If Losing Belly Fat is Your Goal, Try These 8 Ab-Friendly Foods, Nutritionist Says
Eat your way to smaller gut, with this RD- and MD-recommended foods.
You can do all the crunches in the world, but if you are eating the wrong foods, it's likely you will still accumulate belly fat. "Pooping on the regular is one of the best things you can do for your belly. A lot of the time when we feel like we are a little bloated you can be constipated," explains Amanda Sauceda, founder of The Mindful Gut, Registered Dietitian. "So your best belly foods are the ones that keep you regular." Here are eight foods she, along with Kenneth Brown, MD, a Texas-based gastroenterologist, Founder and Chief Medical Officer of Atrantil, and the host of the Gut Check Project podcast, recommend to blast belly fat.
Chia seeds are a fiber dense food that you can easily add to your water or smoothies, says Sauceda. "One ounce of chia seeds has almost 10 grams of fiber," she explains.
Drinking peppermint or ginger tea can help reduce your bloat, says Sauceda. "If you're feeling bloated, drinking some peppermint or ginger tea after your meal should help ease the digestive discomfort," she explains. Numerous studies have shown that a variety of teas may also boost your immune system, fight off inflammation, and even ward off cancer and heart disease.
Avocado is a good fat that can help you get skinny. "Eating a lot of salty foods may make you feel bloated. Avocados have potassium which can offset the salt and they have fiber to keep you regular," says Sauceda.
Yogurt can be a source of probiotics which can help your good gut bacteria and your belly, explains Sauceda. But all yogurts aren't created equal when it comes to debloating benefits. "Choose one with live and active cultures. There are many lactose free options available for those with lactose intolerance," she says.
Dr. Brown suggests adding wild-caught fatty fish – salmon, sardines, and anchovies – to your diet. Omega-3 fatty acids have been linked to weight loss, including the reduction of belly fat, in multiple studies. For example, one study found that they stimulate secretion of leptin, a hormone that decreases appetite and promotes the burning of fat.
Dr. Brown also recommends eggs if you want to blast belly fat. High in good fat and protein, eggs will keep you full longer and fuel your workouts.
Organic ground beef, also high in protein, is another great belly-blasting food, says Dr. Brown.
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In addition, for a healthy gut microbiome and to beat bloating, supplementation can assist with this process Dr. Brown maintains. "Combining large complex polyphenols like Quebracho Colorado, Horse Chestnut and Peppermint, found in the supplement, Atrantil, is an option," he says.
