Obesity is a global problem and numbers are rising at a fast pace in developing countries and it becomes a major public health concern. Economic costs associated with obesity are high and increasing as the rate of obesity. Obesity leads to its co-morbidities; namely diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, osteoarthritis, stroke and inflammatory diseases. Changes in life-style along with modifications to the diet are important in the management of obesity. Certain dietary components and foods have the ability to induce thermogenesis and modify the trafficking of nutrients in the body. Positive effects in managing obesity by natural components, and selected foods have drawn attention due to the potential side effects of obesity drugs. The food industry has developed low-density foods to reduce energy intake. Now focus has been geared towards the development of foods that possess more than one mechanism to alter the progression of obesity. In this review, selected foods and their components with potential anti-obesity properties are discussed.