The 37 Best Belly Fat Burning Foods

Fill your fridge and stock your pantry with these belly fat burning foods so you’ll always have them nearby to help you slim your waistline.

Eating the right flat belly foods will allow your body to naturally melt away the fat on your stomach without causing crazy cravings.

By now I’m sure you’ve figured out a Big Mac isn’t going to help you burn belly fat.

Fortunately, there are some specific foods out there that will help you burn fat off your stubborn belly much faster than others.

Calories in doesn’t always equal calories out. Sure, if you really cut down on your daily calorie intake you may lose some weight but your belly bulge never seems to go away.

That’s because you need to switch out the bad foods and fill your diet with these belly fat burning foods so you can eliminate your unwanted abdominal fat.

This is a list of my 37 favorite foods that burn fat fast you can use to curb bad cravings, fill your tummy and don’t taste like cardboard.

I also have a complete superfoods list you can find here with 109 flat belly foods.

The Best Belly Fat Burning Foods

Before we dive into the 37 foods that get rid of belly fat we’re going to have to take a quick look at some of the causes of the “apple body” in the first place.

Even though most people already know eating too many calories will cause you to gain weight around your belly there are specific foods you should avoid that pack on the stomach fat.

The biggest culprit for your belly fat is sugar and other sugar sweetened foods and drinks.

Without a doubt sugar causes your body to put your body into “belly fat storing mode” where you’ll auto-deposit your fat directly into your stomach.

It’s way too crazy how addicting sugar and artificially sweeteners have become. They’re also the #1 causes of belly fat.

A study by the American Heart Association found those who drank soda daily had significantly higher visceral abdominal fat than non-drinkers.

As you can see in my blog post even drinking diet soda has been found to cause belly fat.

Cutting out other bad carbs from your diet is another highly effective strategy for eliminating stomach fat.

There are quite a few studies finding those who lowered their carb intake had more weight loss than others.

Low carb diets lost especially more fat around their belly compared to low fat groups according to this 2004 study published in Nutrition & Metabolism.

For a complete nutrition program you can follow that uses these principles for rapid belly fat loss then take a look at my Flat Belly Formula program.

It strategically implements every proven belly fat burning technique into an easy-to-follow diet filled with tasty foods.

Now let’s get into my 37 favorite flat belly foods.

Avocados

So right off the bat most know avocados have a higher amount of fats in them.

The good news is these specific kind of fats actually help you burn fat.

These monounsaturated fats in avocados were found to help reduce waist circumference according to this study in Nutrition Journal.

Avocados are packed with belly fat fighting fiber, help to regulate blood sugar, have anti-cancer benefits and are anti-inflammatory.

Almonds

Almonds are widely considered to be the “King Of The Nuts” along with Lady Gaga.

Just like avocados they are high in fat, but they’re packed with the good fats.

Eating good fats isn’t bad for you. In fact your body needs them.

This study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found those who ate almonds opposed to white bread lowered their belly fat.

The monounsaturated fats almonds come packed with help to reduce stomach fat while reducing bad cholesterol, diabetes and heart disease.

Eggs

There’s no bigger travesty than seeing people throw out all the yolks when they’re cooking eggs.

The yolks are where practically all of the nutrients are. If you’re throwing them out you may as well throw yourself out with them.

Against common belief eating eggs won’t cause your cholesterol to spike. For more on this I recommend reading my Are Eggs Healthy? blog post.

This study found those who ate eggs had enhanced weight loss compared to the group that ate a bagel despite the calories.

Make sure you buy your eggs from free range chickens, preferably pasture fed, and not the cheap eggs from the sickly caged GMO-corn fed chickens.

Dark Chocolate

Don’t get too excited as Snickers, Kit Kats and Reese’s Pieces don’t count here.

I’m talking about dark chocolate that’s at least 78% cocoa without sugar.

You can find dark chocolate bars like this at your local health food store such as Whole Foods.

Or you could just pick up some raw cocoa powder and mix it into your whey protein shakes like I do.

Dark chocolate has a ton of antioxidants as well as other belly fat blasting stimulants like caffeine and theobromine.

This study found those who ate dark chocolate had a reduction in abdominal fat due to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of this superfood.

I like to eat dark chocolate for the occasional late night dessert. It’s a way better option than eating a pint of ice cream.

Green Tea

Green tea gets its belly fat fighting superpowers from the nutrient Epigallocatechin (EGCG).

