To lose unhealthy belly fat, you should avoid sugar. Here you can read which foods you should avoid if you want to lose belly fat in the long term and what better alternatives there are.

The area of ​​the body where fat stubbornly accumulates is and remains the lower abdomen. In addition to an unhealthy diet, stress and hormones make it difficult to shape this part of the body.

But having a flat, trained core isn’t just about looks. Excess belly fat can actually be dangerous because it increases the risk of diseases like type 2 diabetes.

If you have a tummy and want to get rid of it, you should first take a look at your own sugar consumption. This is because sugar causes the release of insulin, which stimulates the body to store fat in the stomach.

Avoiding foods that break down quickly into sugar helps the body use fat stores as an energy source.

You can replace some foods with healthier alternatives without having to give up carbohydrates completely.

For many people, a fresh glass of orange juice is part of a good morning. And fruit is healthy, no question about it. However, juicing removes the good fiber and leaves sugar.

The result is even more serious if you don’t press the juice yourself but buy it in the supermarket. A glass of apple juice quickly contains as much sugar as a can of cola – even if it’s different types of sugar.

“Many believe that juices are the best way to consume vitamin C. However, when you juice a fruit, you remove its fibers,” explains nutritionist Dr. Sarah Brewer.

“Only through the whole fruit can you get all the important nutrients that help maintain a healthy intestinal microbiome.”

Therefore, you should rely on whole fruits. For breakfast, for example, it could be an apple with protein-rich nut butter or a fresh fruit salad: This is not only more filling than a glass of juice, it also refreshes the body just as well.

To combat belly fat, you don’t have to demonize all kinds of sugar and eliminate it from your diet. However, you should pay attention to artificially added, refined sugar, which is found in many sweet treats – including ice cream.

A healthier alternative can be Greek yogurt with fresh fruits such as berries or apples. Cinnamon also goes perfectly with it.

As a nice side benefit, yogurt is high in protein, which helps keep hunger at bay for longer.

It shouldn’t surprise anyone that chips are unhealthy. The high salt content and the saturated fat content doesn’t make it any better.

If you still want to nibble, you should instead use nuts. They are full of protein and good fats, so they keep you full for a long time.

The healthy effect has already been proven in some studies. One research found that people who ate nuts for twelve weeks generally improved their diets.

Another study examined the diets of over 8,800 subjects for 28 months. It found that those who ate two or more servings of nuts per week had a 31 percent lower risk of weight gain than those who ate them rarely.

Since nuts have a very high calorie content, you should not consume too many of them.

Bacon and sausage are obviously bad for your slim figure. They can also affect your health if you eat too much of them – processed meat can be inflammatory.

This inflammation can have many negative effects and, for example, promote fatty deposits on the organs. Trans fats in particular, which are found in fast food and sweet baked goods, are harmful to the body.

Fatty types of fish such as salmon, tuna or herring are the better alternative here. These contain a high proportion of omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for heart health, hormone balance and muscle building.

While granola itself can be nutritious, most varieties contain excessive amounts of sugar. After breakfast, your blood sugar level drops a few hours later and you suddenly feel hungry.

“A very carbohydrate-rich breakfast with little fiber and protein can provide short-term energy, but hunger sets in immediately afterwards,” says nutritionist Ian Marber.

A balanced nutrient intake is the key: an egg with avocado and some whole grain bread, for example, is ideal for this. Eggs are also an excellent source of protein and are great at regulating appetite.

The original for this article “5 foods that promote belly fat – and their healthy alternatives” comes from FitForFun.