Middle jiggle? Gone!

Q:

The spare tire of fat around my midsection has always been a problem for me—whenever I diet, I seem to lose from everywhere but my belly. It’s frustrating. Are there certain foods that can help?

A:

Yes! Our secret weapon for fighting belly fat is foods rich in anthocyanins, like berries, black beans, beets, purple grapes and cherries. A study published in the Journal of Medicinal Food found that subjects who consumed these compounds regularly lost 30% more belly fat over 90 days than the control group. The reason: Anthocyanins spur muscle cells to preferentially burn visceral fat (the dangerous abdominal fat that surrounds the organs) for fuel. Other studies have also shown that anthocyanins switch off the chemical messengers that allow belly-fat cells to absorb new fat, plus reduce the output of fat-promoting inflammatory compounds by 70%.

To get the perks, aim to enjoy 1 to 2 servings per day. And for even more potent benefits, pick raw berries. Enzymes in these gems break down toxins and stimulate the movement of the lymphatic system to further shrink fat stores and banish bloat.