Food requires energy in order to be digested.

Your body spends about 30% of its energy intake just to digest proteins. Five to ten percent is needed to digest carbohydrates and zero to three percent is needed to digest fats.

Based on these figures, unprocessed proteins are considered ideal foods because they increase metabolism and require more energy to be metabolized by the body. Ideal sources of low-fat protein are fish, seafood, skinless chicken, lean beef, egg whites, sugar-free fruit jelly and tofu.

A closer look at:

Eggs:
Those who incorporate eggs into their breakfast as opposed to toast, have fewer chances of feeling hungry sooner, and have a smaller rise in blood glucose after their meal, a factor that in the long term contributes to maintaining a low body fat percentage.

Cinnamon:
It appears to play a role in the regulation of blood sugar and body weight. This unique spice is rich in antioxidants, and a recent study published in the International Journal of Preventive Medicine showed that eating 3g of cinnamon a day for 8 weeks helped diabetic patients lose weight and improve the adjustment of their blood sugar compared with patients receiving the placebo.

Coconut Oil:
Although it contains saturated fat, it appears to play a role in regulating body weight, as the body tends to use the fat in coconut oil for energy rather than fat storage. Coconut oil is high in medium chain fatty acids, which contributes to weight loss as part of a balanced lifestyle.