What you put on your plate can help determine how easily you lose belly fat.

If your quest for washboard abs has you crunching like crazy, listen up: “There’s no single exercise move—or magic pill, for that matter—that instantly zaps belly fat,” says Sari Greaves, R.D., a New York City nutritionist. “You have to lose overall body fat to trim your midsection.”

And, guess what? Scientists at Boston University found that women who followed a low fat diet rich in fiber and other nutrients were three times less likely to pack on weight around the middle than those who ate less-healthy fare but 400 fewer calories. Here, we show you which flab-fighting foods to add to your shopping list and your healthy eating plan —and which to blacklist to help you lose belly fat.

Eating a low fat diet with more healthy fruit, healthy whole grains -- and including wine with food – can help shed pounds and belly fat.

• Healthy eating tip # 1: Melons: At fewer than 50 calories a slice, this healthy fruit is one sweet treat you can feel free to indulge in. “Both honeydew and cantaloupe are healthy fruit choices high in potassium,” says Greaves. “This mineral keeps sodium levels in check and beats belly bloat.”
• Healthy eating tip # 2: Wine: A study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that people who averaged a serving of alcohol a day had slimmer waistlines than their tee-totaling counterparts. “Drinking a small amount of alcohol with a meal may speed up calorie burn,” says Jerry Greenfield, M.D., Ph.D., the study’s author.
• Healthy eating tip # 3: Whole-grain bread: Researchers at Penn State found that dieters who ate at least five servings of healthy whole grains while following a low calorie diet shed 24 percent more abdominal fat than those who averaged the same number of calories but ate refined grains. To up your intake of healthy whole grains, swap your cornflakes for oatmeal.

Keep reading for more tips on how your low fat diet helps blast belly fat!