Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits contain the fat-burning nutrients fiber and vitamin C. Vitamin C stimulates your body's fat-burning capability found in the carnitine amino acid, according to Fat Free Kitchen. Vitamin C plays a role in your body's fat processing capability. This nutrient speeds the process up by diluting the fat and then eliminating it from your body. Eat a variety of fiber and vitamin C-rich citrus fruits to increase your metabolism and burn fat. Citrus fruits include grapefruit, guava, lemons, limes, oranges, tangerines, papaya and tomatoes. Drinking juices made from these fruits can also help burn fat.
Legumes
Legumes provide plant-based lean protein. Protein takes longer to digest, thereby burning more calories, according to Fat Free Kitchen. Eating a bowl of bean soup for dinner or having a bean salad can help burn calories during sleeping hours. Legumes include lentils, split peas and varieties of beans. Beans include dried and/or canned kidney, black, navy, white, red, chickpeas or garbanzos, great northern and lima varieties.
Dairy Foods
Drinking milk and eating other dairy foods may help. Dairy foods can boost weight loss by assisting in fat cell breakdown, according to Fat Free Kitchen. Calcium causes fat cells to breakdown. The mineral triggers your metabolism, according to the New York Daily News. Milk contains rich amounts of the mineral calcium. In order to receive the fat-burning properties, you need to consume between 1,200 to 1,300mg daily. Milk is an excellent source of complex carbohydrates, also. Complex carbohydrates help to keep your insulin levels at a low level. Low insulin levels assist in boosting your metabolism and burning calories. Drinking skim milk will help you burn fat without adding any unnecessary calories. Other calcium-rich dairy foods that can assist in fat burning include hard and soft cheeses plus yogurt. Encourage fat to burn during your sleep by consuming three to four daily servings of dairy foods. Taking a calcium supplement will not be as effective in stimulating your metabolism as eating the foods.
Whole Grains
Whole grains contain nutrients that burn fat by keeping your insulin levels low, according to the New York Daily News. Whole grains provide excellent sources of complex carbohydrates and fiber, both beneficial in stimulating your metabolism. This results in burning more fat and calories, according to Fat Free Kitchen. Whole grains include whole wheat, barley, brown rice, quinoa, spelt, kamut, wheat bran and wheat germ. Eating a bowl of oatmeal in the morning will both fill you up and start your day energized. A late night snack of a whole grain fruit-filled bar will help your body burn calories while sleeping.
