35 foods that help burn belly fat.

35 foods that help burn belly fat.

The primary step to losing weight is figuring out your diet. Your diet needs to have a low-calorie count, but full of nutrients and fulfilling in nature. You won’t be helping yourself by starving or suffering from malnutrition. The simplest and best way to go about this is to include and swap out regular fat inducing and unhealthy foods with healthier ones. To help you along, we have curated a list of 35 foods that help burn belly fat.


sliced avocado

Avocados are considered one of the best “diet” foods. One avocado usually contains about 20 grams of healthy mono-saturated fats. These fats help prevent your blood sugar from spiking, which leads to fat storage in your gut.

Avocados are multifunctional. They not only help burn belly fat but also help your body absorb various carotenoids. Carotenoids are compounds that help fight cancer and can be found in many fruits and vegetables.


shallow focus photography of brown eggs

Replace your carbs with protein to help speed up your weight loss process. One large egg usually contains 78 calories and 6 grams of protein.

Having a whole egg for breakfast can be fulfilling and charge you for the day. This helps in long term weight loss because you find yourself eating less and less between meals.


assorted fruits in bowls

Oatmeal is a healthy, fibrous meal that contains a unique soluble fiber called beta-glucans. Beta-glucans can form a type of gel in your small intestine that lowers blood cholesterol and boosts the immune system. Oats are also very satiating, so you will be less inclined to snack between meals.

4) Greek Yogurt

strawberries and cookies with cream filled dessert in glass cup

Greek Yogurt is an excellent belly fat burner. A cup of good quality Greek yogurt can encourage the growth of good bacteria that prevents bloating. Yogurt can further help stabilize insulin, which can also help you lose belly fat.

5) Green tea

teapot filled with yellow liquid on table

According to a study of Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise shows that three cups of green tea a day helps improve your metabolism and burn up to 30 calories. The ECGC compound found in green tea helps burn tea quickly.

6) Salmon

raw fish meat on brown chopping board

Salmon is packed full of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega acids are known for their fat-burning and anti-inflammatory abilities. Omega-3 fatty acids also increase adiponectin levels, which helps boost metabolism.

7) Citrus fruits

bunch of orange fruits

Citrus fruits such as oranges, tangerines, and grapefruits help your burn up to 30% more fat during each exercise session.

8) Spinach

green leaves on blue plastic bowl

Spinach is a good source of plant-based Omega-3, and as we have mentioned before, Omega-3 is very good at burning belly fat. Spinach also contains vital nutrients and minerals such as potassium that help prevent bloating.

9) Coconut Oil

white round ornament on brown wooden round container

If you are looking to shed a few pounds, then you should replace soybean oil with coconut oil as your primary cooking oil. Coconut oil is chock full of medium-chain triglycerides, which are burned instead of being stored as fat. Moreover, coconut oil also contains lauric acid, which tends to hone in on your belly fat and burns it.

10) Cottage Cheese

red ceramic bowl on gray spoon

Cottage cheese a great addition to your weight loss diet. It brings in a lot of protein with little calories. Cottage cheese not only promotes weight loss, but it also contains all nine essential amino acids you need for survival.  

11) Kimchi

man in black shirt sitting beside brown wooden table

Kimchi, in its simplest form, is fermented cabbage. A study conducted in Korea revealed that kimchi could greatly help prevent weight gain.

12) Black Beans

Black beans

Gut bacteria feed on black beans to form butyrate. According to some research, butyrate is a chemical that has been shown to increase calorie burning in mice. You get over eight grams of fiber in just half a cup, which can go a long way in satiating you.

13) Peanut Butter

heinz tomato ketchup bottle on brown wooden table

Unless you’re allergic to it, peanut butter should be a staple in your weight-loss regime. You get 8 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber with each serving of peanut butter. It helps you feel ‘full’ and improve blood flow throughout your body. As stated by the Journal of Food Science and Technology, peanut butter gives you the same feeling of fullness you’d feel after consuming equal amounts of rice cakes.

14) Peas

green round fruits in close up photography

Peas have a whole array of nutrients packed into tiny little green packages. You will find 8 grams of proteins combined with vitamin C, magnesium, iron, and potassium in a cup of peas. Vitamin C content in peas is enough to provide you with your daily intake, and all the minerals present help regulate your oxygen. Peas also prevent bloating.

15) Turmeric

Turmeric powder and fresh turmeric in wood bowls on wooden table. : Stock Photo

Turmeric contains an antioxidant called Curcumin. Research proves that Curcumin is one of the best anti-inflammatory compounds ever. Belly fat promotes inflammation, which makes it challenging to lose fat in that area. Therefore try incorporating turmeric into your meals to promote fat burning.

16) Bananas

closeup photo of bunch of bananas

Bananas are the perfect snack in a weight-loss diet. It is jam-packed with magnesium and potassium that helps remove bloating. The plant-based prebiotics act as food for the good bacteria in your gut.

17) Bell Peppers

flat lay photography of bunch of yellow and red bell peppers

Stress hormones are a significant cause of why people often find it challenging to shed weight. Stress hormones such as Cortisol promotes the storage of belly fat. Bell peppers are rich in vitamin C. Vitamin C helps decrease Cortisol levels and promotes fat-burning during workouts.

