Watch Your Waistline This Xmas With These Fat-Releasing Foods
We don’t want to spoil your holiday fun. Christmas comes just once a year, and it would be rude not to indulge in a few calorific treats. Still, it’s easier than you might think to pile on some extra pounds during the holiday season. And Christmas Day, forget it! It’s estimated that we can inhale around 6,000 calories in just one day. So, as those extra rolls aren’t going to just melt away like snowmen, we’re here to rescue you from your January food coma. So, you can still indulge, but give your diet a healthy holiday gift with these fat releasing foods that can actually help you lose weight this season.
Flaxseed
As the perfect base to any delicious festive smoothie, dish or rich xmas dessert, Flaxseed meal is also a great source of healthy fats. In fact, this nutty little grain is packed with Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs and MUFAs), Monounsaturated Fatty Acids, that benefit your gut, as well as fiber. Nutritionist Ashley Koff, RD recommends Flaxseed meal because “ soluble fiber forms a gel when it contacts water, so digestion takes more time, and carbohydrate-containing foods are absorbed more slowly into the bloodstream.” This means that instead of storing fat, your body will be able to use the carbs for energy.
Peppers
Often served on a platter at festive parties, lurking next a mouthwatering dip, these crunchy little veggie sticks are actually a slimming powerhouse. Peppers are packed with a hearty dose of vitamin C and capsinoids. According to studies, the capsaicin content can transform fat-burning modules in your body. They can also give you a fiber boost which helps keep you fuller, longer.
Balsamic Vinegar
Often out-shined by olive-oil as a dressing of choice, balsamic vinegar is a tasty and low-calorie addition to any salad or dish. Studies show that it helps you accumulate less body fat and can help regulate your blood sugar, and prevent it from spiking after meals. In fact, all vinegars can help reduce bloating, from apple cider to red wine, which gives you another excuse to drizzle wine over everything this season!
Lemon
Citrus fruits like lemons, oranges or limes are another fat releasing addition to your diet. Bright lemons are loaded with vitamin C , and the Nutritionist Ashley Koff, RD confirms that they contain “a weak acid which helps to stimulate your stomach for optimal digestion. As a result, they’re a key secret in slimming down, especially flattening the tummy area.” So the next time you’re about to have a festive food coma, try having hot water with lemon, or drizzle lemon over everything for a splash of slimming flavor.
Cinammon
Cinnamon is not only a tasty Starbuck’s latte flavor, it’s also another skinny addition to your festive diet. Ostrowe explains that, “Cinnamon can help lower blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity. This means that less sugar in your body will be stored as fat, and that it can help aid weight loss.” Another study in 2012 from the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics discovered that adding cinnamon to cereal can help moderate glucose after eating. So you can feel guilt-free the next time you sprinkle it or dust it over savory dishes or hot drink for a festive treat.
Hopefully we can save you from at least a couple of extra pounds this Christmas season! If not, we’ll see you in the gym on January 1st!