two eggs a day improves your lipid profile (lowering the bad cholesterol). Eggs are excellent breakfast or snack foods because of the wholesome nutrition they provide.
Hi Tim , I found your article useful and unique as compared to the most websites guide. Send me or write more on fat burning if you have some really good ones like this one. Thank you.
Hi, thanks for the information you shared. I know it would help a lot to all of us.
What about pawpaw? You did not mention it and garden egg, are they good as well?
What about wheat and frying stew?
Can I boil the vegetables?
Xainab – Pawpaw or papaya is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals and is low on calories, so it makes for a good food for someone looking to reduce their fat profile. Garden egg makes for a tasty veggie dish and is low on calories which being a good source of essential minerals.
Chiazor – The consumption of refined wheat flour in the form of breads or other food preparations may contribute to weight gain as its rich in calories. But eating whole wheat preparations is a very healthy option because it contains a good proportion of insoluble fiber and thus lower on calories. It’s healthier to stir fry foods rather than deep fry them, and use healthy oils during the preparation.
Geet – Boiling vegetables is a very healthy method of cooking as it reduces the calorie profile that’s induced by frying.
Wow, awesome article keep up the good work Tim.
I like this site very much. Thanks to Tim for such a nice site. I want to know that how can I burn my fat of belly by making what type of diet list. Please help me.
Really appreciated when so many sites just lure you on them and want to sell you information that is in the general public but we do not always remember it. Thanks for making the above clear and simple to use.
Farhad – You may want to try a fruit breakfast plan along with eating a wholesome meal for lunch and dinner, selecting from the foods given in the list above. A detail explanation on fruit breakfast plan is given in my post here – how fruits breakfast can help with losing weight.
I am so happy about this site but want to know how to burn tummy fat?
Vkybb, you can check this recent post on reducing belly fat.
Hi, by eating food mainly Veg. as mentioned in your article, how many days it will take to reduce my weight by 10 kg. I don’t do much activities.
Thanks Tim, I am really inspired. I finally understand the whole process, and I am ready to start!
Sud, If you follow the all fruit breakfast plan and focus on a wholesome diet for lunch and dinner, you should see positive results within a couple of weeks (it’s possible to lose close 5 kgs in a months purely through this shift in diet). If you are willing to take up some aerobic exercises the weight loss is quicker than if you just focus on diet to reduce weight.
I just love this article cause its written here the process of fat deposition. It’s really important for us to know how that happens. I am surely going to start a good diet after reading this article. Thanks Tim!
I love you article. Please help me, how can I have general body fat reduction, since you have only mentioned about waist and hip in this article.
Blessing, these insights hold true for a general fat reduction as well.
Thanks Tim, I like this website. I have a question; can playing tennis reduces fatty belly?
Ebay, playing tennis is an excellent way of reducing belly fat because of the amount of running and physical exertion that it involves. It’s just that very few people have access to tennis courts around their colonies, or else it’s one of the best ways to keep fit and more fun than plain running.
This is really good Tim. My question is – a flabby body out of heredity doesn’t lose its weight easily. A fat person appears fat forever even if he tries diet plans and workouts. I know it is possible to reduce it but do I need any intense training and severe diet plan? Please guide me.
So, is eating chicken healthy?
Ozil, chicken is a whole food rich in minerals like selenium (a good anti oxidant) and phosphorous, while being a rich source of B vitamins like B3 and B6. It’s an excellent source of protein while being low on saturated fats compared to Beef or Mutton. Most of the saturated fat in chicken is on its skin, so if you remove the skin it’s much healthier. Instead of deep frying the chicken go for healthier cooking options like grilling, baking or stir frying with healthy oils. Eating protein rich foods helps build muscle and bone health while also burning calories in the body in the process of converting proteins to their amino-acids or amino-acids to sugars.
Shiva, the only way to burn body fat is to burn more calories than you eat. You need to accomplish this in two ways 1.) Plan a diet that gives you sufficient calories giving an over-dose 2.) Work out 6 days a week to burn off calories deposited as fat. It requires a positive mind frame and some focus. It doesn’t matter if your body has a hereditary inclination towards obesity, the fact remains that following a proper diet and working out with focus always gives results. Calculate your calorie intake and avoid eating foods that have high saturated fat content, while focusing on whole foods for carb, protein and healthy fats. Start a fruit breakfast routine and focus on jogging 6 days a week (progress your jogging routine so that you hit 6-8 km run in 2-3 months). When you can jog for 8 km at a steady pace, it means your body is fit from within and a fit body burns calories at higher rate because it has a better metabolism.
So, is eating egg tarts as snack healthy?
