3 Tasty Foods that Fight Belly Fat
Carrying a little extra pudge around your middle?
You’re not alone. In a survey conducted by Shape.com, more than half of their readers replied that they “hate their abs,” and feel self-conscious about their bulging middles. Additionally, nearly 47% of these same readers reported that they worked on their abs more than any other muscle group.
Unfortunately, simply toning your abs isn’t going to completely fight that belly fat completely. No matter how much you exercise and work your abs, you won’t get that dreamy six-pack until you lose a few layers of subcutaneous fat just beneath the skin (which hides all your hard work).
While exercise is a great start, it takes a healthy diet of the best foods to fight that belly fat and slim down. Fortunately, you don’t have to stick to salads and carrot sticks in order to get the results you
want.
The following tasty foods can help fight belly fat and reduce bloat:
Black Beans
Ok, you may already be familiar with the song “beans, beans, they’re good for the heart. . .the more you eat, the more you . . .” need I finish the sentence?
Too many people shy away from black beans simply because they fear the gas, however, “people’s concerns about excessive flatulence from eating beans may be exaggerated,” states Donna M. Winham, DrPH.
According to 2010 U.S. Dietary guidelines, eating legumes several times a week is essential for lowering cholesterol and promoting digestive health. Researchers state that “increasing bean consumption is a convenient and inexpensive way to enhance vegetable intake as well as boost [fullness].”
Additionally, Black beans contain flavonoids that may inhibit the storage of excess belly fat.
Glucomannan
You may have seen Glucomannan in a wide variety of dietary supplements such as PGX Daily (For a PGX daily review click here). While you typically can’t eat Glucomannan on its own, you can definitely add Glucomannan powder to a wide variety of foods to help you feel full and consume fewer calories throughout the day.
It works similar to cornstarch in that it is tasteless and odorless and can help thicken sauces, soups, gravies, etc. It’s calorie and gluten free, and adds bulk to your next meal.
Like a sponge, it soaks up water to fill up the stomach, creating the sensation of satiety and delaying gastric emptying. According to experts at WebMD, “It may also slow the absorption of sugar and cholesterol from the gut, helping to control sugar levels in diabetes, and reducing cholesterol levels.”
Popcorn
If you pass the butter and the salt, then popcorn is one of the best foods that fight belly fat you’ll ever find. It’s a whole grain – no extra processing involved – so you get maximum amounts of fiber without sacrificing the fun of eating a crunchy snack during your favorite movies.
Three cups of air-popped popcorn totals at 93 calories, and surprisingly there are 12 grams of protein per 100 grams popcorn.
Can’t stand the taste of plain popcorn? You can add some flavor without adding all the extra calories: simply sprinkle a little parmesan cheese for a tasty snack.