Wondering what the Best Foods for Abs are? Look no further, I’ll explain why these 15 foods can help you get six pack abs.
I’m sure you’ve heard plenty of people say that “abs are made in the kitchen.” Heck, maybe that’s why you’re even here. Well, I hate to say it but that’s not really true. Abs are technically made in the womb when you’re a developing fetus…
Okay, I’ll shut up. But truthfully, the actual addition of muscle mass to your abs will come from doing ab workouts plus adding more resistance, and making your ab workouts tougher over time. Does all of this sound a little unfamiliar? If so, check out my 28 Day Guide to Six Pack Abs to see more of what I’m talking about.
However, we DO know that if you don’t have your diet and nutrition under control, and you’re not eating a clean, healthy, diet to help you lose body fat… Then your abs will remain invisible, hiding out beneath a layer of chub.
If you want to really get lean, shredded six pack abs, start incorporating these 15 foods into your diet. They’re lean, clean, and healthy – and can help your body’s metabolism through various ways. See how below!
Best Foods for Abs #15: Green Tea
Green tea, often touted for it’s excellent antioxidant concentration, actually has a specific antioxidant called catechins… And those little fellas actually hinder the storage of belly fat so you can welcome the birth of your six pack abs into the world more quickly! Fresh pears are also a good source of catechins. Additionally, in a recent study, people who exercised and drank green tea regularly had more fat loss than those who didn’t drink it (but still exercised).
I actually used to hate green tea, but I found if I add just a bit of lemon juice to it, it’s pretty awesome. Plus, you’ll get an extra bump of vitamin C from the citrus juice.
Best Foods for Abs #14: Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate is one of the best foods for abs because it’s packed with tons of flavonoids— powerful antioxidants that soak up free radicals that have been linked to heart disease and cancer. Choose alkaline-free cocoa products, such as Hershey’s Cocoa, for the most powerful flavonoid punch. Besides fighting heart disease, chocolate can help keep your ticker in tip-top shape. A regular dose of cocoa powder can lower total blood cholesterol levels, reducing the risk of clogged arteries.Chocolate also helps reduce inflammation in blood vessels, keeping them pliable and capable of fully dilating for optimum blood flow to your heart and other working muscles.
And let’s not forget that this semi-sweet snack can help you get over any cravings for unhealthy foods, too, so you can stick to your nutrition plan and stay on your way to six pack abs.
Best Foods for Abs #13: Tart Cherries
This phytonutrient-rich snack is worth seeking out because they are a true superpower fruit. A study at the University of Michigan found that rats fed tart cherries showed a 9 percent belly fat reduction over rats fed a standard diet. Researchers also noted that the cherries alter the expression of fat genes!
Best Foods for Abs #12: Greek Yogurt
Protein-packed, calcium-crammed, and popping with probiotics, greek yogurt has tons of essential nutrients your body needs to function optimally and burn fat. How would you like to take all the great weight-loss results you’ve just read about—and double them? When you supplement your diet with a combination of vitamin D and calcium, according to a Nutrition Journal study, you can double your fat loss. Just four weeks into the 12-week experiment, subjects who had taken these two nutrients—found in abundance in some yogurts—lost two times more fat than the other group!
Plus, probiotics can help regulate your digestion and keep things moving – plus help your body absorb the nutrients from food.
Best Foods for Abs #11: Broccoli
This high-fiber food can help ward off prostate, breast, lung and skin cancers, as well as help you whittle your middle and carve out those six pack abs. According to experts, broccoli contains a phytonutrient called sulforaphane that increases test levels and fights off body fat storage. It’s also rich in vitamin C, a nutrient that can lower levels of cortisol during stressful situations, helping your six pack abs take center stage.
Best Foods for Abs #10: Tuna
As a prime source of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), canned light tuna is one of the best fish for weight loss and people who want six pack abs. One study published in the Journal of Lipid Research showed that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation had the ability to turn off abdominal fat genes. And this DHA… researchers say it can be 40 to 70 percent more effective at down-regulating fat genes in the abdomen, preventing belly fat cells from expanding in size and getting you closer to ripped, washboard abs. But what about harmful mercury? Mercury levels in tuna vary by species; but canned chunk light tuna, harvested from the smallest fish, is considered a “low mercury fish” and should be enjoyed up to 12 ounces, according to the FDA’s most recent guidelines.
Best Foods for Abs #9: Avocados
Avocados are great for producing a healthy, happy body and shredded six pack abs. Although they’re high in fat (the really, really good kind of fat), they also have a good deal of fiber, and a little bit of protein. In fact, studies have shown that good fats are precursors to healthy hormone production – including our sex hormones, like test, which help us build muscle faster, stay leaner, and look overall more masculine.
