Food for thought

I read an interesting article this morning that claimed the following eight foods actually help to "fight fat": Almonds, berries, oranges, sweet potatoes, cinnamon, soybeans, mustard, and Swiss cheese. Why you might ask? Let's dive in.

The claim actually seems feasible upon further investigation. Almonds are high in alpha-linolenic acid, which can speed the metabolism of fats, but their natural high fat content can be counter-intuitive if you eat too many, so stick to 12 per serving.

Berries that are loaded with Vitamin C such as strawberries and raspberries can help you burn up to 30 percent more fat during exercise, but their high sugar content can also be counter-productive if you consume too many when on a low calorie diet. Oranges contain a compound called flavones that has a natural ability to burn fats, coupled with its citric acid this food is a great find.

Sweet potatoes can be tricky. Most people do not eat this vegetable unless it is smothered with butter, sugar, and nuts, so beware. Eaten alone, however, this high fiber food prevents your body from drastic peaks in insulin and therefore reduces the fat that your body holds onto. Add a little cinnamon, which also prevents a post meal insulin spike that normally occurs after you eat and signals the body that it should store fat rather than burn it, and you are hitting two birds with one stone, so to speak.

Soybeans are green vegetable that are rich in choline, a compound that blocks fat absorption and breaks down fatty deposits. This is becoming a great new super food, that just until recently had very little publicity.

While I personally do not like mustard, the spice that gives mustard its color, turmeric, may slow the growth of fat tissues, and I am all for that.

Finally, Swiss cheese. This one stumped me. According to Michael B. Zemel, Ph.D., director of the Nutrition Institute at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, "Calcium-rich foods reduce fat-producing enzymes and increase fat breakdown." Put toe to toe with some of its cheesy counterparts, Swiss is a heavy hitter in the calcium department and has less fat too.

Now that is some food for thought! I know that I need all the help I can get with all of these holiday parties coming up. Maybe they will have some mustard covered soybeans, fruit salad, or some cinnamon & almond covered sweet potatoes.. haha, or maybe not.