We spoke to Maira, founder of www.mairanutrition.com, to find out which foods are perfect for eating when you are looking to burn fat.
Drinking loads of water, exercise and healthy eating aren't the only things you can do when trying to lose weight, adding a few of the following to your diet will help too:
(Good for... switching with regular tea and boosting antioxidant intake)
Green tea is rich in antioxidants. Picture: Frans & all/Flickr
This drink has been hailed for its health properties for millennia and according to several studies is great for increasing the metabolism due to containing catechins like Epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, which is an antioxidant that is known to burn fat while also helping to prevent fat cells from being created.
(Good for... keeping you feeling fuller for longer)
Picture: wuestenigel/Flickr
A great way to increase your water intake while also helping to reduce the temptation to drink sugary sodas, lemon water tastes great and will have you feeling fuller and less likely to snack.
Water is also great for your metabolism and improves your body's functionality, while lemon is rich in D-limonene, which has potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and helps to remove toxins in your body.
(Filled with... protein and omega-3 fatty acids)
Salmon is packed with protein and fatty acids. Picture: Pexels.com
High in protein and omega-3 fatty acids, salmon is a perfect replacement for red meat on any dinner menu and fish oil combined with a good exercise regimen has been proven in several major studies to help create greater fat loss than exercise alone.
(High in... fibre and great for slow burning energy release)
The original Scottish superfood. Picture: Pixabay
Something us Scots have known for a while is just how much of a superfood oats are, with daily servings of them and other whole grain foods shown in many studies to help make you feel fuller for longer, while offering slow burning energy throughout the day.
A study conducted at Tufts University, Massachusetts, also showed that oats have more fibre than processed foods, such as beta glucans, fibres that enhance metabolic health.
(Rich in...folate, iron and vitamin A)
Picture: Pixabay
It seems like Popeye was on to something.
Spinach is another superfood rich in folate, iron, vitamin A, and thylakoids.
Researchers in Sweden determined that women who took a thykaloid supplement of 5 grams experienced a 25 per cent hunger reduction. The women that took the supplement also lost more weight than those who did not.
Eating spinach is healthy and filing, great for adding volume to your meals without consuming a lot of fat.
Picture: Pixabay
Described as a 'wonder herb', garlic does more than just ward off vampires - it has been used in the past to treat everything from infection and inflammation to hypertension.
Allicin, the compound that gives garlic its powerful smell and taste is filled with anti-oxidants which help to remove harmful toxins and free-radicals as well as helping to create a better metabolic rate.
(Good for... their versatility and high quantities of choline)
Eggs can be high in Choline. Picture: PXHere
However you enjoy this breakfast (and lunch) staple, you'll find eggs provide you with choline, which according to a medical study in 1978 can help to significantly reduce fat in test subjects bodies, particularly when combined with milk (which provides carnitine - an amino acid perfect for energy production) and caffeine (which stimulates fat breakdown) - so now you've even more excuse to enjoy eggs and coffee or tea in the morning.
This superfood is also filled with lean protein which can fill you up for longer, meaning you'll eat less throughout the rest of the day.
(Rich in... fibre and glucose)
Picture: Pixabay
The perfect accompaniment for exercise, many see bananas as the perfect pre (or past) work out snack as they are rich in glucose which is great for giving you a boost of energy.
However, the ubiquitous yellow fruit is also filled with nutrients with a medium sized banana containing 15 per cent of the RDI of manganese, 5 per cent RDI copper, 8 per cent RDI of magnesium, 17 per cent RDI of vitamin C, 20 per cent RDI of vitamin B6 and 12 per cent of potassium.
(Good for... stabilizing blood sugar levels)
Picture: Pixabay
No longer just an item you pass by in the supermarket, apple vinegar cider is considered to be a fat fighting superstar of the food world with the ability to increase your body’s calorie burning rate by up to by 40 per cent.
Mostly comprised of acetic acid which slows down gastric emptying. It also delays the release of sugar in the bloodstream, stabilizing blood sugar levels and generating more protein.
(Rich in... good fats and
Picture: Maxpixel
Filled with healthy fats and loaded with carbohydrates, it seems like the hipsters are onto something with avocados - this popular vegetable's oils are rich in monounsaturated and oleic fatty acids.
They are also full of vitamin B6 which inhibits cortisol, the stress hormone that promotes belly fat storage.
Avocado also cuts down on your hunger pangs. A study show that people who ate avocado as part of their lunch didn’t feel the urge to eat even a couple of hours later.