The catechins found in green tea have been found to not only help with weight loss but to also reduce visceral stomach fat.

Belly fat isn’t very physically attractive, but it’s also linked to serious cardiovascular diseases.

I like to drink my green tea in the afternoon even going so far as to use green tea extract as well.

For more of my favorite weight loss drinks take a look at my blog post with my top 18 you can use to slim down fast.

Coconut Oil

Medium Chain Triglycerides (MCTs) are the secret belly fat killing ingredient found in coconut oil.

Unlike other bad fats, MCT’s are a healthy fat that’s used as energy instead of being stored as stomach fat.

This study found in a group of obese men 30g of coconut oil taken for 4 weeks led to reduced waist circumference.

Make sure you strictly buy organic extra virgin coconut oil to keep the belly fat burning lauric acid and caprylic acid.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a fantastic spice you can add to your food and beverages to burn more stomach fat.

This study published by the American Heart Association found mice fed with a cinnamon supplement for 12 weeks had less belly fat compared to the control group.

Cinnamon has been found to help regulate your blood sugar preventing dramatic belly fat storing insulin spikes.

I can’t help but love the taste of cinnamon. Read more on the benefits of using cinnamon for weight loss here.

Wild Salmon

Wild caught salmon is loaded with high quality protein, omega-3 fatty acids and it’s quite low in calories.

Studies have found salmon can help to reduce deadly belly fat while reducing inflammation in your body.

Who doesn’t love the taste of grilled salmon for dinner?

In my best fish for weight loss blog post you can find out more on why you want to choose wild-caught salmon over farmed salmon every time.

Collard Greens

Collard greens are one of if not the most nutrient dense foods on the planet.

Along with their leafy green brothers like kale and Swiss chard they’re very low in calories yet packed with vitamins and fiber.

The vitamins and minerals you’ll get from eating collard greens will help to properly fuel your body while preventing bad food cravings.

If your body is readily getting enough of the right micronutrients to run efficiently then it won’t crave those fattening health foods.

Oatmeal

Even though oatmeal might not be my favorite food I know plenty of people who love to eat it.

It’s packed fiber and high in protein keeping you feeling fuller so you won’t end up snacking.

This study found eating oats helped to prevent not only obesity but abdominal fat as well. Not to mention it improved liver function.

If you do just make sure you go with steel cut oats as they’re less processed and therefore shouldn’t cause your blood sugar to raise.

Beans & Lentils

Beans are very high in fiber and protein, low in fat and have been found to help you feeler fuller for longer leading to weight loss.

I still remember as a kid walking around singing the “beans, beans the magical fruit…” rhyme all the time. Haha

I prefer to eat black beans for their higher antioxidant content. But you can’t go wrong with eating chickpeas or lentils too.

Low carb diets are very effective for fat loss and beans are a good choice to replace many other carbs in the modern American diet such as bread, pancakes and Egg McMuffins.

Probiotics

The little healthy gut bugs in your stomach are going to be your best friend for helping to fight off belly fat.

Probiotics help to improve the health of your gut microbiota which affects your food intake and appetite, body weight and metabolic functions.

This study found probiotics to significantly reduce both visceral (deep) and subcutaneous (under the skin) abdominal fat.

I highly recommend taking BioTrust Pro-X10 for not only the probiotics, but for the abundance of other micronutrients your body needs to slim your waistline.

Blueberries

Lower in sugar than most fruits and high in antioxidants I absolutely love to eat blueberries.

I like to blend wild blueberries in my post-workout protein shakes for a quick antioxidant boost.

A study by the University of Michigan found the high amount of naturally occurring antioxidants in blueberries helped to lower deadly belly fat in rodents.

The researchers found blueberries would alter genes related to sugar uptake improving metabolic syndrome.

Broccoli

Cruciferous veggies such as broccoli and cauliflower have been found to not only reduce your risk of cancer, but they’ll also reduce elevated estrogen levels in your body.

Having unnaturally high levels of estrogen in your body could lead to you storing excess belly fat.

Eating more broccoli will help you to naturally balance out your estrogen levels.

I usually like to steam fry up a big handful of organic broccoli in the mornings along with my eggs for breakfast.

Walnuts

No need to worry the next time you’re eating walnuts. Eating them can actually help you to lose belly fat.

Walnuts are mostly made up of polyunsaturated fats, which is good news for your belly.

