By now, we’re all aware that the higher your metabolism, the easier you can lose weight or maintain your current weight.
One of the ways of speeding up your metabolism is through eating certain foods.
Let’s see what they are
In this article
Food types that boost your Metabolism
Protein
Weight loss and fitness have a deep connection to protein. Foods which are rich in Protein take more energy to digest than other macro nutrients. This is due to the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF) which is how many calories your body burns to digest and absorb the nutrients in foods.
An additional benefit of protein is its functioning in developing lead body mass. As your metabolism essentially functions to provide nutrients to your cells and muscle tissue, increasing your lean muscle mass increases your BMR. Therefore, you burn more calories just to stay alive!
Common Vegetarian friendly protein rich foods include:
- Seitan
- Tofu
- Lentils
- Soy Milk
- Chia Seeds
- Quorn based sausages
- Soy based mock meal alternatives
Caffeine
Caffeine, in coffee, tea and supplements has been found to have beneficial effects to the metabolic rate.
Research has shown that your metabolism rises after ingesting caffeine.
Additionally, as caffeine is a stimulant that enhances physical energy which decreases the perception of physical exertion1, you are more likely to train harder and longer – thereby expending more calories and burning fat. This is because caffeine stimulates your brain, muscles and heart and provides energy that you begin to use.
Caffeine in the morning makes a perfect pre-workout. The caffeine shown to have a positive impact on metabolic rate is pure caffeine – in black coffee and tea (normal or green), so it is advised to consume caffeine in its purest form, and good sources include:
- Black Coffee
- Green tea
- Caffeine Supplements
Spices
Adding spices to your food is one of the best things you can do to lose weight and burn off the tummy fat in the most natural way possible.
Traditional spices to incorporate into your diet include:
- Cumin – cumin has been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and lower body fat
- Peppers – hot pepper contains capsaicin and has the effect of functioning as a thermogenic. This increases the calories your burn
- Garlic – garlic raises your body temperature to help you burn more calories while resting
- Fenugreek – a traditional spice which is believed to aid digestion and improve insulin sensitivity while reducing blood sugar levels
- Turmeric – Turmeric has been linked to weight loss and is anti-inflammatory
- Cinnamon – cinnamon helps stablise blood sugar and aids in digestion
Summary
It’s important to keep things simple in order to make a more long-term lifestyle change. Therefore, we outlined three food types that can help boost your metabolism and help you lose weight.
By increasing protein, your body works harder to digest food, spending more energy and burning more calories along the way. Coupled with Caffeine, which has similar effects and can help you workout more effectively with energy and focus, you can easily increase lean muscle mass and achieve a fitness goal.
Adding spices into your life have benefits even greater than boosting your metabolism to burn fat. These changes can do wonders to your lifestyle. All it takes is three things.
Let us know what you think in the comments below.
