What foods break down fat?

Fat can be difficult to break down and lose, but adding certain foods to your diet can help manage fat and reduce the risk of gaining any extra weight. Some of these foods are rich with antioxidants that can help burn fat, while others are packed with proteins and other essential vitamins and minerals to keep your body functioning optimally. Knowing what foods break down fat can be the difference between gaining weight and achieving your ideal weight.

Berries for Burning Fat

Berries are some of the most powerful fat-burning foods available. Not only are berries rich in polyphenol antioxidants which can help burn fat, but they can also help boost your workout gains by improving blood flow to muscles. A study conducted by Texas Woman's University found that mice consuming three servings of berries per day had 73ewer fat cells.

Healthy Foods That Break Down Fat

Aside from berries, there are a host of other healthy foods that aid in burning fat, including: fatty fish, MCT oil, coffee, green tea, whey protein, apple cider vinegar, chili peppers, oolong tea, Greek yogurt, olive oil and beans. Fatty fish are high in healthy fats which can benefit the body, while both MCT oil and coffee are excellent sources of energy that can enhance metabolism and burn fat. Similarly, green tea contains catechins, which can stimulate fat oxidation and kick-start calorie burning. Whey protein provides all nine essential amino acids to build muscle, while enabling you to burn fat and maintain muscle mass.

Apple cider vinegar helps by stabilizing blood sugar levels, while chili peppers contain the compound capsaicin which has the ability to boost metabolism. Oolong tea and Greek yogurt can decrease fat absorption in the body, with oolong tea thought to regulate the fat-metabolizing hormone in the body, and Greek yogurt containing peptides that can also raise the metabolism. Olive oil helps to keep you feeling full and is an excellent source of oleic acid, which is an effective fat-burner. Finally, beans are loaded with essential soluble fiber, which binds to and can help break down fatty acids.

Digestive Enzymes That Break Down Fat

In order for our bodies to break down fat, various enzymes are needed to promote metabolism and reduce fat production. The three key types of enzymes that assist in fat digestion are lipases; amylases; and bromelain, and papain which break down proteins.

The pancreas is responsible for producing digestive juices which contain all of these enzymes, with lipases aiding in fat digestion and amylases helping to break down carbohydrates. Bromelain and papain are a type of protein digestive enzyme which can break down proteins and rid the body of toxins.

Calorie Reduction

The best way to successfully break down fat without damaging muscle tissues is to reduce your calorie intake. Reducing your calorie intake by between 250-500 calories per day should suffice, as this will reduce the fat you are storing and increase the metabolism.

Eating too few calories will cause the body to break down muscle tissue and store fat, which lowers the metabolism and makes it more difficult to lose more weight.

Fat-Burning Foods To Include in Your Diet

Aside from the healthy foods mentioned above, there are also a number of other fat-burning foods that can help regulate body fat levels. These include avocados, nuts, coconut oil, fish, apples, papayas, and tomatoes.

Avocados are high in monounsaturated fats, which can lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. Nuts are packed with healthy fats, protein, and fiber that can fill you up quickly, while coconut oil can also contain healthy fats that help to burn fat. Fish is high in omega-3 fatty acids and protein, and can help to regulate fat storage and reduce inflammation.

Apples and papayas both contain high levels of dietary fiber, with papayas in particular packed with the essential enzyme papain which helps the body digest proteins and break down fat. Finally, tomatoes can help to rev up your metabolism and can even reduce your appetite.

Conclusion

By knowing what foods to include in your diet to break down fat, you can help effectively manage fat levels and reduce the risk of gaining weight. Eating foods such as berries, fatty fish, MCT oil, coffee, green tea, whey protein, apple cider vinegar, chili peppers, oolong tea, Greek yogurt, olive oil, and beans can all help break down fat and help you achieve your ideal weight. Furthermore, reducing your calorie intake by 250-500 calories per day is the best way to break down fat safely. Finally, adding other fat-burning foods to your diet, such as avocados, nuts, coconut oil, fish, apples, papayas, and tomatoes can also help to reduce weight and fat levels.