5 Affordable Foods for Blasting Abdominal Fat

Whether young or old abdominal fat is unhealthy, raises disease risks, and is not pleasant to look at. The older you get, the more it accumulates, and there is growing evidence that abdominal obesity increases the risk for development of insulin resistance, diabetes, and atherosclerosis. The decrease in hormones and metabolism may contribute to the increase in abdominal fat that generally occurs during middle and old age. However our diet of fast food, fried food, and processed food, along with high levels of stress makes this a problem for all ages.

If you’d like to blast off some of that tummy fat while losing weight here are some great foods that are incredibly affordable.

1. Blueberries: Eating blueberries may decrease abdominal fat according to recent research. Studies suggests that eating blueberries may benefit the heart due to its ability to decrease belly fat, lower triglycerides and cholesterol levels, and reduce blood sugar levels.  These health benefits are attributed to the high levels of phytochemicals, naturally occurring antioxidants called anthocyanins present in darkly pigmented fruits and vegetables. In studies, the results were even better when the diet was low in fat. So hit that farmer’s market, or a u-pick if blueberries are grown locally, and pick up some of these delicious berries to add to cereal, smoothies, or mixed with other berries for a colorful compote. Summer is the perfect season to add blueberries to your daily eating plan,
2. Black beans: Legumes in general are great sources of protein, fiber, and antioxidants, while being low fat. and extremely healthy. They are also rated low on the glycemic index. The fiber in a can of black beans is 25 grams, more than half of what is recommended daily. So put them on your salad, use them as a side, or make them a main ingredient in a vegetarian entre, but find a way to incorporate them daily into your meal plan. I recommend eating a can a day and at under $2.00 a can, that’s a bargain food.
3. Eggs for breakfast: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. A recent study published last year in the International Journal of Obesity showed that compared to a bagel meal of equal calories, those who ate 2 eggs for breakfast lost 65% more weight, had 61% greater reduction in BMI, and had a higher level of energy. Your body needs protein after fasting through the night. Eggs cost an average of $1.93 per dozen (or $0.16 per egg), making them one of the best bargains among high-quality protein foods. I recommend range free and organic, which may put the cost up a bit, but is well worth it.
4. Apples: Enjoying a fiber-packed apple 30 minutes or so before a meal will reduce your appetite and nourish you with antioxidants, Vitamin C, and pectins, a type of soluble fiber that draws cholesterol out of the blood and binds to carbohydrates to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Apples are low in calories, high in fiber, low in sodium and a perfect addition to your weight loss program. Tip: Be sure to wash your apples thoroughly as the wax used to coat supermarket apples seals in the pesticides on the apple skin. When in season, I recommend buying from local orchards.
5. Green tea: It’s not exactly a food, but adding 4-5 cups of green tea to your daily routine will help enhance your metabolism and burn extra calories…about 80 a day according to researchers . Some of the fat burning benefit of green tea comes from the caffeine that naturally occurs, but thermogenesis in green tea mostly occurs from epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG, a potent antioxidant that has other health benefits, as well. Themogenesis, in simple terms, is the heat generated when the body burns fat for energy. It was found that the combination of caffeine and EGCG together worked synergistically to produce better results than either did alone.

Of course, you’re going to get the best benefits in losing body fat, especially the visceral fat around the belly, if you combine healthy eating with effective daily activity, and lifestyle choices that reduce stress, and promote mental well-being. But making a few wise changes by adding these 5 foods to your diet could put you on the path to losing your abdominal fat.