12 Foods That Burns Belly Fat

Oatmeal Your morning snack attack is caused by a dip in blood sugar levels. Fiber-rich oatmeal stays in your stomach for hours, staving off a doughnut run. One cup of 1 minute oatmeal with water is 143. Watch out: Steer clear of the sugary flavored varieties. Choose the plain stuff, and sweeten it with berries.

Almonds and Other Nuts Go nuts! They slim your tummy by keeping it full. A Purdue University study showed that people who ate nuts felt full longer than those who ate rice cakes. Stick to 24 almonds a day to satisfy your hunger pangs without overloading on calories. One almond is 8 calories so 10 almonds is 80 calories. Watch out: Skip salted nuts; too much sodium raises blood pressure. Protein Powder or Manna360 Shake It's not just for gym rats! Protein powder contains amino acids that burn fat and build muscle. Add two teaspoons to a smoothie for a fat-busting drink. Find it at health food stores. Manna360 Shake has 130 calories. Whey Protein Powder Shake is also 130 calories. Both use just one scoop. Watch out: Make that smoothie with fruit, yogurt, and low-fat milk — adding protein powder to a chocolate shake doesn't make it health food (we wish)

Olive Oil Everyone needs a little fat — it controls hunger. Go for monounsaturated fats like olive or canola oil. They will help keep your cholesterol under control and satisfy cravings. One tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil is 120 calories. Watch out: Steer clear of hydrogenated vegetable oils; they're loaded with unhealthy trans fat.

Berries Berries stuff a lot of filling fiber into a tiny package: Just one cup of raspberries has six grams. One cup of berries are between 86 to 96 calories. Six strawberries are 96 calories. Watch out: Jelly is the junk food of the fruit world. It has almost no fiber and contains added sugar.

Eggs Eggs contain vitamin B12, which your body needs to metabolize fat. In fact, researchers at Louisiana State University found that people who ate eggs for breakfast every day lost more weight than those who ate bagels. One hard boiled egg is 77 calories. Watch out: Talk to your doc first if your cholesterol is high.

Beans and Legumes Beans are low-cal and packed with protein and fiber, which help you tone up and lose weight. Make a bean-heavy dish, such as burritos, instead of meat once a week. You'll cut a lot of saturated fat and replace it with fiber. Watch out: Refried beans are high in saturated fat. Choose plain black, pinto, or other varieties instead.

Lean Meats and Fish Your body burns more calories digesting protein than carbs or fat. Want the leanest meat out there? Opt for turkey, but to cut down even more on saturated fat, choose fish. Go for tuna and salmon; they are full of omega-3s, which help prevent stress chemicals that promote fat abs. One oz frozen salmon and frozen cod is 100 calories. Lunchmeat like Buddig is 90 calories. Got to FitDay.com for calories count on meats. Watch out: Cured meats and sausage have a lot of saturated fat.

Whole Grains The right kinds of carbs are actually good for you. Choose whole grains — their fiber keeps you from getting hungry. Go to FitDay.com to get calories count on whole grains. Watch out: Sometimes bread labeled "wheat" has been stripped of all of its fiber and nutrients. Look for "whole grain" or "100 percent whole wheat."

Peanut Butter Who would have guessed that a kid-friendly food could be waist-friendly, too? PB is packed with niacin, which keeps the digestive system on track and prevents belly bloat. Just keep an eye on portion size: Peanut butter does have a lot of fat, so limit yourself to no more than two tablespoons a day. Go to FitDay to get calories count on peanut butter. Watch out: Pick all-natural PB, which doesn't contain added sugar.

Green Vegetables If their vitamins and minerals don't persuade you, maybe their waist-whittling powers will do the trick. Veggies like spinach and broccoli are loaded with fiber and very few calories. Have a salad before a meal and you'll be satisfied with smaller portions later. Spinach, Romaine are 15 calories per cup. Same as salad mix and lettuce. Watch out: Iceberg lettuce has almost no fiber. Fill your bowl with romaine, arugula, or spinach instead.

Dairy There's a reason the woman in the yogurt commercial fits into her bikini: Calcium helps break down fat and may even prevent it from forming! Go to FitDay.com for calories count on Dairy. Watch out: Always pick low-fat or fat-free dairy over the full-fat versions.

Avocados In addition to containing lots of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, avocados are a terrific source of filling fiber (11 to 17 grams per avocado!), making them a great food for staving off hunger, says Bowden. One small avocados are 236 calories. Scarf down: Half a cup daily

Iced tea "Tea, especially green tea, is rich in antioxidants that have been proven to speed metabolism," explains Mark Ukra, author of The Ultimate Tea Diet. In fact, according to Swiss researchers, tea-drinking subjects burn a whopping 266 more calories per day than those who abstain. For consummate calorie-torching, skip bottled teas — processing has depleted them of slimming nutrients. Instead, steep a tea bag in one cup of hot water for two minutes, then cool with ice cubes. Enjoy four cups daily. Teas are generally 0 calories except for caffeine tea is like 5 calories per cup. Stash Chai Spice Tea one cup is 25 calories.

Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese This low-cal, calcium-rich treat activates the body's fat-burning hormones, say University of Wisconsin researchers. "Plus, because of its high protein content — it contains more than any other dairy product — you'll stay full longer," notes Dr. La Puma. His slimming Rx: "Grate one ounce on soups or salads daily." One tablespoon is 20 calories.

Cannellini beans When it comes to resistant starch, a unique fiber that resists digestion, these legumes lead the pack. Good news for you, because slower digestion means your body has to work harder — that is, burn more calories — in order to process your meal, explains Janine Higgins, Ph.D., lead author of a University of Colorado study on weight loss. Battle the bulge with a half-cup daily. Go to FitDay for calories count on Cannellini Beans.