Superfoods for flat abs

Banish belly fat and crank up metabolism

from Self

Bananas - Slice one over whole-grain cereal or into yogurt (two more flat-abs foods!) to beat puffiness. One banana delivers 422 milligrams of potassium, which helps limit the amount of stomach-swelling sodium in your body.

Green tea - Sipping three cups of this brew a day may rev metabolism enough to burn 30 extra calories, thanks to the antioxidant compound ECGC. That's enough to drop about 3 pounds a year without dieting.

Oranges - Foods rich in vitamin C help curb fat absorption, and studies show that low levels of the nutrient are linked to bigger waistlines. You need only 75 milligrams a day (the amount in an orange) to trim your tummy. It doesn't get more a-peeling than that!

Spinach - Diets low in calcium and vitamin C can increase your odds of gaining belly fat. This leafy green boasts both nutrients, making it doubly slimming.

Whole grains - Complex carbs are a flat-ab friend! The fiber in whole grains helps keep your insulin levels low, which may shrink fat cells. Eat at least three 1-ounce equivalents of whole grains a day. A slice of whole-wheat bread or 1/2 cup cooked whole-grain pasta is equal to 1 ounce of grains.

Yogurt - Add some culture to your slim-down shopping list: Yogurt encourages the growth of good bacteria in your gut, crowding out the bloat-causing kind. Opt for a lowfat plain variety with a Live & Active Cultures seal.