Avoid Fructose
While fructose is a natural sugar and that’s a positive, too much of a good thing quickly turns to a negative. Georgia Health Sciences University published a study on adolescents that showed those who consumed the most fructose had about 20% MORE visceral fat than those who ate the least. Avoid items like:
- Soda, Energy & Sports drinks and many juice blends
- High-Fructose Corn Syrup
- Table Sugar
DO NOT STOP EATING NATURAL WHOLE FRUIT! The fiber and other nutrients in the fruit blunt absorption of the fructose, making it less likely to cause belly fat gain.
Avoid Trans Fats
Trans fat has a very powerful association with weight gain, even more than other types of fat. Diets rich in trans fat cause a redistribution of fat tissue into the abdomen and lead to a higher body weight even when calories are controlled. Researchers at Wake Forest University found that trans fats increase the amount of fat around the belly. Trans fats do this not just by adding new fat, but also by moving fat from other areas to the belly.
Foods that are likely to contain trans fats are:
- Stick margarines & shortenings
- Packaged Foods
- Bakery Items (pies, crackers, cookies, cakes)
- Potato chips, corn chips, store bought popcorn
- Fried fast foods (fried chicken, fried fish, French fries, doughnuts)
- Hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs
- Desserts
Avoid Refined Grains
These refined, white-flour products contribute to belly fat, as a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2010 found that adults who consumed a higher amount of whole grains in lieu of refined grains also had lower visceral fat in their abdomens. People who reported consuming more refined grains also had larger waist size measurements. Refined-grain products to avoid include:
- White Flour (white bagels, cookies, cakes & white bread)
- White Pastas
- White Rice
