9 Super Fat-Fighting Foods

Did you resolve to lose weight in 2011? Increase your body’s fat-burning power by eating more foods that help your liver (your body’s main fat-metabolizing organ) to burn fat better. While there are many fabulous foods that fight fat, here are nine of my favorites:

1. Leafy Greens: Spinach, spring mix, mustard greens, and other dark leafy greens are good sources of fiber and powerhouses of nutrition. Research demonstrates that their high concentration of vitamins and antioxidants helps prevent hunger while protecting you from heart disease, cancer, cataracts, and memory loss.

2. Cayenne: This hot spice lessens the risk of excess insulin in the body by speeding metabolism and lowering blood glucose (sugar) levels, before the excess insulin can result in fat stores. Spice up your next meal with cayenne and lessen those love handles. Read 5 Cancer-Fighting Spices for more spice-cabinet remedies.

3. Oatmeal: Surprised? This complex carbohydrate (the good kind) is slow to digest and helps to keep blood sugar levels stable while keeping you feeling full. Research also shows that consuming oatmeal reduces a person’s cravings for fatty foods.Be sure to eat the unsweetened kind. Sprinkle with ground flax seeds for even more fat-fighting power. See how to make the healthiest quick oatmeal.

4. Cinnamon: Researchers at the United States Department of Agriculture showed that a quarter to one teaspoon of cinnamon with food helps metabolize sugar up to twenty times better than food not eaten with cinnamon. Excess sugar in the blood can lead to fat storage. And cinnamon is not just for apple pie. You can add it to curries, vegetable dishes, soups, and stews.