And if there’s a lady in your life, studies have also shown that women on low fats diets will see a reduction in breast size…. So get your swolemate to indulge with you on these healthy fats so you can BOTH see some benefits, if you know what I mean.
Best Foods for Abs #8: Berries
Berries are exceptionally high in fiber compared to other fruits, and they also make the perfect finger food for snacking, or adding to your yogurt, oatmeal, cereal, or smoothies! The sweetness from the berries can also help you curb sugar cravings, and the fiber is especially important in helping your body melt more fat. Additionally, blueberries may be muscle builders. Their skins are rich in ursolic acid, a chemical which researchers at the University of Iowa found prevents muscle breakdown in lab animals.
And to top it all off, many berries are high in polyphenols, chemical compounds that prevent fat from forming—they actively burn belly fat, spot-reducing it! I know, I know, we say it isn’t true… But science has given it to us this time. If that’s not one of the best foods for abs, then I will never know what is.
Best Foods for Abs #7: Lentils
You may as well consider them magic bullets for revealing abs. In one four-week Spanish study, researchers found that eating a calorie-restricted diet that includes four weekly servings of legumes aids weight loss more effectively than an equivalent diet that doesn’t include them. Those who consumed the legume-rich diet also saw improvements in their “bad” LDL cholesterol levels and systolic blood pressure. To reap the benefits at home, work them into your diet throughout the week. Salad is an easy way!
Best Foods for Abs #6: Bell Peppers
Even if you eat well and exercise, constant stress outs can prevent your abs from showing. When we stress, the body starts pumping out cortisol, which encourages the body to store cholesterol-raising fat around the midsection, and that’s why I call it (The Hormone That Keeps You Fat (hyperlink)). The good news is that vitamin C-rich foods like this can help keep you trim by can lowering levels of cortisol during stressful situations – helping those abs take center stage.
Best Foods for Abs #5: Spinach
Popeye’s favorite veggie can help take your six pack abs potential to the next level. This leafy green has a fair bit of protein, which is mandatory for you to build muscle. And remember: The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn at rest! What’s more, the leafy green is also rich in thylakoids, a compound that’s been shown to significantly reduce cravings and promote weight loss, taking your abs to the next level.
Best Foods for Abs #4: Salmon
Seafood, especially fatty fish like salmon, is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. These uber-healthy fats may help promote fat burning by making your metabolism more efficient, according to a fat loss expert. An Australian study showed that overweight people who ate fish daily improved their glucose-insulin response. Translated, this means that seafood may help slow digestion and prevent cravings. If that isn’t a hook, line, and sinker, consider this: Seafood is an excellent source of abs-friendly protein.
Best Foods for Abs #3: Eggs
This vegetarian friendly food contains a nutrient called choline that boosts metabolism and may help turn off the genes responsible for belly fat storage. Research has also revealed that eating eggs for breakfast instead of a high-carb dish can make it easier to lose weight—likely due to how full they make you feel. Make hard-boiled eggs or mini frittatas so you can reap the ab-shredding benefits on the go.
Best Foods for Abs #2: Almonds
These versatile nuts contain filling protein and fiber, not to mention vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant. They’re also a good source of magnesium, a mineral your body must have in order to produce energy, build and maintain muscle tissue, and regulate blood sugar. “A stable blood-sugar level helps prevent cravings that can lead to overeating and weight gain,” says David Katz, MD, a professor at the Yale University School of Medicine. But what makes it one of the best foods for abs is their ability to block calories. The composition of their cell walls may help reduce the absorption of all of their fat, making them an extra-lean nut.
Best Foods for Abs #1: Sweet Potatoes
The king of low GI carbs (meaning they digest slowly and keep you feeling fuller and energized longer), sweet potatoes are loaded with fiber and nutrients. The magic ingredient here are carotenoids, antioxidants which stabilize blood-sugar levels and lower insulin resistance, which prevents calories from being converted into fat. And their high vitamin profile (including A, C and B6) give you more energy to burn at the gym – qualifying them as one of the best foods for abs.
So now that you know why these foods are the best foods for abs, try to incorporate them into your diet – but keep in mind that although sweet potatoes are great for abs, you shouldn’t just eat a ton of them all the time, and the same goes for everything else.
For more information on portion sizes and proteins, fats, and carbs, check out my “28 day guide to six pack abs” series. In that series, I show you exactly how to combine all these foods into a meal plan that’s simple, easy to follow, and effective for getting six pack abs.
Source: http://sixpackabs.com/15-best-foods-for-abs/