18) Whole grain

When you’re trying to burn fat in your belly, the most important thing you can do is avoid carbs. More specifically, avoid refined carbs such as white bread, flour tortillas, and corn flakes. Instead, opt for wholegrain bread and cereal. Whole grains are a good source of fiber and Vitamin B, both of which encourage the loss of belly fat.

19) Apples

red apple fruit

There are many different species of apples available on the market. Despite the difference in species, all apples help burn excess fat. Well, to be more precise, all apple skin helps burn excess belly fat. Apple peel contains Ursolic acid, which helps increase brown fat (the good kind of fat) and muscle mass, which promotes fat loss from your midsection. 

20) Cayenne Pepper

selective focus photography of chili

Cayenne pepper contains Capsaicin. Capsaicin is the chemical responsible for its fiery taste. Capsaicin also promotes fat burning by boosting your metabolism.

21) Pumpkin Seeds

brown and white nuts on brown ceramic bowl

Pumpkin seeds are packed full of zinc and fiber. The zinc helps boost your immune system while the fiber promotes fat loss. Pumpkin seeds act as a good source of protein too. A serving of pumpkin seeds usually contains up to 7 grams of protein.

22) Nuts- Almonds, walnuts, pistachios

cooked beans

Almonds contain a lot of protein, and research shows that almonds can reduce LDL cholesterol levels. LDL is considered as ‘bad’ cholesterol. Moreover, almonds promote weight loss by boosting your immune system.

Walnuts also come packed in mono-saturated fats that help regulate your blood sugar. Moreover, walnuts can help curb snack cravings between meals.

Pistachios don’t promote weight loss with its nutrients. Instead, research shows that while shelling pistachios, people realized how much they had already eaten and slowed down and ate less as a result.

23) Blueberries

blueberries on white ceramic container

Blueberries contain a substantial amount of fiber per serving (4 grams to be precise) and many important antioxidants. Most importantly, they have significantly fewer sugar amounts than other fruits and berries, making them the perfect weight-loss snack.

24) Brown rice

shallow focus photography of green leafed plant

Brown rice is considered one of the best superfoods for weight loss. It is a superior, healthier, and more fibrous alternative for fat-inducing white rice. Half a cup of brown rice contains about 1.7 grams of nutritional fibers. Moreover, brown rice is a low-energy-density food, meaning that its satiating but low in calories.

25) Flaxseeds

Healthy eating: Ffax seed oil and flax seeds : Stock Photo

Just one tablespoon of ground flaxseed powder contains up to 2.3 grams of ALA. ALA is a known fat burner. Flaxseeds are also rich in fiber. All this makes it the perfect thing to top off your oatmeal.

26) Dark Chocolate  

chopped chocolate

Research done at Louisiana State University revealed that eating small amounts of dark chocolate can help you lose weight. Dark chocolate contains anti-inflammatory flavonoids that keep your heart healthy and help promote belly fat loss. Just remember to buy at least 70% dark cacao.

27) Olive Oil

gold and white box on brown wooden table

If you are about to embark on a weight loss journey, then the first thing you should do is swap out your soybean or sunflower cooking oil for olive oil. Olive oil contains several antioxidants such as oleocanthal that help reduce inflammation. On this note, you should also avoid deep-fried foods as they are a primary cause of weight gain.

28) Beets

red chili and green vegetable

Beets are a rich source of betaine. Betaine is a multifunctional amino acid. As stated in a review in the journal Nutrients, beets boost metabolism, help reduce insulin resistance, improve your mood, turn off fat genes, and remove inflammatory markers discharged by belly fat.

29) Tuna

raw meat with spices on green ceramic plate

Tuna is a great weight loss promoter. It is a rich protein source and is packed full of fat-burning omega-3 (including DHA and EPA). DHA is a commonly known type of Omega-3 famous for suppressing fat producing genes and preventing fat cells from expanding. 

30) Cinnamon

black ceramic jar on black surface

Sprinkle some cinnamon into your breakfast oats or your coffee to burn some extra fat stored in your belly. As reported by the researchers at the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, cinnamon can regulate blood sugar by reducing insulin secretion. Less insulin secreted means less fat stored in your belly.

31) Ginger

brown ginger lot

Ginger may be famous for its anti-inflammatory features, but it is less commonly known for its contribution to weight loss. Ginger reduces oxidative stress hormones, which are a leading cause of obesity. Ginger can also help reduce hunger and curb cravings so that you don’t find yourself snacking in between meals. Most importantly, ginger accelerates your digestion and helps regulate your blood sugar levels.

32) Kale

macro shot photography of lettuce

Kale contains filling fibers to help you feel satiated. It is also a good source of protein and other vital nutrients such as Vitamin B.

33) Coffee

espresso cups on espresso maker

Coffee has a significant effect on your metabolic rate. Faster, better metabolism means greater fat burning. However, drinking sugary, carb-loaded coffees have the opposite effect. Instead of helping you lose weight, they help you gain some more. Therefore, opt for black coffee of shots of espresso instead.

34) Sunflower seeds

brown and black coffee beans

Sunflowers are full of magnesium. Magnesium can release stored fat. Research shows that sunflowers can effectively burn belly fat.

35) Quinoa

vegetable salad

Like beets, quinoa is also a great source of betaine. Unlike beets, quinoa has a higher level of betaine, meaning it’s a highly effective fat burner. Just half a cup of quinoa contains 12 grams of protein and fiber. Both of which go a long way to satiate you and improve your digestive system.

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