New Year, Better You: Foods That Help Reduce Belly Fat

I'm not making New Year's resolutions. To me, that's just setting yourself up for failure and disappointment with often unrealistic expectations placed on yourself. Ain't nobody got time for that. But, a new year is a great opportunity for self reflection and planning some life improvements. Much better approach!

One of my main goals for the coming year is to lose some of this horrid belly fat I've been packing around for way too long. I'm not an exercise guy and that's unlikely to change any time soon. What I can do, however, is try to work foods thought or known to help reduce belly fat into my diet. So, I went to my research assistant, DuckDuckGo Search Assist and asked for just those. The results given were based on articles from rush.edu which I checked to make sure sounded legit and Eat This Not That which I'm pretty sure is legit as well.

Here's what Search Assist says, "Foods that can help reduce belly fat include those high in protein and fiber, such as fatty fish (like salmon), leafy greens, beans, lentils, and whole grains. Incorporating these foods into a balanced diet can support fat loss when combined with regular physical activity and healthy lifestyle choices." Of course, never base any kind of decisions on what anything automated spits out at you, so I did more research. You're welcome! Also, this is NOT medical or nutritional advice as I am in no way qualified to give anything like that. These are some tips I'll be following. Talk to your trusted healthcare professional, do your own research, make your own choices in life.

Salmon

According to Eat This, Not That, salmon is a delicious fatty fish with one of the highest concentrations of healthy omega-3 fatty acids. According to a 2015 study published in PLoS One, supplementing omega-3s can help you lose body fat and better manage it once it’s off. You can cook salmon from fresh or frozen, enjoy it smoked on a piece of whole grain toast, or eat it canned with a whole grain crackers and vegetables. You should get a boost of healthy fats and protein to keep you feeling full as an added bonus. Tuna might be a more budget friendly option to substitute or use in addition to salmon.

And I was right for once. Eat This, Not That says a 3-ounce serving of canned tuna offers a whopping 24 grams of protein and only 168 calories, while also consisting of around nine grams of fat, almost all of which is considered healthy poly- and monounsaturated fats. The "good" fats. They also said swapping tuna for other meats is effective in achieving and sustaining weight loss. Bonus!

Leafy Greens

The other sources I'm looking at don't mention leafy greens like spinach, kale, etc. as being particularly effective for targeting belly fat, but I've read so much about the various health benefits of them I'm throwing them in my damn self. Always a good idea to work in some leafy greens. Eat your spinach! Fresh whenever possible. Washed, of course since we no longer have a functioning FDA in America. Doh!

Fiber is Your Friend

I learned something new I'll have to research further from Eat This, Not That sprouted, whole-grain bread is a helpful addition to your eating plan for since fiber is crucial to helping reduce belly fat and keep it off. They add that in a regular slice of sprouted whole wheat bread, you’ll get on average about 2 grams of fiber per slice.

Sprouted grain breads are made with grains that are fully allowed to sprout or germinate before they’re turned into flour.

These whole grains provide more fiber than refined white bread, and the sprouted grains are known to have better digestibility. Also, research shows that regular consumption of whole-grain products can help reduce visceral belly fat, whatever "visceral" belly fat is. In fact, a 2018 study of 50 Japanese participants found that eating whole wheat bread had a significant impact on their visceral fat loss while eating refined wheat bread did not. I need to learn how to tell the difference between refined and sprouted grain breads. That'll be another article, I guess.

Choke Down Your Oats

I've always hated oats. Cooked oats are gross and slimy to me. But, I did recently get some because I read they are the cheapest healthy food you can get. I used some in an overnight oat concoction I talked about on Bluesky and may give the recipe for on here sometime later.

Eat This, Not That has great things to say about oats, too. Like that they are high in fiber (4 grams of fiber per 1/2 cup) and are filling enough to carry you through to your next meal. They're also high in complex carbohydrates, provide sustained energy and can help control hunger. It is also said they can help stabilize blood sugar levels which is awesome for diabetics like myself and can help anyone reduce sugar cravings.

According to a study published in Critical Reviews in Food Science & Nutrition, there is a large body of evidence to support the fact that the beta-glucan found in oats can help reduce abdominal obesity by way of better gut health, increased satiety, and gastric emptying. They make you poop. Stock up on TP! Costco has a great deal on their Kirkland brand jumbo pack and it's awesome. Just saying.

Go Greek! Yogurt, That Is

I mixed my oats, above, with store brand Cool Whip and crushed pineapple which I read is also really good for you. The pineapple, not the store brand Cool Whip. I want to and plan to use Greek yogurt instead at some point.

Greek yogurt is said to be an excellent belly fat-burning food because it is high in protein and low in sugar. For example, there are about 20 grams of protein and seven grams of sugar in the average 7-ounce container of low-fat Greek yogurt. Plus, the probiotics in yogurt may promote a healthier gut microbiome, which has been linked to weight management in some studies.

And Many More

Okay , so I'm not discussing everything on the list because Eat This, Not That gave 17 foods that are said/thought to help burn belly fat. In addition to those we looked at above, they also listed:

• Lean beef

• Skinless chicken breast

• Raspberries

• Lemons

• Avocados

• Eggs

• Quinoa

• Cottage cheese (YUM!)

• Black beans

• Jicama (No, I don't know what that is and doubt I'll find it in Hillbilly Hell Kentucky.)

• Edamame

• Green tea (Which I adore!)

Thanks for reading! Hope you learned something. Please share and consider joining the mailing list to be notified of new article drops. Need new cookware without breaking your budget for your healthier eating journey? I got you, boo! I kinda want this. Looks like those fancy new outrageously priced honeycomb or hexagon bottom skillets you see everywhere now. Price current as of this posting.