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9 Fat-Burning Foods That Let You Eat to Lose Weight

Diet plans and ruthless exercise routines just not cutting it? Adding healthy eats to your plate can help you whittle your waistline
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Fat Burning Foods: Red Peppers
To rock a smoking hot bod you've got to keep your food hot too. What's one major cause for obesity? The obvious: overeating. But you can keep yourself from going back for seconds (or thirds) by adding natural fat burners, like hot red peppers to your plate, according to Angelone.

"Capsaicin, the compound that gives peppers their heat can help reduce hunger and increase metabolism," Angelone explains. "However, you need to eat the actual pepper and feel the burn. Capsules won't do the trick." It behooves you to break a sweat outside of the gym too, according to Angelone. "Spicy foods enhance and prolong the thermic effect of food, aka the increased calories burned just from eating that food," she says. Meals made with chili and mustard may increase the metabolic rate up to 33 percent more than an un-spiced meal would, and this effect may last as long as three hours, according to "Krause's Food and Nutrition Care Process." Good thing it's chili season.

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Fat Burning Foods: Tea
Okay, so tea isn't technically a food that burns fat, but it definitely deserves a spot on our list of fat-torchers.

Teas like black, green and oolong are calorie-free and high in antioxidants called flavonoids, which come with serious anti-inflammatory and immune system benefits, according to Angelone. "These compounds help increase metabolic rate, increase fat oxidation (fat burning) and improve insulin sensitivity," she says. Remember, managing those insulin levels (aka blood sugar levels) prevents the body from converting and storing sugars into fat, and a cup of tea not only helps prevent your body from storing more fat, it aids in torching unwanted fat in the process. Simply sip throughout the day. Pinkies out.

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Fat Burning Foods: Plain Greek Yogurt
One of the most common errors people make when trying to lose weight is forgetting to pile on the protein. "Protein increases satiety more than fiber, fat or carbs," Angelone says. And packing a whopping 22 grams of protein, Greek yogurt is a great choice -- especially in the morning.

But keep in mind not all yogurts are created equal, when it comes to foods that help burn fat.. "Greek yogurt is higher in protein than regular yogurt and is one of the highest foods in protein for the fewest calories," Angelone says. It also contains about half as much sugar as regular yogurt. So skip the sugar spike (which contributes to fat storage) and reach for plain Greek yogurt the next time you're in the dairy aisle. You can always add a touch of honey or some berries (another food that burns fat) to satisfy your sweet tooth.

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Fat Burning Foods: Eggs
Speaking of protein-loaded breakfasts, eggs are another hunger-curbing food that burns fat. "Protein-rich foods like eggs enhance satiety and lead to reduced caloric intake at the next meal," Angelone says. "This is especially true when eggs are consumed for breakfast instead of boxed cereal and milk."

Three large eggs contain about 18 grams of protein per 234 calories. However, if you're looking to cut some of the calories, you can always combine one egg with three egg whites, which totals about 16.8 grams of protein per 129 calories. How can Cap'n Crunch compete with that fat burning food?

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Fat Burning Foods: Beans and Legumes
Remember when low-carb diets were all the rage? Oh, wait -- they still are. Well, what if I told you loading up on the legumes is just as effective, if not more effective than a low-carb diet?

"Beans and legumes are rich in fiber with about 12 grams per cup," Angelone says. "They greatly enhance satiety, and one study even found that a bean-rich diet was as effective as a low-carbohydrate diet for weight loss. Researchers also discovered a bean-rich diet lowered bad cholesterol levels, whereas the low-carb diet did not." The embarrassing side effects of the so-called musical fruit seem like a small price to pay for their fat-burning and heart-helping potential (though the people around you may not agree -- whoops).

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BY JESSICA AMARIS | JAN 2, 2018 | SHARES
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