A Calorie Is NOT a Calorie

By Kelley Herring

While losing weight isn't the easiest task for some, the equation is pretty simple: To drop pounds, you need to burn more calories than you consume.

Now what if I told you that certain foods come with their own built-in fat-burning mechanism? Well, it's true. These foods are thermogenic - meaning they produce heat and burn calories. Diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT) is the latest promising trend in weight loss.

A recent study published in Metabolism evaluated the effects of a fat-rich meal and a protein-rich meal on lean and obese women. The meals contained the same number of calories and had the same volume.

The researchers found that diet-induced thermogenesis was significantly higher in all the women, by almost threefold, after the consumption of the protein-rich meal in comparison with the fat-rich meal.

Get more fat-burning power in your diet by eating lean protein at every meal. And be sure to choose protein-rich snacks like organic mozzarella cheese sticks, almonds, and boiled eggs to rev up your metabolism and stave off hunger.