Hi Tim. Thanks a lot. I want to exercise but I can’t do it regularly so I decided to burn fats by some other way that you told. I’ll try my best, Inshallah.
Great article. I just wanted to ask about eggs. I am sorry for making you explain over and over again but some suggest that when eating eggs you should throw away the egg yolk and eat only the white part, do you agree with this?
I have one question, for eating fruit in the morning. Can you eat canned fruit? Is it as healthy as non-canned fruit?
Lisa – It is my understanding that canned fruits and veggies are just as healthy as their fresh counterparts. In fact, studies have suggested that canned fruits and vegetables have a higher proportion of anti-oxidants (that help improve your body’s immunity), compared to fresh ones, due to the storage lifetime. It’s healthy to go for canned varieties that have a very low count of added sugar or salt, also if possible buy canned fruits which are preserved in their own juice.
Marky – Egg yolks are extremely nutritious and contain essential minerals like zinc, selenium, calcium and essential vitamins like B12, vitamin A and folic acid. It contains essential fatty acids and a nutrient called “choline” that’s help prevent heart disease and improves brain health, while reducing the risk of cancerous development. Many prominent studies have proven that eating one or two whole eggs per day does not impact your cholesterol levels in a bad way, in fact it can promote the development of HDL or good cholesterol. An average adult can eat one or two whole eggs (whole eggs = eggs with yolk) each day provided you don’t prepare it in a unhealthy manner (like frying it in too much butter).
Hi Tim, thanks for posting all this useful information. Wanted to ask you if we can use spices in vegetables. What are the advantages and disadvantages? Many thanks.
@Manz, spices are such as red chilly, pepper, Oregon, turmeric, cumin seeds, nutmeg are very healthy while also enhancing the taste of the veggies. These spices are rich in anti-oxidants are help improve digestion, while also hiking the body’s metabolism (especially red chillies).
Really informative. Please tell me about water treatment. Can we drink plenty of water when hungry while skipping food (one meal) to reduce weight?
That’s a pretty good list of foods to eat. I not a bit fan of citrus fruits but I guess I better start including them in my daily consumption list.
Renu – It’s quite beneficial to go on a water fast, for a day, twice or thrice a month, to give the body an “off day” from the routine of digestion. But on daily basis, there is no real necessity to skip meals if you are focused on eating a healthy diet – in fact when you try to skip meals your body develops the tendency to store more fat in its adipose tissues in order compensate for the lack of food, and this can work against your goals for losing weight.
Can we have bananas for fruit only breakfast?
Thanks very much for the article, but does Irish potato add to fats in the body?
Rini – Yes, bananas are excellent fruits for breakfast
Hellen – Irish potatoes do pack a lot of calories, but as long as you eat it in moderation and use healthy cooking methods like broiling, baking, stir frying or boiling, it can make for a good veggie dish.
Thanks for this article, Tim. I’m gonna eat this starting today.
Hi Tim, I really appreciate your clear list of fat burning foods. However, I have noticed over many years that even these foods have to be consumed under the general weight-control rule – Calories ingested versus calories used up by the body functions and by exercise. It makes no difference which food you consume, if more calories are ingested than used up, you gain weight.
Hi there, would it be safe to say that sticking to natural foods which are not highly processed and high in saturated fats is a good way to maintain ones weight once you have beaten off the flabby storage? I mean, is it okay to stick to a 2,000 calorie diet for example as long as you don’t forget the whole healthy food thing when only looking at calories?
Tim, you mentioned about calorie intake. How can I find out how much calories the diet plan as mentioned above will provide me? Is there a list which mentions calorie for every food item in regular healthy diet like wheat bread (roti), Pulses, Vegetables, chicken etc.?
Hi, I really liked your article but I am a working women so I don’t get time for workouts and to have proper food on time so I eat whatever I cook for my husband. Please suggest me something which I can follow in my daily routine. Thanks!
Annie – Use healthy cooking methods focusing on methods like boiling, grilling or stir frying – eat a plate of vegetable salad along with your meals during lunch and dinner. Incorporate a breakfast of whole cereals or fruits as daily routine. Eat lightly at night to allow your body plenty of time to detox as you sleep. If you don’t find the time to work out, just focus on doing a 15 minute routine of sit ups and squats on daily basis, in the morning or evening.
I love you article. Please keep writing on other topics as well. I will start my fruit only breakfast soon. Thanks Tim.
I have a question, are there risks in drinking water alone for about four days without eating any other food? My aim is to burn the accumulated fats as quick as possible, then I can go back to eating my fruits and veggies(with exercise). I weigh 70kgs at the moment. Thank you.
