Q: What are the best thermogenic fat burning foods for burning body fat?
A: That depends on your definition of a "fat burning food." When you say "thermogenic," many people instantly think of supplements or exotic herbs, hot spices or foods like cayenne, chili pepper, mustard, cider vinegar, guarana, green tea, etc., which (supposedly) "magically" ramp up your metabolism and burn off body fat.
There might actually be some science behind a few of those things. For example, a slight thermogenic effect from capsaicin in hot pepper and a slight boost in 24-hour metabolic rate from the EGCG in green tea. However, focusing on tiny details (especially before you’ve mastered the nutrition fundamentals) is putting the cart before the horse.
That's like getting excited by the theory that drinking enough ice cold water is going to get you ripped because the body has to "warm it up" (which expends energy). Believe it or not, the research on cold water thermogenesis shows that it actually exists! BUT... water-induced thermogenesis only amounts to an extra ONE-TENTH of a pound a week in weight loss!
Such is the case with most so-called "thermogenic foods" and spices. The effect is real, but tiny