Foods That Increase Metabolism

Eating foods that increase metabolism is one way to burn more calories than you normally would. These foods force your body to use more energy and burn fat.

Below is a list of metabolism boosting foods. To lose some extra weight, start eating from this list!

The metabolism of the average person decreases about 5 percent every 10 years. Your metabolism slows down as you get older because your muscle mass naturally decreases every year (unless you follow a strength training program).

That's how you can gain weight over the years even if you've continued to eat the same amount and type of food.

Your metabolism burns calories and fat at a slower pace as you age. A portion of the calories you would have burned previously now is being stored as fat instead.

Metabolism Boosting Foods List

Let's turn the tables on Nature. Let's eat foods that increase metabolism!

• Almonds. Researchers at Purdue University found that eating tree nuts like almonds and walnuts can help boost metabolism. Of course, almonds have other health benefits as well.

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  Apples. High in fiber, slow to digest so they boost metabolism. I don't like bitter taste of red apples, so I buy the sweet Golden Delicious variety by the bag.

• Blueberries. The high level of anti-oxidants in blueberries helps the body burn calories more efficiently.

• Chili Peppers. Have capsaicin, a substance known to raise the body's metabolic rate. Sprinkle a teaspoon of chopped red peppers, green chili peppers, or jalapeno peppers on meat or vegetables.

• Coffee. Due to its high caffeine content and broad popularity, coffee is widely recognized as one of the foods that increase metabolism. You might want to limit yourself to two cups per day, though, to avoid the side effects of consuming too much caffeine.

• Grapefruit. Was shown by studies performed by the Scripps Institute to lower insulin levels and boost metabolism. Add half a grapefruit to your morning meal.

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  Green Tea. Contains caffeine and catechins, both of which boost metabolism. Green tea has so many health benefits, including weight loss, that I drink a pitcher of it a day. I prefer Luzianne or Bigelow green tea but most brands should provide the fat-burning benefit.

• Turkey. Lean protein foods like turkey require more energy to digest than other types of foods. Other high-protein foods include salmon, turkey, lean beef, white-meat chicken, and low-fat dairy products.

• Spices. The spices with the strongest taste or smell can help boost your metabolic rate. Examples of fat-burning spices include cinnamon, tumeric, ginger, cloves, and garlic.

• Vegetables. High-fiber, low calorie veggies such as spinach, beans, and broccoli require a lot of energy to digest, which is why I've included them on this foods that increase metabolism list. Eating fibrous vegetables can boost metabolism by 20%, according to some sources. You can steam a serving of broccoli in the microwave in less than a minute.

• Vinegar. Helps prevent your blood sugar levels from rising after a meal. The acid in vinegar tells the body to break down fat. I put vinegar and olive oil on my salads.

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  Water. If you're dehydrated, your metabolism will slow down. Avoid this! Drink eight glasses of water per day. Or drink a lot of green tea, like I do. That way you stay hydrated plus you get the fat-burning effect of the tea.

• Wolfberry. Also known as Goji berry. Drinking wolfberry juice was shown in two studies to increasing resting metabolic rate. I haven't tried it, but you can buy Goji juice online and at health food stores.

• Yogurt. According to research, foods high in calcium slow your body from storing fat; yogurt has up to 50% more calcium than other dairy products. You may want to eat Greek yogurt if possible, because it is lower in sugar and higher in protein than most other yogurts.

How a Slow Metabolism Makes You Fat

You've heard the saying, "thin people have a high metabolism; overweight people have a slow metabolism". The truth is, our metabolism slows down as we age regardless of body type. We just can't eat the way we did in high school.

Here's a quick example to make it clear how a slowing metabolism causes weight gain. Suppose at age 20 you were eating about 2,500 calories per day and burning all those calories due to your metabolism and activity level at that time. Burning as many calories as you ate meant you didn't gain weight.

But - each decade, you metabolism slows by 5%. So by age 40 your body is now burning calories 10% slower, all else being equal.

That means 250 calories of the 2,500 your are eating daily are now being stored as fat! And the older you get, the lower your metabolism will drop.

Along with consuming less food, healthier food, and exercising more, eating more of the foods that increase metabolism can help compensate for the lower metabolic rate you now have compared to when you were younger.

Quick Tip: Many foods that increase metabolism can also be found on the Abs Diet Power Foods list.

SOURCES:
HuffingtonPost.com
Livestrong.com
Prevention.com
Shape Magazine

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