Editor’s Note: This article has been updated since its original publication date. (2024)

Want to burn belly fat, build testosterone, and get lean — by eating chili?  You can even use fatty ground beef!   [Recipe below.]

Men over 40 with higher testosterone levels have more energy, more strength and less belly fat, according to Clark Bartram, Performance & Nutrition Industry Expert, and Lead Advisor to the International Sports Sciences Association.  When men’s testosterone levels are low, they face muscle loss, low energy and loss of sex drive.  Additionally, their body stores most of the food they eat as belly fat.

When a man turns 30, his testosterone levels can decrease by 1-2% a year. By the time he reaches his 40s and 50s, his testosterone production can be down to half of what it once was, according to Bartram.

“Giving you half the testosterone production and double the belly fat – that’s not good,” he says.  “That’s why it’s so important for us older men to start boosting our natural testosterone immediately.”

Rather than get testosterone treatments or “legal steroids” (with frequent side effects) from a physician, Bartram says, “Let food be your medicine.”

The fats in red meat as well as salmon and tuna boost testosterone, he said.  Other such foods are: almonds, garlic, eggs, cabbage, spinach, asparagus, avocados, bananas, watermelon, citrus fruit, grapes, and honey.

For chili, adding white button mushrooms are a key ingredient to blocking estrogen, the female version of testosterone.  Estrogen can cause a man to bloat, develop breast tissue and store more fat around the waist.  Rising estrogen levels also cause your belly fat to start producing a testosterone-killing chemical that creates even more estrogen.

At TestMaxMeals.com, Bartram offers more testosterone-boosting food tips, 3 so-called “healthy” foods that can dramatically decrease testosterone levels, and 3 “cheat” foods that boost testosterone.  He also explains how to quickly prepare and cook an entire week’s worth of your favorite testosterone boosting foods in less than an hour and at a low cost.

Clark Bartram’s Testosterone-Boosting Chili RecipeClark-Bartrams-Chili

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ground beef (15% fat)
1 can kidney beans
1 cup white button mushrooms
1 can black beans
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 can organic chopped tomatoes
2 tbs. chili powder
jar organic tomato puree
pinch of salt
garlic to taste

Method:

1. Sauté ground beef until it is brown.
2. Place meat into a big pot and add all other ingredients.
3. Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 30-45 minutes.

Thanks to TestMaxMeals and Six Pack Abs for this article. I’ve been told women also see it as a “boost” for their husbands or significant others. It’s also a good Superbowl food.