12 Foods That Help You Burn Fat All Year Long
Your month-to-month guide to buying healthy produce picks that fuel your fat-loss goals.
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January: Oranges
Benefits: Oranges are a great source of potassium, which can help regulate blood pressure and heart health. They also provide vitamin C for staving off post-workout free radical damage and disease.
Look for: Firm, smooth skin and heavy for size.
February: Brussel sprouts
Benefits: Good source of vitamin C for fighting disease; potassium and folate for healthy heart, blood pressure and fending off cancers.
Look for: Firm, compact heads
March: Asparagus
Benefits: Rich in folic acid for keeping homocysteine levels down, which helps reduce risk of heart disease, cancers and mental decline; antioxidants for strong blood vessels and healthy cells.
Look for: Odorless, dry and tight tips; not wilted or limp stalks.
April: Honeydew melon
Benefits: Great source of vitamin C, shown to diminish wrinkles and keep youthful skin.
Look for: Spherical shape with waxy (not fuzzy) surface and heavy for size
May: Strawberries
Benefits: One of the best fruits for disease-fighting antioxidants and phenolics, particularly fending off breast and colon cancers.
Look for: Shiny, bright red, firm not mushy
June: Blueberries
Benefits: Rich in plant-based chemicals called phenolic acids and anthocyanins, which fight cancers and heart disease and boost memory; ellagic acid fends off bacterial infections.
Look for: Firm, plump and dry with dusty blue color and uniform in size
July: Cherries
Benefits: Contains cyanidin, a plant-based compound that can bring down inflammation. Cherry juice has been shown to reduce muscle pain and strength loss postworkout.
Look for: Firm and red with stems attached, avoid soft, shriveled or speckled
August: Tomatoes
Benefits: Packed with the antioxidant lycopene, which may fend off cancers, particularly ovarian cancer.
Look for: Bright, shiny skin and firm flesh
September: Broccoli
Benefits: High in sinus-infection-fighting vitamin C; calcium for preventing menstrual cramps and headaches; and high amounts of sulforaphane, which helps prevent breast cancer.
Look for: Odorless, tight heads with bluish, green florets
October: Pumpkin
Benefits: Good source of fiber, which is good for blood sugar control, potassium for keeping blood pressure in check and overall heart health and lutein, for eye health.
Look for: Firm and heavy; avoid ones that are mushy and blemished
November: Sweet Potatoes
Benefits: Excellent source of beta carotene, which has been shown to fend off breast cancer; vitamin C for healthy cells and fiber for good blood sugar control.
Look for: Firm with smooth skin, avoid dark spots, cracks and softness
December: Kale
Benefits: High in carotenoids, such as lutein, good for eye sight and lowering the risk of lung cancer, esophageal cancer and oral cancers; potassium for optimal blood pressure and calcium for strong bones and teeth.
Look for: Dark green in small bunches, avoid brown or yellow leaves