Are you struggling to lose a few kgs that have gradually crept on over the last few weeks or a month? Then you need to recharge your metabolism. Actually, your metabolism needs a super boost!
Let’s first know what metabolism is. It is the rate at which the body starts to burns calories we get from foods and utilizing the energy to carry out other processes. By boosting metabolic rate, people shall be able to burn excess fat and reduce their risk of obesity and other health-related issues. The higher the metabolism, the more calories you end up burning, and the easier it is to get rid of unwanted body fat. To help with this, there are some foods to boost up your metabolism that you should include with your food intake.
The Role Of Foods In Metabolism
Food plays a significant role in boosting your metabolism as it revs up energy levels and helps to improve metabolic functions. Certain food contains specific nutrients that boost the body’s metabolism, and even some foods can slow down the metabolism, potentially affecting weight loss. So choose your plate wisely.
Some Foods To Boost Up Your Metabolism
1. Vitamin D
The deficiency of Vitamin D can slow down your metabolism. The most important source of Vitamin D is the sun, but most of the time, you don’t get enough of it. Hence, try to supplement your daily dose of Vitamin D by consuming a good amount of fish, tofu, soy milk, and mushrooms, etc. The sunshine vitamin also supports the absorption of calcium in your body. Good levels of calcium support the functions of your thyroid gland as well as your active lean muscle.
2. Milk And Its Products
They are valuable sources of calcium and recent studies stated that regular calcium intake may help the body metabolize fat quite efficiently.
Yogurt or Greek yogurts are well known for their protein and probiotics content, the good bacteria that helps indigestion. Make sure to consume daily to improve body metabolism.
Even cottage cheese/paneer is rich in protein, too, and it can help you build and repair your muscles. Start incorporating in dishes once/twice a week, at least.
Greek yogurt has a protein content of 18 g per 6 oz. This thick and creamy texture packs nearly twice as much protein as other dairy products. Even whey protein has a good amount of protein content that is good for metabolism. You can consume whey protein post-workout by mixing one scoop in a glass of water.
3. Green Leafy Veggies
Fresh green vegetables like broccoli, spinach, and avocados are high in minerals, protein, and iron content, which provide lots of energy to fulfill your daily requirements.
Broccoli helps to boost metabolism because it contains a specific substance called glucoraphanin that helps to improve the metabolism, lower blood fat levels, and reduce the risk of many diseases. Other cruciferous vegetables may prevent or slow down several forms of cancer like spinach, kale.
Please note that leafy green veggies are a source of non-animal iron. So try to pairing leafy greens with a very good source of Vitamin C like lemon, tomatoes to increase the body’s absorption of iron.
4. Eggs
Eggs are rich in protein, and each egg contains around 6.29 grams making them an ideal choice for metabolism booster. Eggs are considered to be one of the most important complete sources of protein, which means they contain all nine essential amino acids and in the correct proportions for usage in the human body. They’re also a very good source of B vitamins, which also improves the metabolic rate.
5. Oily Fish And Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids help to reduce the resistance to the leptin hormone, which plays an essential role in determining how fast fat is burned, helps to balance blood sugar levels, and lower body inflammation. Fishes like herring, salmon, tuna, etc. are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Fresh salmon fillets are the best source of omega-3 fatty acids, and also quite good sources of Vitamin D. Try to consume at least 2 to 3 servings a week.
6. Green Tea
Green tea has multiple health benefits. Several studies suggest that green tea extract may increase fat metabolism both at rest and during exercise. But it should not be taken in an empty stomach; it is best to have it with meals.
In a 2013 study of around 63 people with type 2 diabetes patients suggests that drinking 2 cups of green tea daily can significantly reduce body weight, body mass index (BMI), etc.
7. Beans, Legumes, And Many More
Beans are an excellent source of protein and amino acids, the building blocks of protein, which can help preserve muscle mass and thus burn more calories while your body is at rest.
