We all know that the best way to lose weight is to eat less and exercise, but of course what you eat is just as important as how much you eat. For example, did you know that certain foods actually help you burn fat? It is true.

For years, researchers have touted the benefits of drinking green tea. It fights heart disease, cancer and other diseases, helps reduce stress levels, and actually increases your metabolism—helping your body burn fat even when you are sitting at your desk or watching TV. The catechins in green tea stimulate the body all day long, allowing you to burn calories and reduce body fat. They also assist in lowering cholesterol. The research shows that drinking four cups a day give you the best results, but even one cup a day show moderate spikes in metabolism—and green tea supplements are also available and effective.

Two other key foods are garlic and onions. These two power bites actually breakdown fatty deposits in the body (again, helping to fight cholesterol as well). The phytochemicals they contain ward off illness while they fight fat.

It has also long been shown that turning up the spices speeds up the metabolism. Things like cayenne pepper, jalapenos, Cajun spices, and turmeric/curry (also known as ‘the skinny spice’) can help increase metabolism while lowering blood glucose levels before the extra insulin can be stored as fat. Curry actually impedes the formation of new blood vessels—and new blood vessels actually push the fat to the surface of the skin (resulting in that lovely cottage cheese look). Turmeric/Curry also helps strengthen your liver while helping your body metabolize fat by decreasing the storage rate in your liver.

Another buzzword lately is flax. Flaxseed and flaxseed oil actually help get rid of fat by attracting fat-soluble toxins and removing them from the body. Flaxseed oil can be used in place of most oils and flaxseeds can be added to nearly anything you bake.

Finally, there is the cinnamon powerhouse. Jerry Seinfeld once said, “When asked what’s in that, the answer invariably comes back ‘cinnamon.’” While that may not be completely true, it should be! Cinnamon helps metabolize sugar twenty times better than foods not eaten with cinnamon. Add it to your tea, your oatmeal…your bread, your oatmeal cookies—you’ll love the taste and the benefits!

So you see, it is not just how much you eat, but what you eat that helps metabolize and fight that fat. Add a few or all of these to your meals and notice a change in your waistline in no time.