5 Fatty Foods that Make You Skinny
by David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding
If we were what we ate, then people who ate lots of hot dogs and pork chops would
be solid walls of muscle. People who ate lots of pasta would be stringy and
fat-free. People who ate lots of pecan pie would be Zooey Deschanel (sweet, but
nutty and flaky).
And people who ate a lot of fat would be fat.
What’s that, you say? That last sentence is true? People who eat fat are fat?
Well, no, not necessarily. Science shows that eating fat won’t make you fat any
more than eating money will make you rich.
Now, eating foods that are packed with the wrong kinds of fat will
make you fat. Trans fats found in pie crusts and other baked goods, and
saturated fats found in processed and grain-fed meats, add hefty calories while
doing mostly harm to your body’s nutritional bottom line. But healthy fats will
do the opposite: They can quell your appetite, cutting the number of calories
you eat in a day, while improving your heart health and stoking your
metabolism.
Delicious, fatty foods that help you lose weight? Where can you sign up?
Right here!
#1: Grass-Fed Beef
Yeah, I know: grass-fed beef is a little pricey. But its higher ratio of good-for-you fats make it well worth the cost: A study in Nutrition Journal found that grass-fed meat contains higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which are known to reduce the risk of heart disease. And when it comes to your waistline, grass-fed beef is naturally leaner and has fewer calories than conventional meat. Consider this: A 7-ounce conventional strip steak, trimmed of fat, will run you 386 calories and 16 grams of fat. But a 7-ounce grass-fed strip steak is only 234 calories and five grams of fat—you’ll save more than 150 calories and your steak will taste better. Ready to take advantage of beef’s weight-loss potential? Pick up the all-new Grill This, Not That! It’s loaded with delicious recipes that have been specifically designed to save you cash and calories.
#2: Olive Oil
Olive oil is rich in cancer-fighting polyphenols and heart-strengthening
monounsaturated fats, and when it comes to looking lean, it’s backed by some
pretty strong facts. A recent study from Obesity found that an
olive-oil-rich diet resulted in higher levels of adiponectin than did a
high-carb or high-protein diet. Adiponectin is a hormone responsible for
breaking down fats in the body, and the more you have of it, the lower your BMI
tends to be. Reap the benefits by making olive oil your cooking fat of choice
and using it in dressings and sauces.
BUST BELLY FAT: Skipping breakfast increases your chances of becoming obese
by 4.5 times, making it one of the 20 Habits that Make You Fat! How many do you
need to break?
#3: Coconut
Coconut is
high in saturated fat, but more than half of that comes from lauric acid, a
unique lipid that battles bacteria and improves cholesterol scores. And get
this: A study published in Lipids found that dietary supplementation of
coconut oil actually reduced abdominal obesity. Of the participants, half were
given two tablespoons of coconut oil daily and the other half were given soybean
oil, and although both groups experienced overall weight loss, only the coconut
oil consumers’ waistlines shrunk. Sprinkle unsweetened flakes over yogurt or use
coconut milk in a stir-fry to start whittling your waist.
SANDWICH SABOTEURS: Restaurant sandwiches are prime suppliers of fatty
toppings. Watch out for overblown renditions like The Cheesecake Factory’s
Grilled Chicken and Avocado Club. Clocking in at an astonishing 1,752 calories,
it’s one of The 25 Worst Sandwiches in America.
#4: Dark Chocolate
Good news for
your sweet tooth: Chocolate can help you flatten your belly. Dark chocolate,
that is. But to truly take advantage, don’t wait until dessert: A recent study
found that when men ate 3.5 ounces of chocolate two hours before a meal, those
who had dark chocolate took in 17 percent fewer calories than those that ate
milk chocolate. The researchers believe that this is because dark chocolate
contains pure cocoa butter, a source of digestion-slowing stearic acid. Milk
chocolate’s cocoa butter content, on the other hand, is tempered with added
butter fat and, as a result, passes more quickly through your GI tract. Because
dark chocolate takes more time to process, it staves off hunger and helps you
lose weight.
SWEET SUMMER: Dark chocolate is safe, but there are plenty of sweets to watch
out for. Beware of the 6 Worst Desserts for Your Beach Body.
#5: Almond Butter
Numerous
studies have indicated that almonds can help you lose weight despite their high
fat content. In fact, a study from the International Journal of Obesity and
Related Metabolic Disorders compared two diets over the course of six
months. One group followed a low-fat, calorie-restricted diet (18 percent fat)
and the other followed a moderate-fat diet (39 percent fat) in which the extra
fat was supplied by almonds. The latter group lost more weight than the low-fat
dieters, despite the fact that both groups consumed the same amount of total
calories. Furthermore, the almond eaters experienced a 50 percent greater
waistline reduction. How is this possible? Almonds contain compounds that limit
the amount of fat absorbed by the body, so some passes through undigested. Try
stirring almond butter into your oatmeal, spreading it on toast with banana
slices, or eating a couple spoonfuls as a snack.
For more instant weight-loss tips, follow Eat This, Not That! on Twitter or sign up for the FREE Eat This, Not That!
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