Foods that Cause Belly Fat

Tap to Read ➤ Ishani Chatterjee Shukla

Fatty foods make you fat, it's as simple as that, right? Well... things may not be that simple after all, as certain foods have the affinity of sending their calories to specific areas of the anatomy.

If your body ever came out with a 'most wanted list of criminals' who are responsible for bloating you out, it would definitely include salt, carbohydrates, and fats as the chief culprits. Now, when I mention carbohydrates and fats, I only point towards some particular types of carbohydrates and fats.

It is simple carbohydrates which are easy to digest (such as refined sugars, glucose, fructose, and sucrose), and saturated and trans fats which are the culprits. Along with a list of specific food items that are high in these nutrients, let's understand how these nutri-villains go about in adding those extra inches and pounds to your body.

Saturated and Trans Fats

Fats are an important source of energy for the body. However, the excess fat that is left behind after the body has burned what it needed is what spells trouble.

Since these fats have a tendency to harden when stored in room temperature, we can assume that once stored elsewhere on the body, it is usually very difficult to revert to them and burn them as fuel. Most non-vegetarian food sources are high in saturated fats, with some vegetarian fats and oils also being included.

Besides being difficult to burn once stashed away, saturated and trans fats bring a malefic package of harmful cholesterols, and these cholesterols eat into the good ones, thereby taking over gradually. The equation is simple―more the quantity of harmful cholesterol, more the person is prone to develop heart disease. No wonder obesity and heart attacks are in perpetual matrimony to each other.

Foods high in trans fats include:- Fast foods Commercially available fried snacks Cookies Muffins Pre popped popcorn in butter flavor Potato fries and wedges Snack pies Burgers

Pizzas of commercial pizzerias Croissants Cupcakes Canned or processed food items such as cereal, pasta, soups Food mixes Packaged sauces Restaurant cooked food Vegetable shortening Frozen food items Whole dairy products Butter, lard Beef, pork, bacon, chicken

Most of the time, it is the presence of partially hydrogenated oils in the preparation of these commercial and processed food items. Partially hydrogenated oils increase the shelf life of these products, therefore, commercial manufacturers generously use it in their products. Trans fats are a type of saturated fats.

Refined Carbohydrates

Refined carbohydrates are easy to digest, and, as such, are a great source of instant energy. However, if consumed in excess, these get converted into fats and get stored away, especially around the abdominal girth.

Simple carbohydrate-rich foods such as sweets, desserts, chocolates, cookies, etc., are some of the chief foods that cause belly fat in women, as the femmes are more prone to munch on these delectable edibles on those times when they feel emotionally down or are going through one of those mood swings.

Primary foods that fall under this category include:- Chocolates Candies Cookies Cakes Muffins White rice

Refined flour Ice creams Coffee/Tea (if refined sugar is used) Sweetened beverages and sodas Table sugar Sugar coated cereals Basically, any food high in simple carbohydrates such as those containing refined sugar fall under this category.

Salt

Wondering how salt pads you up? Well, sodium molecules fortify the already stored fat cells by surrounding them with water, further puffing them out.

This water accumulation manifests as a bloated appearance, and adds to the overall girth, as the excess salt that is left over after the digestive process has concluded passes over the stomach area first, the flourishing ground of the previously stored fats. Most canned, fried, processed, and salted foods contain salt or sodium.

Besides these, other foods high in salt or sodium are:- Cheese Meat Cornmeal Chickpeas Sauces Seasonings Pickles and chutneys Oysters Self-raising flour

The next time you're merrily munching away at those ready-made rice krispies, remember that you're inviting the terrible trio―salt, trans fats, and simple carbs in the rice used―into your system at the same time.