Additionally, the fiber-rich beans help to fill you up with fewer calories so you can stay for a longer time. Legumes, like beans, lentils, and peas are very good sources of fiber. This makes your metabolism work quite harder to digest them and keeps you full for longer. Chickpeas have a protein content of 15 g per cup. You can try to roast them as a snack or put them in the food processor for a hummus recipe.
8. Nuts And Seeds
They’re also low-glycemic foods, i.e., they keep your blood sugar very stable. The high protein content of nuts makes your body burn more amount of fat to digest them.
9. Brazil Nuts
Brazil nuts are one of the richest sources of selenium that is essential for metabolism, reproduction, immune function, and also important for the thyroid gland. They contain protein and healthy fats too. But people should avoid eating too many nuts as this can cause selenium toxicity. The NIH set the upper limits of selenium intake at 400 mcg.
10. Pumpkin Seeds
Pumpkin seeds are rich in protein. In addition to protein, these seeds are rich in magnesium and iron, which are good for metabolism.
11. Hemp And Flax Seeds
Hemp and flax seeds are one of the great sources of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, both of which can reduce inflammation and improve blood flow to your muscles to kickstart your metabolism into high gear. You can have 1 tsp of each per day, or you can grind it and mix in flour to make chapattis.
12. Coffee
It is said that caffeine in coffee can help increase the metabolic rate by up to 11%. Different studies found that people who consume around 250 mg of caffeine daily, or the equivalent of about 2 cups of coffee, might have the possibility to burn an extra 100 calories per day.
Coffee beans contain Caffeine, Theobromine, Theophylline (found in both cocoa and coffee) that have been used to treat asthma, and Chlorogenic acid that helps slow the absorption of carbs.
PLEASE TRY TO SIP BLACK COFFEE AND ALSO REDUCE THE CONSUMPTION OR ADDITION OF MILK AND SUGAR WITH IT.
13. Metabolism-boosting Spices
Certain spices are thought to have beneficial metabolism-boosting properties like dissolving 2 grams of dry ginger powder or even putting the ginger paste in warm water, and drinking it with a meal may help you burn some calories than drinking hot water alone.
Garlic helps to maintain balanced blood sugar and a healthy metabolism. You can have 1 to 2 cloves of crushed raw garlic early morning daily to improve immunity.
Adding cayenne pepper in a meal may increase the amount of fat your body burns for energy, especially following a high-fat meal. Even a pinch of cayenne pepper has been shown to boost metabolism by 25% for 2 to 3 hours after you eat.
Studies show that eating spicy foods like chili peppers may help to speed up your metabolism. An analysis published in June 2017 found that capsaicin, an active compound found in chili peppers, helps to speed up the process.
14. Whole Grains
Whole grains are rich in fiber and have anti-inflammatory properties too. In March 2017, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggested that swapping whole grains for refined grains may result in a “modest increase” in resting metabolic rate.
Participants of that study, who substituted whole grains for refined, also had increased calorie loss during digestion. The fatty acids in whole grains help to release leptin, the satiety hormone which helps you eat less. It is always better to substitute refined grains with whole grains.
15. Coconut Oil
It has anti-viral, anti-bacterial property and also works to keep a healthy balance of good bacteria in your gut that is necessary for proper digestion. Coconut oil contains medium-chain fats, a type of fat that speeds up your metabolism more than the long-chain fatty acids. You can start consuming one tablespoon of cold-pressed virgin coconut oil daily.
16. Berries
It has beneficial effects on metabolism; it stabilizes the blood glucose levels and decreases body fat content. Eating red berries have a positive impact on cardiovascular health. 1 fist of berries serves as a great snack.
17. Avocados
They are rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, which are important for balancing hormones all over the body and can also contribute to a healthy thyroid. Avocado is high in healthy polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, which promote satiety in meals. You can make a butter out of it and have it in bread or you can add in salads too.
18. Apples
They contain a wonderful source of soluble fiber called pectin, which helps to slow the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. It also has a positive impact on fat metabolism. There is a saying that “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” and it stands true to it.
You can make your plate look colorful by adding healthy options. Metabolism is a very important thing, and it should not be ignored. To stay fit and healthy, we must aim for metabolism-boosting foods.