If you guys think that spending time each day at the gym is going to help develop a great looking six pack then think again.
In order to actually achieve this look you need to make sure that you are eating the right sorts of foods as well as exercising on a regular basis. In order to help you create your ideal diet we take a look at 5 best to foods to eat to build a six pack.
Food 1 – Whole Grains
Not only will these provide you with essential dietary fibre that your body needs.
By including whole grains in your diet will help to provide you with a lot more energy for longer periods of time, which will prove extremely beneficial when working out. You need to make sure that you include only 100% whole grains in your diet.
Amaranth
Amaranth was a staple of Aztec culture, until Cortez, in an effort to destroy that civilization, decreed that anyone growing the crop would be put to death. Seeds were smuggled out to Asia, where local dialects referred to Amaranth as “king seed” and “seed sent by God” as a tribute to its taste and sustenance.
Amaranth kernels are tiny; when cooked they resemble brown caviar.Amaranth is a “pseudo-grain” – like quinoa and buckwheat, it’s not in the Poaceae botanical family, but is listed with other grains because its nutritional profile and uses are similar to “true” cereal grains.
(Two other amaranth species — A. hypochondriacus and A. caudatus — are also grown for their edible seeds, but A. cruentus is most common.)
Today amaranth is making its way back, thanks to a lively, peppery taste and a higher level of protein (it’s roughly 13-14% protein) compared to most other grains.
In South America, it is often sold on the streets, popped like corn. Amaranth has no gluten, so it must be mixed with wheat to make leavened breads. It is popular in cereals, breads, muffins, crackers and pancakes.
Whole Wheat
This one is pretty easy, as long as you don’t let food marketers trick you. It can be readily found in bread and pasta products, but make sure the label says “100 percent whole wheat.” Terms like “multigrain” and “wheat” don’t cut it.
As when you’re shopping for any whole-grain product, look at the ingredients and make sure the whole grain is at or near the top of the list.
Each serving should contain at least 2 or 3 grams of fiber.
Whole Oats/Oatmeal
Oats are particularly rich in avenanthramide, an antioxidant that protects the heart.
When you’re shopping for this whole grain, whether you see the word “whole” or not doesn’t matter the way it does with wheat products.Oats in the ingredients list mean the product is made from whole oats. But, if you are buying something like instant oatmeal, avoid those that contain high-fructose corn syrup. Studies have found that it was a source of mercury contamination in oatmeal. We suggest sticking to the good old-fashioned unsweetened kind and mixing in a little fruit or honey.
Bulgur
For all practical purposes, bulgur is considered a whole grain, even though up to 5 percent of its bran may be removed during processing. It’s so good for you, though, we’re putting it on the list. The grain, which is used to make tabbouleh salad, is a great source of iron and magnesium. The fiber and protein powerhouse (a cup contains nearly 75 percent of the dietary fiber you need for the day, and 25 percent of the protein you should get) can be used in salads or tossed in soups. And it cooks in only a few minutes.
Brown Rice
When you choose white rice over brown, around 75 percent of its nutrients—including nearly all the antioxidants, magnesium, phosphorus, and B vitamins contained in the healthy bran and germ—are left on the milling-room floor. Always opt for brown rice, which includes brown aromatic varieties like basmati and jasmine. Get even more exotic with red and black rice, both of which are considered whole grains and are high in antioxidants. Though technically a grass, wild rice is also considered a whole grain and is rich in B vitamins, such as niacin and folate.
Whole-Grain Barley
Eating a half-cup of whole barley regularly during a 5-week period cut participants’ cholesterol levels by nearly 10 percent when compared to other participants who went without barley in a USDA study. Add raisins or dried apricots to quick-cooking barley and serve it as a side dish. Just make sure it’s whole-grain barley, not “pearled,” which means the bran and germ have been removed.
Whole Rye
According to nutritional research from the nonprofit Organic Center, rye has more nutrients per 100-calorie serving than any other whole grain. It has four times more fiber than standard whole wheat and provides you with nearly 50 percent of your daily recommended amount of iron. The problem is, most rye and pumpernickel bread in this country is made with refined flours. Be persistent and look for “whole rye” topping the ingredients list to get the healthy benefits.
Buckwheat
This common pancake whole grain is one of the whole grains many people living with celiac disease can tolerate (others include quinoa, amaranth, and sorghum). And it’s one of the best grain-based sources of magnesium, a wonder mineral that does everything from ease PMS symptoms to improve nerve functioning; and manganese, which boosts brain power. And thank goodness for that, because who doesn’t enjoy a good buckwheat pancake from time to time?
Whole-Wheat Couscous
Most of the couscous you see is a form of pasta, usually made from refined wheat flour. So when you’re eying the items in the aisle for the healthiest couscous pick, look for the whole-wheat kind, most easily found in natural-food stores.
Skipping the refined version and going with the whole-grain type will gain you 5 additional grams of fiber.
Corn
Yes, corn can be healthy for you when it’s whole! A good source of B vitamins, magnesium, and phosphorus, whole corn is also thought to increase healthy gut flora, which can ward off diabetes, heart disease, and chronic inflammation.
Yellow corn is also high in antioxidants. The easiest way to eat it? Popcorn. Just skip the microwavable kinds that use harmful chemicals in the bags’ nonstick lining. Instead, buy organic popcorn kernels and pop them in a microwave using an ordinary paper bag, or do it the old-fashioned way on the stovetop. Organic is important, as about 40 percent of the corn grown in the United States is genetically modified (GM) to withstand higher doses of pesticides. Some studies are starting to link GM foods to allergies and other health problems.
