Something that many people wish to change about themselves these days is visceral fat, also known as belly fat. It tends to be ‘stubborn’ and hard to lose, especially if you tend to eat certain packaged foods.
Watching your diet is essential to losing fat that tends to stick around, especially the fat around your lower stomach. There’s a lot more to it than just getting in protein and eating vegetables. There are a bunch of foods that you should actually avoid, as they can not only cause you to gain more visceral fat, but they can make it harder to lose the fat you already have.
We spoke with health experts Dr. Olalekan Otulana, a physician at Cassiobury Court, and Registered Dietitian Jennifer Pallian about four packaged foods you should avoid eating if you’re looking to lose visceral fat. Read more about their selections below.
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Sugary Cereals
Sometimes, there are few things better than getting up in the morning and diving into a nice, satisfying bowl of sweet cereal. It can make you feel like a kid again! However, Dr. Otulana notes that sugary cereal is a packaged food in the grocery store that is worth skipping if you have fat around your belly that you're trying to get rid of.
"[Sugary cereals] can cause rapid spikes in blood sugar, followed by crashes that trigger cravings," he explains.
"So, frequent consumption contributes to insulin resistance, [which is] a key driver of fat storage around the organs."
Potato Chips & Other Processed Snacks
Potato chips are a classic 'junk' food, so you probably already know they're not great for you. According to health experts, chips, along with other processed snacks, can be a contributor to visceral fat, which is why you should do your best to resist buying bags of them.
According to Dr. Otulana, chips are high in saturated fat and additives, which can not only prevent you from getting rid of your visceral fat but can also raise your cholesterol levels. Therefore, they should only be an occasional snack in your household if you can help it.
Sugar-Sweetened Beverages
We're living in a world where soda and energy drinks have taken over grocery stores, and many people can hardly get through the day without some kind of sweetened beverage. Whether it's a full-sugar energy drink, soda, or beverage with a 'health halo' like bottled iced tea, be wary of these sweet drinks, which can worsen your visceral fat situation.
"Regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages such as soda, sweetened iced tea, lemonade, and sweetened energy drinks has been associated with a significant increase in visceral fat volume," says Pallian.
"This is likely due to the high fructose content in these drinks, which is primarily metabolized in the liver and converted to triglycerides. Some of these triglycerides are stored in visceral fat."
Processed Meats
Packages of processed meats like pepperoni, salami, ham, bacon, and other lunch meats, while delicious, can cause a host of problems if consumed frequently. While they're fine in moderation, these meats can increase your risk of cancer and, you guessed it, make your visceral fat issue worse.
Dr. Otulana says besides contributing to belly fat and raising cholesterol (like potato chips), processed meats can also cause inflammation, making them a not-so-great packaged item to have in your fridge 24/7. Instead, aim for lean meats and only enjoy processed meats in moderation.
