Foods that burn calories are often the subject of fad diets designed to extract cash from the vulnerable dieter in a time of need.
Usually a study of some kind is presented which shows a positive effect on weight loss and just like that a diet revolution is born! Before and after pictures are photo shopped and it’s the storm of the internet!
The fact is, diets like this are simply fake. You cannot eat badly, never exercise and expect to get results by eating 2 kilo’s of chilli with 5 cups of green tea a day!
Aside from fad diets which are a waste of time, there are actually foods than burn calories that you can add to your diet.
The question is…how much do they contribute to your overall weight loss efforts?
What are The Foods That Burn Calories?
Every single food you eat burns calories. Your body uses energy to digest and process the food you eat and this energy takes calories. The amount used depends on the food being eaten.
Protein foods are harder to digest so take longer and use more calories, this is one of many reasons fat loss diets recommend a high protein intake.
The amount of calories your body uses to process the food is known as the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) and protein scores highest on this list.
There are also negative calorie foods which have less calories in them than your body uses to process them, I discussed some of these in this article about
zero calorie food
Whilst the all foods use calories to process, research tells us that certain foods have a positive impact of thermogenesis and your metabolism.
These foods increase your metabolism and your body temperature for an extended period of time which means you burn more calories whilst at rest.
What Are The Best Foods That Burn Calories?
Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper increases metabolism by up to 20% and has also been reported to remove fat from your arteries. Its main ingredient is capsaicin which is also found in chilli; both spices elevate your bodies temperature which burns a higher number of calories while you rest.
Garlic
Garlic also raises the temperature of your body as well as keeping your immune system ticking over, it particularly helps you avoid colds and flu. Garlic is also a diuretic which means it flushes out excess water under your skin and has been known to be a powerful weight loss tool.
Green tea
Green Tea has been touted as a weight loss tool for years, probably due to the caffeine content which raises the bodies’ temperature. Green Tea is also full of antioxidants and adding it to your diet is a good idea.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon stimulates your bodies insulin sensitivity while helps your body process sugar more efficiently, this helps keep your blood sugar balanced. Maintaining stable blood sugar levels and avoiding spiking insulin too often (which happens when you consume sugar/carbs) are key to long term weight loss.
Ginger
A regular weight loss aid in traditional Chinese medicine, ginger is usually included as it elevates your body temperature and stimulates your bodies’ fat burning mechanisms.
Will Eating Foods That Burn Calories Help You Lose Weight?
Eating foods that burn calories can be helpful to your weight loss goals but honestly, they are only as helpful as the rest of your diet.
If you are eating more calories than your body needs you will gain weight…no amount of foods that burn calories will change that.
If on the other hand you are eating fewer calories than you need, these foods can help you burn more calories and contribute to your overall weight loss.
I use these foods to add flavour to my cooking without additional calories as most of them have little to no calories. If they add to my weight loss then great but if not I’ve not lost anything and I’ve gained flavour and the health benefits that come along with them.
If you’re looking for quick ways to lose weight you need to understand that there are no magic supplements like Acai Berry or 5 minute workouts that you’ll come across.
Plain and simple you need to get your diet sorted and include exercise. Once you accept that it’s just a case of finding the method that best suits your lifestyle. There are tonnes of ways to lose weight and I’ve had success with a variety of them, check out my
Quick Ways To Lose Weight
articles for more information!
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