Sorry, There’s No Such Thing as Fat Burning Food
There are lots of scammers out there taking money from people who desperately want to lose weight and are willing to try anything. An entire genre of miracle diets includes foods or supplements that supposedly burn fat. This is, of course, hogwash.
In order to breathe, think, and otherwise operate, the human body needs a constant supply of energy. Thanks to 3 meals a day, plus snacks, this is not a problem. Food has a combination of macronutrients – protein, carbs and fats, which contain energy (better known as calories), for the body to use.
Even if we stay in bed for 24 hours, our body still requires a minimal amount of energy per day, called the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). The more active we are, the more energy the body will use in addition to the BMR. For most people, the BMR accounts for 60 to 75 percent of the daily energy use!
Excess energy from meals is stored as fat, for use at a future date, perhaps when less food is available.
If at some point food intake is insufficient, the body will start converting fat to energy. This is what people refer to as “fat burning”. It can be the result of too little to eat, or a high amount of energy expenditure (running a marathon), or a combination of both.
No food can directly burn body fat. However, some foods do have an effect on the body’s metabolic rate. For example, caffeine has been shown to increase the BMR by a few percentage points. An increase in BMR means the body will need a refill of energy sooner, or alternatively start burning its fat stores. Before you rush out to order a tall latte, understand that the effects are not drastic.
To burn fat, you’ll need to work on reducing your caloric intake and exercising regularly.
How your body “burns fat”
In order to breathe, think, and otherwise operate, the human body needs a constant supply of energy. Thanks to 3 meals a day, plus snacks, this is not a problem. Food has a combination of macronutrients – protein, carbs and fats, which contain energy (better known as calories), for the body to use.
Even if we stay in bed for 24 hours, our body still requires a minimal amount of energy per day, called the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR). The more active we are, the more energy the body will use in addition to the BMR. For most people, the BMR accounts for 60 to 75 percent of the daily energy use!
Excess energy from meals is stored as fat, for use at a future date, perhaps when less food is available.
If at some point food intake is insufficient, the body will start converting fat to energy. This is what people refer to as “fat burning”. It can be the result of too little to eat, or a high amount of energy expenditure (running a marathon), or a combination of both.
No food can directly burn body fat. However, some foods do have an effect on the body’s metabolic rate. For example, caffeine has been shown to increase the BMR by a few percentage points. An increase in BMR means the body will need a refill of energy sooner, or alternatively start burning its fat stores. Before you rush out to order a tall latte, understand that the effects are not drastic.
To burn fat, you’ll need to work on reducing your caloric intake and exercising regularly.