Stress causes your body to release hormones that increase your belly fat. But you can fight back. The next time you’re stressed, you may want to grab an orange. Why? A German study found a direct connection between vitamin C and stress hormones.
This study showed that a diet rich in vitamin C can help reduce stress levels and return blood pressure and the stress hormone cortisol to normal levels after a stressful situation. So after a stressful situation, stress hormones will circulate in your body for shorter amounts of time, helping to fight against belly fat storage.
Don’t worry if you don’t love oranges. You can choose from plenty of great sources of vitamin C. Some of the best include
Bell peppers
Broccoli
Grapefruit
Kale
Kiwi
Oranges
Papaya
Strawberries
Although high in vitamin C, fruit juice contains limited amounts of fiber and large amounts of natural sugar, which can increase insulin response and increase belly fat storage. If you do reach for juice, choose only 100 percent fruit juice and limit the amount to 4 ounces per day.
