5 Amazing Weight Loss Foods According to Science

We all know that enjoying a healthy, nutritious diet is essential to dropping a few pounds, but when it comes to weight loss, not all foods are made equal.

Research shows that there are certain foods and plant extracts you can eat that can help to boost your weight loss efforts. By including these in your diet you could benefit from a more toned body, higher metabolism and you could even combat cravings.

Sound good? Great.

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Let’s take a look at these amazing foods for weight loss.

1. Caffeine

You may rely on this for your morning pick-me-up, but caffeine can also help to influence your metabolism too.

The caffeine within coffee and tea can cause something called a thermogenic reaction in your body, which basically means it heats you up a little. You’re unlikely to notice it, but this small change in your temperature causes your body to burn more calories.

Research into how caffeine can affect your body revealed that supplementing with the stimulant can raise your metabolism by 11% [1] and improve focused fat burning by 13% [2].

In fact, caffeine is so effective it’s a regular in a huge range of weight management aids. Check out this list at Best Supplements 2019 and you’ll find almost all of the top tier products contain it. 

2. Cayenne pepper

While you may recognise this as the spicy ingredient in a huge range of popular dishes, cayenne pepper is also one of the most highly researched thermogenic ingredients available.

In the same way, caffeine does, it stimulates thermogenesis, so you’re burning more fat than you normally would.

One study found that, when a group of volunteers enjoyed cayenne pepper in their meals, their metabolism was significantly higher [3].

So, by spicing up your weekly menu you could actually help to improve your body’s ability to burn calories.

3. Green tea

Well-known and much-loved as an antioxidizing super-drink, green tea could also help you to lose weight.

This popular beverage contains compounds called catechins, which are also thermogenic.

Within green tea, you’ll also find caffeine, which complements the catechins, making for one of the most proven weight loss aids.

A study found that supplementing with green tea extract helped subjects to burn an additional average of 179 calories a day compared to those who didn’t take it [4].<

In another 12-week trial, overweight women who took green tea were shown to lose a significant amount of weight in comparison to participants who were given a placebo [5].

This is another widely used ingredient in the weight management industry and is particularly good for women due to their lower caffeine content.

The popular aid Hourglass Fit also uses the extract to help boost metabolism.

4. Protein 

This isn’t just for a post-workout boost. A high protein diet has been proven to help enhance your ability to promote lean, fat free mass [6].

To put it simply, having more protein in your system gives your body the tools it needs to maintain and if you’ve been working out, grow muscle. This raises your metabolism and helps your body to break down more fat, in favour of muscle.

So, by eating more protein-rich foods like lean meats, soya and beans, you should be able to influence your body to support muscle over fat.

Don’t worry though – you won’t get ‘bulky’. Women in particular are often worried about getting bulky if they promote muscle.

Unless you’re hitting the gym really, really hard, then it’s very unlikely you’ll develop particularly big muscles. Women just aren’t hormonally capable of it. So instead, you should just benefit from a more toned look.

On top of that, protein has been proven to help you feel fuller for longer [7]. So, if you regularly tuck into a protein-rich treat throughout the day, you may be less likely to snack or give in to treats.

5. Glucomannan 

You may not be very familiar with this ingredient, probably because it’s known as more of a supplement than a food, however, it’s completely natural and safe to use.

This is a soluble fibre extracted from the konjac root which absorbs water and expands slightly when in the stomach, making you feel fuller. It may sound a little strange, but it’s been deemed safe, and one expert claimed it could be a solution to the obesity epidemic in the US [8].

In research trials, it’s been linked to weight loss on a number of occasions when compared to placebo alternatives [9].

Each of these foods has been proven by research to help boost the results of a weight loss effort. Also, check out proven fat loss tips that will help you to lose weight in a quick and healthy way.

While they’re no means a short cut or magic solution to burning fat, they could give you the extra support or motivation to keep up the good work when you need it most.

Why not try adding them to your day-to-day diet to see if they can help you.