10 Foods to Speed Up Your Metabolism

  • Our Blog

  • Food

10 Foods to Speed Up Your Metabolism

10 Foods to Boost Your Metabolism

Metabolism is the cornerstone for weight watchers around the world. It is the process by which your body converts food into energy. During the process, calories in the food combine with oxygen to release energy for your body to function. How fast your body burns calories depends on several factors? Some people are naturally gifted with an active metabolism. It also depends on gender, age, and physical activity. Men inherit a speedy metabolism than women, and once a person turns 40 the metabolism tends to slow down steadily. You can not control your gender, age, or genetics, but there are several ways to boost metabolism.

For people trying to lose weight or watching weight, you can try superfoods known for their abilities to boost metabolism. Certain foods contain nutrients that help in increasing the body’s metabolism. Adding these foods to your daily meal plan helps you lose weight and prevent excess weight gain. However, it doesn’t mean you overeat these foods. Too much of anything in your diet do more harm than good. For losing weight, it is important that you add these foods to your weight-loss meal plan in moderation.

10 Foods that speed up your metabolism

There is no magic ingredient or recipe that can ease your weight-loss journey. Healthy eating goes a long way in losing weight permanently. It keeps you full, maintains your sugar level, and supports a healthy metabolism. Here are some of the best healthy metabolism-boosting foods that increase metabolic function.

1. Protein-rich food

Food rich in protein can help in increasing your metabolism for a couple of hours. The richest sources of protein are meat, fish, dairy, eggs, nuts, etc. The body needs to use more energy to digest these foods. The phenomenon is called the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF). The number of calories your body needs to absorb, digest, and process the nutrients in your meals is referred to as TEF. Protein-rich food increases the TEF by 15-30%. Fibrous protein has multiple benefits as it keeps you full and prevents overeating.

2. Green Tea

Catechin is a health-boosting compound that is known for its multiple health benefits. The 4 variations of this compound are present in abundant amounts in green tea. Catechin is natural phenol and antioxidant that prevent oxidative stress, prevents premature aging, helps lose weight, and increases metabolism.

3. Spices

Spices enhance the taste of your meal and raise body temperature, which boosts metabolism. Tuberous spices such as ginger, galangal, and turmeric are known for their weight-loss properties. Some of the studies show the positive effect of these spices in losing weight compared to people who do not consume them.

4. Lentils

Legumes and lentils are the main protein sources for vegetarians and vegans. Beans, peas, chickpeas, peanuts are fiber-rich and make your metabolism work harder to digest them. Studies have shown that lentils can make you eat less as they increase the satiety factor. Beans also have resistant starch, which can lead to an increase in fat metabolism. They effectively use the stored fat in the body and maintain blood sugar levels.

5. Coffee

Caffeine which is found in abundance in coffee can help you increase your metabolism. When consumed in moderation, coffee can help burn up to 100 calories a day. Many people prefer to have black coffee as a pre-workout meal to boost their workout performance. However, there are not many studies to support this claim. The effect may vary from person to person. That is why it is advised to consume coffee within the limit to extract maximum benefits.

6. Mineral-rich food

Minerals like iodine and selenium play a very important role in your body. They both are essential minerals that support in proper production of thyroid hormone and the functioning of the thyroid gland. The deficiency of these minerals can slow down the thyroid glands and reduce their efficiency to produce sufficient amounts of hormones. A slowed-down thyroid gland means a slow metabolism. Seaweeds, seafood, and legumes are the highest source of iodine. Brazil nut is known to have an abundant amount of selenium. However, too much selenium can be toxic. So, it is necessary that you eat the nuts in the right amount.

7. Ghee

Ghee is a powerhouse of nutrition that provides several health benefits to people of all age groups. Ghee is made of short-chain fatty acids that improve digestion, reduce fat concentration, burn fats cells, which helps in faster weight loss. It is also known to improve metabolism in the body. Vitamin D present in ghee helps in keeping the thyroid gland in check that is directly responsible for weight loss and metabolism.

8. Medium-chain triglyceride

Medium-chain triglycerides or MCT oils are a unique type of fat that offers some metabolic benefits. They go directly to the liver and are not stored in the body as fat cells. Coconut oil and palm oil contains 50-60%. Consuming MCT oil can increase metabolic rate. It can be added to soups and as tampering with your curries. Traditionally these oils were used in south Asian and Indian meals. It is not advisable to use the oils for frying and high heat cooking as it brings down health benefits. Use the oils sparingly just to add flavor to your food.

9. Green Vegetables

Green veggies like kale and spinach are a rich source of iron (non-heme). Leafy green veggies can boost metabolism if paired with vitamin C-rich food such as citrus fruits, which can aid in better absorption of iron. Green veggies also contain a good amount of magnesium, which is an essential mineral that supports metabolic functions.

10. Water

The most economical and easy way to boost metabolism is to stay hydrated. The experts suggest drinking water as cold as one can handle. The science behind it is simple. The human digestive system burns some extra calories to maintain body temperature. Though it’s a minuscule amount, regular intake of cold water at calculated intervals can increase metabolic activity.

Bottom Line

Foods mentioned in the list can help you achieve a healthy weight and boost your metabolism. It is advisable to add these foods as a part of your balanced diet. To achieve optimum results from these foods, you need to get adequate sleep, exercise regularly, and keep yourself hydrated.

Even though the listed foods are known to increase your metabolic rate, they do not guarantee immediate weight loss. These foods must be considered just a complement to your diet. Moderation is the key here, and you need to be clear that only calorie restricted-diet can promote weight loss.

Categories

Subscribe to our Newsletter!

  • © All Rights Reserved - 2023