A 2002 study published in Diabetologia found the diabetic group fed a polyunsaturated fat diet had lower levels of subcutaneous abdominal fat and improved insulin levels.

Tart Cherries

Time to pop that tart cherry!

A study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food found the group fed tart cherries had reduced body fat including belly fat.

Another great benefit to eating tart cherries is they’ll help to reduce the amount of time it takes for your body to recovery between workouts.

Tart cherries are becoming a regular staple in the diets of professional athletes.

Milk

Milk does your body good in more ways than one.

In a 12 year study researchers found those with a high intake of dairy fat had a lower risk of abdominal obesity compared to the low dairy fat group.

As long as you’re keeping your daily calories in check then there’s no reason why you have to drink non-fat or low-fat milk.

There are powerful nutrients in higher fat milk such as calcium and CLA to help your body burn more fat.

Drinking milk doesn’t make you fat but it’ll instead help you burn more belly fat.

Peanut Sprouts

Sprouted nuts have nutritional benefits you can’t all find in regular nuts.

They’re lower in phytic acid improving your ability to absorb minerals. Sprouted nuts removes some of the enzyme inhibitors normally found in nuts.

This study in Nutrition Research and Practice found peanut sprouts improved abdominal obesity in obese women.

Whey Protein

Supplementing your body with whey protein powder is a great whey to get quick lean protein into your body so you can burn more fat while gaining lean muscle.

Adding protein to your diet creates a thermic effect in your body turning up its fat burning furnace.

You don’t have to be scared with taking a whey protein shake supplement. There’s no correlation with a high protein diet and health problems.

My favorite whey protein is Low Carb Protein Powder by BioTrust Nutrition. They use cold-processed whey protein and sweetened it with stevia for a delicious tasting fat burning meal.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are one fungus that’s actually good for you to eat.

Eating mushrooms have been found to help prevent fat deposits in the body.

They’re also a great way to add flavor to your meals. I like to cook them into my scrambled eggs and the occasional steak dinner.

Chili Peppers

Capsaicin is the special nutrient in chili peppers helping you burn more visceral abdominal fat.

This study in Obesity found topical application of capsaicin helped to reduce fat in obese mice.

Including chili peppers in your diet is a smart way to increase the flavor of your favorite flat belly foods while burning more belly fat.

See my other blog post on how to use cayenne pepper for weight loss for more on this powerful fat burning spice.

Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut along with other fermented foods are terrific sources of probiotics for your gut health.

It’s also a great way to reduce inflammation in your body along with improving your digestion.

This 2010 study published in European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found probiotics reduced both visceral and subcutaneous abdominal fat.

You’ll want to find a sauerkraut that’s been prepared in the traditional method with “live and active cultures.”

Greek Yogurt

If you’re looking for a quick and tasty snack that helps you lose belly fat then Greek yogurt is a great choice.

This study found higher fat loss (especially in the waist) of the group eating more yogurt.

Just make sure you stay away from the yogurts packed with sugars to sweeten it up.

I prefer Greek yogurt as it has higher protein, lower carbohydrate and fewer sugars compared to other yogurts.

Garlic

You can not only count on eating garlic to give you stinky breath, but it can also help you lose weight.

Garlic has been found to have anti-obesity effects while also giving your dinner a flavor spike.

It doesn’t work by directly boosting your metabolism, but by lowering fat levels in your blood.

Just make sure you don’t breathe on anybody after eating garlic.

Kiwi

Nope I’m not talking about people from New Zealand. I’m talking about the delicious green fruit with a hairy outer skin.

They’re super sweet and high in fiber, low in calories and can really help you satisfy a sweet tooth.

This study even found eating kiwis helped improve the quality of your sleep. This indirectly helps you lose belly fat by reducing cortisol in your body that can build up from lack of sleep.

Just don’t try to eat any New Zealanders.

Krill Oil

Eating more omega-3 fats in your diet will undoubtedly help you lose more stomach fat.

There are numerous studies out there proving the effectiveness of fish oil, but I like krill oil better.

It has all the omega-3 benefits of fish oil only amplified and more absorbable by your body.

Unlike fish oil, krill oil also contains the powerful antioxidant astaxathin to help you looking younger.

Lemon Water

Every morning before drinking my MetaboGreens I’ll drink a full glass of lemon water.

It’s not only a tasty way to hydrate your body first thing in the morning but it can help you lose fat.

