“When you talk about “burning fat,” you’re talking about the oxidation of fat in your body; Bethan Crousse, a performance nutritionist at Loughborough University, says fat breaks down lipids into fatty acids.
Cruise said regular exercise can increase the rate of fat oxidation. (When we exercise at low pressure intensity, fat provides most of the fuel for the working muscles. As strength increases, this increases the change toward carbohydrates.) But, she says, “There is not necessarily a fat-burning food.” For foods that oxidize fat, consuming it must “replicate the effects of exercise.”
She thought the idea that green tea burned fat came from when?
“The relatively high doses of caffeine found in green tea have been shown to increase fat oxidation in some cases,” Cruise said. It activates the response to combat or flight, increasing the release of hormones that mobilize energy storage, such as adrenaline and norepinephrine.
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But, she said: “It’s very few and research isn’t great – if someone tries to change their body composition, you’re definitely not on something you rely on.”
This is especially true because even if we are working out with a lot of fat, if we are in the energy surplus and burning more calories, then we won’t lose weight. “You can definitely burn fatty acids instead of carbohydrates, but you still don't lose weight,” Cruise said.
Is her secret for anyone trying to lose weight? Avoid hype around superfoods or supplements. “There are a lot of bold claims out there,” she said. Instead, increase exercise and gently reduce the number of calories consumed.