Nice website Tim, I liked it very much. But what I wanna tell my part is that two years back I was having 2 glassfuls of oats for breakfast, two carrots for lunch, and a two bowls of boiled vegetables with pepper and salt to taste for nonstop 4 months. Believe me, I am sad. I did not lose even a kg. How could that be? Would like to hear your comment on it.
Nice site Tim. I have a liking for beer and snacks in the evening, which gradually causes me to pack on the fat. If it wasn’t for increasing exercise and a good diet, I’d really be a fat boy by now. I guess the motivation of trying to feel good about myself has been my saving grace up till now. I’m 62 now and it’s getting harder.
Thanks Tim, you have given me back hope, starting this first thing tomorrow.
Hi Tim, I am a MMA fighter that usually cuts 30lbs 10 weeks out before a fight. My diet consists of oatmeal, fruit, lean meats, veggies, protein shakes and about a gallon of water per day. I usually need to hit the sauna during fight week to cut the last of my weight. Any advice if I need to change my diet so I don’t strain myself on fight week?
Hey I was wondering when you say oats help burn fat what about oatmeal? And also I love pinto, green and ranch beans. Would they be okay to eat?
Andrew – Your diet is wholesome, but you can experiment with the quantity of food you eat on a per day basis, to ensure you are not taking in more calories than are required for building muscle mass and sustaining your activities. Extra calories would keep getting stored as fat.
Shaye – Oats are excellent breakfast foods, and the dietary fiber present in oats helps improve your digestion system and your colon health, which ensure better elimination of wastes which indirectly help in weight loss. Beans are great source of plant protein and dietary fiber.
Cool, they are like all my favorites. Salmon, citrus fruits, lentils, porridge, almonds and vegetables!
Hi Tim, Excellent Article, almost covered everything very clearly and all is true.
For All, I read a lot on this topic, but possible this is the first time I am posting any comment on any blog. I am the live example to loose 8 Kg (16-17 Lb) in last 5-6 months. I know it’s a slow progress, but a guy with 5’9” height and 190 lb weight, with a sitting job, it’s considerable achievement without joining any gym. I simply followed what Tim has mentioned in article and doing mix of aerobics and dumbbell weight for 45 minutes on alternate days. At last what I say is it needs a lot of patience specially when you are in a category of overweight not an obese to loose those extra flabs. I am still on my way and hoping to eventually loose most of the visible extra fat. Good luck for all, have a healthy world.
I really liked this article very much. The best thing about it is that it made the ugly task of loosing weight seem possible. I want to start using this info right away . Hoping to change my look with it!
I like the stuff written on this site, very informative! Really it has given me more courage towards losing weight. I got a fat belly! I am on my third day now of cutting my calorie intake. Hope this will work for me before my 26th birthday comes. Thanks Tim!
Fhumue – Water fasting has its benefits, in that it allows the body a break from its regular rigor of digestion, and hence allows it to focus on detoxing itself. I would suggest that you fast for a day or two, on water, and then try having juices (clear juices of fruits and veggies) alone for another couple of days after which you can eat a balanced diet focusing on an intake of fruits in the mornings, and vegetable salads along with your meal (of whole foods as mentioned in the post) for lunch and dinner. Focus on working out in a disciplined manner, incrementing your intensity every few days. You can also focus on eating citrus fruits (or just Vitamin C rich fruits) alone for breakfast, for a couple of weeks to expedite fat metabolism in your body.
Apologies for not replying to your comment earlier, strangely enough I missed out on it.
Good stuff Tim thanks. I’ve actually started applying the fruit breakfast and feel great. What cereals would you suggest if I want like cheerios, raisin bran, cornflakes just to mix up or stick to fruits? And how about white bread? I love a one slice bologna sandwich in the after noon for lunch or for dinner with lettuce, tomato, bell pepper, mayonnaise, salt pepper. Thanks, this is by far the best site I’ve come upon!
Armando – You can eats oats or whole cereals now and then, if you find it boring to stick to a strict fruit breakfast. Raisin bran and whole wheat cornflakes are healthy options. If you like the taste of white bread you can have it in moderation, but the more healthier option if to have whole wheat bread (brown bread) as it provides essential dietary fiber to help in an efficient excretion of wastes improving your colon health.
Thank you so very much Tim. I really appreciate the time you take to answer each an every one of your readers. May God continue to inspire you so that you continue to share your knowledge with others.
Is Organic Apple Cider (mother) good for weight loss and if so when and how much to be taken?
Thanks for the food list. It’s really a blessing to know!
Hi Tim, thank you for all the information! I am planning on starting the citrus breakfast tomorrow. A questions I have for you.. what is your opinion on Greek yogurt? I’ve been hearing a lot about it lately and was just wondering what you thought? Obviously, not mixing it in with the citrus breakfast but maybe for lunch?