This study found the polyphenols in lemons suppressed body weight gain and body fat buildup in the body.

Lemon juice is definitely worth the squeeze!

Grapefruit

Grapefruit juice was a huge fad in the weight loss world just a handful of years ago.

While it will help you lose weight it won’t work miracles. Combined with a nutrition program it can definitely enhance your weight loss.

This study in the Journal of Medicinal Food found obese study subjects who drank grapefruit juice lost more weight than those without it.

Pumpkin Seeds

The next time you’re carving a Jack-o-Lantern for Halloween you might want to save the pumpkin seeds.

Pumpkin seeds are high in fiber, omega-3’s, vitamins and minerals. They make a smart snack for eating on the go.

Eating pumpkin seeds in moderation can help keep your belly feeling fuller longer while keeping calories on the low. Pumpkin seeds are high in L-arginine and this study found it helps to reduce waist circumference.

Coconut Oil

Even though coconut oil is 90% saturated fat doesn’t mean it’s not good for you. It’s made up of medium chained triglycerides (MCTs) your body instantly converts to energy and ketones.

This double-blind study of 40 women in Lipids found found the group using 2 tbsp of coconut oil lowered their belly fat while the soybean oil group actually had a slight increase in it.

Interestingly enough, the coconut oil group also had an increased in HDL (good) cholesterol while the soybean oil group and reduced HDL and higher LDL (bad) cholesterol.

You can read more on how to use coconut oil for weight loss with my thorough article on the topic.

Spirulina

Spirulina is a form of algae growing in alkaline water bodies, and has quickly risen in popularity as a superfood.

Studies have found spirulina to be an effective anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and weight loss food.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Strategically taking apple cider vinegar has a lot of health benefits including improved gut health, reduced inflammation and lowering belly fat.

A Japanese study on obese subjects found those who drank apple cider vinegar had less belly fat, lower body weight, lower triglycerides and lower waist measurement.

Apple cider vinegar is terrific way to help to reduce cravings. Just take a couple tablespoons of it in a glass of water and you’ll instantly fight off your cravings.

Read more about the benefits of apple cider vinegar for weight loss at my blog post.

Turmeric

Curcumin is the special ingredient in turmeric giving it its fat burning powers.

A study published in Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry found curcumin could change the composition of fat cells in your body into ones that burned calories.

Sounds kinda crazy but it works.

Turmeric is a terrific anti-inflammatory I like to sprinkle on my morning eggs. Be sure to crack some black pepper with your turmeric to dramatically increase the absorptability.

Grass Fed Steak

Now I wouldn’t recommend eating a steak every day of the week, but there’s no reason why you can’t eat it in low moderation.

Grass fed steak isn’t only significantly higher in omega-3’s but it’s higher in L-carnitine.

L-carnitine has been found to help with weight and fat loss while increasing lean muscle gains.

You’ll want to limit your steak intake to only a couple times a week because of the saturated fat content.

Grass fed steak is a great way to add some flare to your diet while still keeping your metabolism going strong.

Bell Peppers

The cool thing about bell peppers is they come in a variety of colors.

This study found those who ate nutrient rich vegetables in green, orange and yellow colors had less belly fat.

I like to chop my up and toss them in the pan when I’m cooking up my lean meats.

It’s an quick and easy way to get more belly fat burning foods into your diet.

Pineapples

There’s nothing quite like eating some chopped up pineapple on a hot summer’s day.

Did you know pineapples can also slim down your belly?

They don’t work by directly burning belly fat, but they will help reduce belly bloat.

Pineapples contain a high amount of bromelain, which is a powerful enzyme helping to break down protein rich foods.

Without proper digestion of these protein rich foods your belly can appear bloated and bulging. Pineapples help to fight this unwanted belly bulge.

Discover more on the benefits of eating pineapples on my blog post.

Oh yeah, did I mention pineapples are delicious?

Conclusion

Now you know the top 37 belly fat burning foods you can use slim down your waistline.

I’d of course make sure you’re watching your calorie and carbohydrate intake to keep losing your belly fat.

Follow a proven nutrition and training program such as my Flat Belly Formula system for a step-by-step blueprint to melting away stomach fat.

You don’t have to force yourself to eat cardboard for the rest of your life to have a flat stomach.

The above foods help to get rid of your belly fat while tasting delicious at the same time.

Just make sure you stay away from the Big Macs.

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