FAT-BURNING FIGURED OUT

Make your shopping list a fat-torching force to be reckoned with – these metabolism-boosting foods will have you burning unwanted fat all day long

Ingredients to torch excess pounds

AVOCADO

You’re not really serious about weight loss until you jump on the avocado bandwagon, with the monounsaturated fats in this fruit helping regulate blood sugar levels, which in turn staves off hunger.

SWEET POTATO

One sweet potato packs half of your RDA of vitamin C, which – aside from boosting immunity – is linked to reduced muscle wastage, while research suggests a lack of the vit could hinder fat loss.

QUINOA

Narrowing your carb options to natural sources is the first step to avoiding sugar crashes and cravings, but you need to go one better for accelerated fat loss. Quinoa’s high protein and fibre content will keep you satiated for longer.

CHIA SEEDS

A wellness staple, these seeds are packed with satiating fibre. However, their real nutritional kick comes from omega-3 – this essential fatty acid can’t be produced by the body but is crucial for regulating cardiovascular function.

LEMON

A squeeze of lemon can be fused into most recipes and – as well as giving your salads a fresh, citrus tang – it kickstarts the production of bile. Unappetising as that sounds, it’s essential for weight loss, facilitating the proper breakdown of food.

CHILLI

That chillies aid weight loss won’t be a revelation to

WH readers – the capsaicin in this fiery fruit is a potent stimulator of your metabolism. Give your meals a kick if you’re hot on fat-burning.

TURKEY

Meeting your protein quota without navigating excess fats can be tricky. Swap steak for turkey – it contains more protein per gram than most cuts of beef, pork or chicken and is incredibly low-fat compared to other sources.

YOGHURT

Diets lacking in calcium – and from dairy in particular – cause the body’s natural fat-burning processes to stall, according to research from the University of Tennessee. Yoghurt is a cheap and easy way to keep your levels up.

GINGER

It’s not our bag to hate on carbs, but diets rich in the processed kind cause spikes in blood sugar, which intensify hunger. Instead of turning to sweet snacks for a pick-me-up, introduce ginger to your diet to smooth out fluctuations.