Dietary and nutritional content reviewed by Jasmin Gorostiza, DT, DM, DSS, CFPP.️
The human body stores fat. In some extreme cases, it stores fat really fast. What happens next is the most dreaded weight gain.
Go ahead and blame it on age or genetics but diet is the main culprit. Eating an unhealthy diet is a sure way to store fat in the body. According to Healthyeating.sfgate.com:
Eating an excess of 3,500 calories contributes to a weight gain of roughly 1 pound of body weight, according to MayoClinic.com. As we eat excess calories, the fat accumulates inside our adipose cells causing the cells to expand and increase in size.
It’s pretty obvious. To stop our bodies body from accumulating fat, we need to cut down on the calories. However, we should never sacrifice our food intake. Bottom line is, we still have to eat.
The food that we need to eat to prevent our body from storing fat should all contain these natural nutrients. Here are the 10 natural ingredients that have inherent fat-fighting abilities.
10. Arginine
Researchers found that administering arginine to obese women over 12 weeks resulted in a 3-inch average reduction in waist size and a 6.5-pound average weight loss, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Dietary Supplements. While that’s a welcome effect anytime, there’s a benefit to timing our dose: L-arginine consumed before a workout can help us burn more fat and carbs, a separate study found. (1)
9. Leucine
Recent studies have been reporting substantial benefits of the high protein low carbohydrate diet on muscle conditioning and weight loss. A key element in this diet regimen appears to be the high intake of the amino acid leucine, which is part of the branch chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine and valine). Besides the stimulation of muscle protein synthesis, leucine has also shown the capacity to modulate insulin and blood sugar. (2)
8. Chromium
This mineral helps the hormone insulin work more efficiently, making it an especially important nutrient for people who have type 2 Diabetes or are at risk for it. Insulin usually helps lower blood sugar levels, but if a person has type 2 diabetes, the insulin is less effective. In fact, some cases of type 2 diabetes are actually triggered by a chromium deficiency. Chromium’s effect on insulin may also help us lose weight. Studies show that it can help us hold on to muscle while shedding fat but as with any healthy diet, don’t expect immediate results. Chromium picolinate is thought to be the best form for weight loss purposes. (3)
7. EGCG
A type of catechin prevalent in green tea, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), is said to increase resting metabolism and stimulate fat-burning. Dutch researchers helped 76 people lose weight and, over the next three months, gave the patients either a 270-milligram capsule of green tea or a placebo every day. The group who took the green tea continued to lose weight but the group taking the placebo soon regained their lost weight. Another study agreed that EGCG has the potential to increase fat oxidation in men and may contribute to the anti-obesity effects of green tea. (4)
6. L-Tryptophan
Animal research and preliminary human reports suggest that serotonin precursors such as L-tryptophan or 5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan) might help control appetite and promote weight loss. In a controlled study, increasing L-tryptophan supplementation one hour before a meal from 1 gram to 2 grams to three grams resulted in progressively fewer calories and carbohydrates being consumed during the meal at the higher L-tryptophan dosages. (5)
5. Magnesium
Magnesium may be helpful for regulating blood sugar and insulin levels in people who are overweight or obese. “A 2013 study found that taking higher amounts of magnesium helps better control insulin and glucose blood levels. This same study also showed magnesium helps with bloating and water retention,” says Dr. Sherry Ross, OB-GYN and women’s health expert at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. (6)
4. Omega-3
Getting plenty of omega-3 fats in our diet may help increase our feelings of fullness, making it easier to lose weight and keep it off, according to a study published in Appetite in November 2008. A review article published in Nutrients in 2010 noted that omega-3 fats may help with weight loss by reducing appetite and increasing fat burning, especially when combined with a reduced-calorie diet and exercise. (7)
3. Calcium
A study of 32 obese people on a low-calorie diet divided them into three groups: those whose diet was high in dairy, those who ate little dairy but took calcium supplements, and those whose diets were low-calcium and low-dairy. After 24 weeks, everyone lost a lot of fat, but those who ate the dairy-rich diet lost five pounds more. The dairy eaters’ waists also shrank by more than an inch and a half — the others lost only about one-quarter inch. (8)
2. Zinc
Zinc is important because being low in this mineral can interfere with thyroid hormone production, leading to a lowered metabolic rate, which makes it harder to drop bodyfat. Zinc deficiency is common in hard-training athletes, especially when they cut calories in an effort to get lean. One study from the University of Massachusetts (Amherst) found that subjects who were on a low-zinc diet had significantly slower metabolic rates. When they took a zinc supplement (25 mg) for 20 days, their metabolisms jumped to higher levels than before they followed a low-zinc diet. A recent study from Andong National University (South Korea) showed that zinc deficiency lowered levels of leptin, a hormone that keeps metabolism elevated and hunger suppressed. (9)
1. Resistant Starch
Animal studies have found that resistant starch prompts the body to pump out more satiety-inducing hormones. A meal with resistant starch triggers a hormonal response to shut off hunger, so we eat less. Research shows that we don’t reap this benefit from other sources of fiber. (10)
Examples of resistant starch are legumes, raw oats, potatoes, and green bananas. These are actually considered the good carbs.
While it’s natural and inevitable for our body to store fat, the good news is that we can take in these necessary nutrients to avoid weight gain.
