10 Foods That Help You Burn Fat

While trying to lose weight is often a reason not to eat food, what if we told you that eating certain types of food can help you lose weight, too?

Most people view food as the enemy when they're dieting, always thinking of the weight they might gain because of a food's high calorie count or the amount of fat it has, but dieting doesn't always have to be about abstinence. Rather than just avoiding certain foods because of their high fat content, it's important to consider some foods because of their proactive qualities or because of how they can affect your body in positive ways when it comes to dieting.

Click here to see 10 Foods That Help You Burn Fat (Slideshow)

Dr. Sue Decotiis, M.D., a medical weight-loss specialist based out of New York City, works with her patients to outline what foods can help them lose weight, rather than what foods they should avoid. Decotiis has helped hundreds of patients shed excess pounds and keep them off by providing them with meal plans made up of natural and healthy foods that work to their advantage. Foods such as peppers, mustard greens, egg whites, and berries all have nutritious properties that can help you increase calorie burn, decrease appetite, and enhance your sense of fullness after eating, so the more you eat of them, the better.

Decotiis explains that she recommends some foods because of their thermogenic qualities, which help increase caloric burn in the body. But in addition to those foods, other foods work more indirectly, by improving the body's ability to burn fat by enhancing digestion, reducing inflammation, and balancing intestinal bacteria. By consuming foods that help you build a good source of intestinal bacteria, your body will be able to produce a satiety hormone that works with the brain to turn off its hunger sensation.

Are you ready to start shedding some pounds? If so, don't turn your back on food. It can be your best-kept secret when it comes to burning fat.