Tuesday 7 May 2013

Eat to burn fat

Switch your body into fat-burning mode with these top nutrition tips.
Wouldn’t it be great if you could lose fat without compromising your diet? Well it turns out you can. Thermogenesis is the process of heat production in the body, which can speed up your metabolism and help you burn more calories. The easiest way to raise your body’s core temperature is by exercising, but you can also do it through your diet.
All foods have a thermic effect, because your body uses energy, and therefore calories, for digestion. Approximately 10 per cent of your total calorie intake will be used to digest food. Some foods, such as celery, are believed to contain negative calories, because the energy needed to digest them outweighs the number they actually contain.
But some foods go one step further and actually increase the energy expenditure of your metabolism above its resting rate, to burn yet more calories. These foods include spices, protein, coconut oil and green tea. It’s said you can raise your metabolic rate by between two and five per cent - burning the equivalent of 40-100 extra calories a day – by eating more of these foods. Good news if you have reached a plateau and want to lose a few extra pounds!
According to research published in the journal Food and Nutrition, not all calories are equal when it comes to increasing your metabolism. Researchers found that processed food actually decreases your energy expenditure by 50 per cent after the meal. The body digests processed foods quickly and so burns less calories in the process.
Yay! for whey
Protein has a greater thermic effect than carbohydrates and fats because it takes longer to digest. It also has a satiating effect, so will stave off hunger for longer. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that whey protein in particular has a greater thermic effect than other proteins and can increase fat burning.
A bit of heat
Spices such as black pepper and chilli are also effective. A Dutch study found that 10g of chilli per meal raises you body temperature straight after eating. The active compound here is capsaicin, which boosts metabolism, fat oxidation and may also reduce appetite. However 10g is a lot of chilli! Black pepper contains piperine, a chemical that gets the metabolism firing. It also increases absorption of health-promoting nutrients passing through the lining of the gut.
Caffeine hit
Another study, published in the Journal of Obesity, reported that the caffeine and catechin antioxidants in Green tea work together to blast fat cells. Swiss scientists found thermogenesis in rats was increased by as much as 77 per cent with a green tea supplement. To reap the benefits, aim to drink a cup of green tea every two hours to increase your metabolism.
Eat fat
The medium-chain fatty acids in coconut oil stimulate your metabolism by up to five per cent, according to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Medium-chain fatty acids are converted to energy easier than long-chain fatty acids, which occur in 98 per cent of animal and plant fats, and so are less likely to be deposited in fat cells. Coconut oil is high in calories, so use it sparingly. Try replacing your regular cooking oil with coconut oil for healthy stir-fries or snack on fresh coconut to get the same benefits.

Many more...
Scientists also believe that berries, grapes, olive oil, lemons and tumeric have a thermic effect on the body. While there’s no solid proof as yet that these foods increase your metabolism, it’s worth adding them to your diet anyway because they have plenty of other nutritional benefits.
There are numerous thermogenic supplements on the market, but altering your diet is a much safer and healthier way to promote fat burning. If you exercise regularly and cut processed food from your diet, you’ll improve your metabolic rate. If you’re trying to lose weight and are not already active, simply adding 10 minutes of exercise to your regime each day will raise your metabolism quicker than eating these thermic foods.
http://www.womensfitness.co.uk/healthy-eating/756/eat-burn-fat

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