Foods That Help Burn Stomach Fat

When targeting stomach fat, the first thing people look to is their diet. Eliminating fast foods, lowering carbohydrates and drinking more water are necessary in weight reduction, but if you are targeting an area like your stomach, this is often not enough. Instead of eliminating foods, use them to your advantage. Many items are packed with vitamins that target fat and hinder its formation.

Whole Grains
Oats are a rich source of fiber, keeping food cravings under control and preventing you from overeating. Oats, such as oatmeal, brown rice, whole-grain pasta and whole-wheat tortillas, slow the entry of sugar and fat into the bloodstream. This reduces insulin production and raises your metabolism, increasing energy level and burning stomach fat. Cook oatmeal over the stove instead of the microwave. Instant oatmeal still contains the benefits of oats, but it contains lots of calories, sugar and sodium.

Egg Whites
By eliminating the yolk, eggs have little to no fat and all the advantages of protein. The body uses the proteins of the egg white for synthesis, burning calories when the egg white is digested by forcing the stomach to do extra work. This prevents its protein from converging into fat and preserves muscle tissue. Chocked full of choline, amino acids, folate and vitamin B12, egg whites enforce a sense of fullness while aiding in the metabolization of fat.

Monounsaturated Fats
People often ignore avocados during weight loss because they are high in fat. However, they contain high amounts of monounsaturated

 fats, which specifically target belly fat. Limit your intake to ½ cup daily. Nuts, olives and flax seeds are also high in monounsaturated fats, helping the body burn fat while maintaining a healthy cholesterol level. Almonds are the most productive, packed with fiber, protein and monounsaturated fats. Don’t eat more than 23 nuts a day; although they are beneficial, they are high in calories and will add inches to your waist if overeaten.

Meat and Fish
When trying to burn stomach fat, many people consider meat to be their biggest problem. Chicken, turkey, fish and even beef play a vital role in burning belly fat if eaten correctly. They are each high in protein, increasing your metabolism and promoting fat burning, but you have to select these foods wisely. Only lean portions of beef are beneficial in burning stomach fat, eliminating favorites like steak, hamburgers and rump roasts from the menu. Fish like salmon and tuna are also useful because they are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which block stress chemicals and refute fat from forming on the belly.

Green Tea
If looking for something to drink besides water, try green tea. The University of Marilyn has shown through studies that green tea contains a high amount of catechin polyphenols, antioxidants and thermogenic substances, and is highly effective in burning stomach fat. The epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) found within green tea works as a powerful antioxidant, lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or "bad" cholesterol levels, killing and inhibiting the growth of cancer cells and stopping the formation of blood clots without harming surrounding tissue. It also speeds the metabolism to increase the burning of stomach fat. Green tea is most effective when homemade because it has not been diluted by artificial sweeteners.