Best & Worst Foods For Belly Fat, According To Research

Belly fat is the worst. We all know it, we all hate it, and for a long time, we thought there wasn’t much we could do about it—especially if you weren’t hitting the gym regularly or watching your calories.

But now we know more: Belly fat isn’t just one thing. And once you understand that, there’s a lot you can do to manage it.

There are four types of belly fat:

– Visceral fat, which gathers around your organs and increases your risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes (this is what everyone thinks of when they think of “belly fat”)

– Subcutaneous fat, which lies under the skin (this is what causes pinchable rolls)

– Brown fat, which can help you burn calories (oddly enough, this is the type of fat that most people wish they had more of)

– White fat, which stores energy (and this is the kind most people have too much of)

Here is the Worst food for Belly Fat –

1. Fatty Foods

Eating high-fat foods is not pleasant, but excess calories of any kind can increase your waistline and contribute to more belly fat.

Fatty foods, such as butter, cheese, and fatty cuts of meat, are high in saturated fats. While these foods have some health benefits, eating too many can increase the number of unhealthy fats in your diet.

This can lead to weight gain and belly fat.

Changing dietary habits can help you fight the battle against the bulge of belly fat: Read labels of every packet you buy from the grocery store, less saturated fats, increase the number of fruits and veggies you should eat, and most importantly control and reduce your portions.

Alcohol and sugar-sweetened beverages

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), “Alcohol and other sugar-sweetened beverages are the No. 1 source of added sugars in any Normal diet, usually, American Diet” Excess calories from alcohol or sweetened beverages, or oversized portions of food, can increase belly fat. Our bodies need calories, but alcohol has almost as many calories as fat.

2. Trans Fat

Trans fats are the worst for belly fat, according to research. That’s because, when consumed, they make your body more insulin resistant. Insulin resistance is when your cells don’t respond to insulin as well as they used to, and it’s a precursor to type 2 diabetes. As your body is less able to respond to insulin appropriately, it will start storing more calories as fat instead of using them for energy.

Trans fats not only make your weight gain but can move fat from other parts of your body to your belly. Trans fats are found in foods such as margarine, pastries, cookies, crackers, and fried and convenience foods also known as fast food.

Here are the Best food for Belly Fat –

1. Green tea

Green tea is a belly fat-fighting beverage. It’s loaded with antioxidants and other great things your body loves, but it’s also a diuretic, which means it can leave you feeling dehydrated and bloated. So you may want to limit your intake of this healthy drink to one or two cups a day.

Green tea in a combination with exercise could help you lose weight, according to the Journal of Nutrition. Researchers think that substances in green tea which is known as catechins stimulate the body to burn calories and enhance the loss of belly fat faster.

A diet high in fiber

High-fiber diets are associated with a lower risk of belly fat, according to several studies. A higher intake of fiber was linked to lower body weight and waist circumference in a study of more than 700 adults published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

In another study, researchers found that people who reported eating high-fiber diets were less likely to gain weight over time compared to those who did not eat as much fiber.

It’s easy to get more fiber into your diet: just eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. For example, choose brown rice instead of white rice. They’re all good sources of fiber!

Popcorn

whole grains are better than refined grains because they are high in fiber and take longer to digest. This can satisfy your hunger better and helps to lower blood glucose levels and fat loss. Popcorn is a whole grain food that boosts fiber. The best way to prepare popcorn is in an air popper and it requires no oil for cooking.

FUN FACTS ABOUT BELLY FAT –

1. Men are more likely to collect more belly fat than women.
2. Belly fat is not harder to lose than fat elsewhere in your body.
3. Spot exercise, such as sit-ups or crunches doesn’t target belly fat.