Quinoa
Though it’s technically a seed and not a grain, this ancient South American power food is packed with more protein than any other grain, and each uncooked cup of the stuff (about three servings) has 522 milligrams of omega-3 fatty acids. Your family will likely enjoy its light, nutty flavor for a change of pace at the dinner table
Freekeh
This Arabic grain is a low-carb form of ancient wheat that has up to four times more fiber than brown rice. Freekeh kernels are harvested while they’re young and then roasted. They contain more vitamins and minerals, such as immune-boosting selenium, than other grains. Once in your stomach, freekeh acts as a prebiotic, stimulating the growth of healthy bacteria that aid digestion. Look for it in Middle Eastern markets or natural-food stores.
Food 2 – Cruciferous Vegetables
The kinds of vegetables that we are talking about here and which are considered to be one of the best to foods to eat to build a six pack include the likes of cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower.
As well as providing your body with important nutrients that it needs to function effectively, they also contain very little calories.
So they will help your body to burn off fat more easily.
- Cruciferous Vegetables
- Arugula
- Bok choy
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Chinese cabbage
- Collard greens
- Daikon radish
- Horseradish
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Land cress
- Mustard greens
- Radish
- Rutabaga
- Shepherd’s purse
- Turnip
- Watercress
Food 3 – Allium Vegetables
The kinds of foods that would be part of this group are garlic, chives and onions. Of course they may not exactly be good for your breath, but they are rich in flavonoids.
Flavonoids are very important to our bodies as they help to keep our cardiovascular system working correctly and again are vital to providing us with plenty of stamina when working out.
How would we cook without onions and garlic? Sautéed in canola or olive oil, they are key ingredients in many tasty and healthful vegetarian meals.
These versatile vegetables are high in beneficial sulfur compounds, giving them their distinctive flavor and aroma.
Onions and garlic belong to the Allium genus.
Allium, in fact, is derived from the Greek word for garlic.
Shallots, leeks, and chives are also members of the allium family.
Onions have been cultivated for thousands of years and originated in the Near East and Central Asia. They were grown not only for use in cooking, but for their antiseptic qualities.
In Egypt, onions were used in mummification.
The most familiar allium is the common, or bulb, onion of the species Allium cepa, which may have a yellow, white, red, or purple skin. While onions may be fresh, they are most commonly purchased dried
Fresh, also called “sweet”, onions have a milder taste.
Dry, also called “storage,” onions, have a h3er flavor. Dry onions have thick, paper-like skins. The vast majority of onions purchased at the supermarket are yellow storage onions.
Pungent yellow onions are the best “keepers” and are great additions to soups and stews, while red onions are very sweet, but a poor choice for long-term storage.
Red onions are good sliced and eaten raw in salads or sandwiches, or for topping a veggie burger. Common mild onions include Bermuda and Spanish varieties. Pearl onions — which are most often white — are the tiniest of the bulb onions, and are the top choice for boiling or pickling.
Many people think that scallions are a type of onion, but in fact they’re simply the immature plants of any bulbing onion, harvested before the bulb is fully formed.
Scallions may also be called spring onions, green onions, or salad onions.
The green tops and the white root (the developing bulb) of scallions are both eaten.
One type of onions, commonly called “bunching onions,” are members of the species Allium fistulosum.
They’re called bunching onions because they’re usually sold in bunches at supermarket. Bunching onions produce the best scallions with a milder taste than other onion varieties.
A native to Central Asia, garlic (Allium sativum) has historically been prized for both culinary and medicinal use. Garlic has the h3est flavor of all the alliums.
A hardy perennial, garlic grows as bulbs, which are made up of cloves.
One type of garlic that has become popular recently is Elephant garlic, which is a separate species (Allium scorodoprasum or Allium ampeloprasum).
Elephant garlic has huge, very mild heads, and can either be sliced and eaten raw in salads or cooked and used as a substitute for onions.
It’s believed that shallots (Allium ascalonium) found their way to Europe by way of the Crusaders from Ascalon, an ancient Israeli city, from which shallots get their botanical name.
Like their garlic cousins, shallots grow as bulbs divided into cloves — usually two, but occasionally as many as ten.
Shallot bulbs grow in clusters.
Shallots have a distinctive tapered shape that sets them apart from other members of the onion family.
Most often a copper brown color, they may also be reddish or gray.
Their flavor, sometimes described as a blend of sweet onion and garlic, make them a favorite of gourmet chefs.
Leeks (Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum) are the largest member of the allium family and look like gigantic scallions.
They may grow up to two feet long and two inches thick, and they do not form a bulb.
France, Belgium, and the Netherlands lead the world in leek production, and leeks are often featured in French, Belgian, and Dutch cooking.
Also called “poor man’s asparagus,” leeks are a good complement to potatoes — in potato leek soup, for example. Wild leeks, or ramps, are a spring delicacy in eastern North America.Chives (Allium schoenoprasum) look like tall tufts of grass.
A hardy perennial, chives are in fact closely related to grass.
Chives can be clipped with scissors to use straight from the garden: to top a baked potato with vegan sour cream, or to add a mild onion flavor to dips, salads, or soups.
Garlic chives (Allium tubersosum), also called Chinese chives or Oriental chives, are good as a mild substitute for garlic.Why not experiment by adding different types of alliums to your meals — to spice up your soups, stews, dips, and salads!
Food 4 – Flaxseeds
This particular kind of food is a wonderful source of Omega 3, which can help in a number of ways to boost your diet. Plus they contain lots of antioxidants that will help you to remain healthy but eliminating harmful toxins and chemicals from your body more easily.
Food 5 – Olive Oil
This particular type of oil contains certain properties that will help to reduce inflammation throughout the body.
So if you do actually injure yourself whilst working out you will find that this particular one of the best to foods to eat to build a six pack will help you to recover from it more easily.
Don’t only use olive oil for cooking but as a dressing for salads
