Fruit Fights Belly Fat

Belly fat can hurt your health. A waistline larger than 35 inches can raise your risk of metabolic syndrome-a combo of high blood pressure, high triglycerides, high cholesterol and high blood sugar-that can up your chances of heart disease, diabetes and stroke.

Try an apple a day - people who eat apples significantly reduce their risks. A recent study by the NHANES found that apple eaters have smaller waistlines with less belly fat, lower blood pressure and a 27 percent lower chance of being diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. They also had significantly reduced C-reactive protein (CRP) levels; high CRP is linked to heart disease.

Chop apples and add them to chicken salad, saute apples for a side dish, subsittue applesauce for half the oil or butter when baking. Just a few suggestions for getting more apples in your diet.