The #1 Secret to Lose Belly Fat

Did you know belly fat is the worst fat we can have on our bodies? Belly fat is something both men and women find creeps up onto their bodies. Visceral fat is a type of belly fat that lives deep in the body and wraps itself around the organs, causing long-term risk for chronic diseases. A new study has linked obesity and sodium intake so closely that cutting down on salt might be the best way to shed that belly fat. Think of it this way, for every extra gram of salt eat in a day (just a 1/5 of a teaspoon) or about the amount found in tiny salt packets, the risk of obesity increases by 25% according to the research from the Queen Mary University in London. Researchers speculate that sodium alters our metabolism, changing the way we absorb fat. 

From the packaged foods we buy at the grocery store to the dishes we order in restaurants, the American diet leads to the over consumption of salt. On average the American man eats 4,243 mg of sodium per day which is double what experts recommend. Women on average consume about 3,000 mg daily. Most of the salt we eat comes from restaurant and packaged foods rather than our own salt shaker. The best way to seize control is to cook more at home which will automatically cut your salt intake in half. 

3 Tips to Reduce Your Sodium Intake

1. Less Salt, More Pepper: Now, whenever we flavor our meals we tend to shake a few more dashes of salt than we do pepper. If you reverse that amount, your weight gain will fade. Animal studies show the compound piperine which has been shown to fight obesity-causing inflammation is released when you grind pepper. In humans, it's also proven to improve the ability to get a nice tan while spending less time in the sun. Previous studies show piperine helps impove blood levels of nutrients like EGCG which boosts your metabolism and is found in green tea.

2. Train your palette with herbs: Recently, a significant behavioral study showed adults how to use herbs in place of salt. As a result, the subjects cut nearly a full gram of sodium a day from their intake. That's enough to cut your risk of obesity by 25%. The top choices: fresh parsley and chives. Each ranks higher in nutritional density than that so-called superfood kale, according to a study from William Paterson University. 

3. Observe the 140 Rule: For any food to be labeled low-sodium, the FDA requires soups to contain no more than 140 mg of sodium per serving. This is a smart guideline for any processed food. If the sodium levels are over that, look for another product.