We hear a lot about metabolism since it is often associated with weight loss, but what exactly makes metabolism so important? Your metabolism is responsible for breaking down molecules to create energy, which is why proper nutrition is essential in promoting one’s metabolism.
So why boost your metabolism? Although your metabolism is partly controlled by genetics, you can improve your body’s ability to burn fat by including metabolism-boosting foods into your diet.
Delicious Options for You (and your Metabolism) to Enjoy!
Below are the top nine metabolism-boosting foods:
- Egg Whites: These are filled with branched-chain amino acids, which help keep your metabolism energized. Egg whites are also a great source of protein and vitamin D, but if you’re looking for new ways to have egg whites for breakfast, here are some delicious recipes including a spinach and egg breakfast wrap and a vegetable frittata.
- Lean Meat: If you have a slow metabolism, iron deficiency may be the cause. To get plenty of iron in your system, it’s best to eat three to four servings of chicken, fortified cereal or other iron-rich foods a day.
- Chili Peppers: Capsaicin is a chemical compound found in chili peppers that can really promote your metabolism. Surprisingly, chili peppers are also a great source of vitamin C. To get these health benefits, just add a tablespoon of chopped chili peppers to one meal a day.
- Coffee: This is for all of you who love your morning cup of Joe! Coffee actually comes with many health benefits, and one of them is that those who drink caffeinated coffee have a 16 percent higher metabolism rate than those who drink decaffeinated coffee.
- Green Tea: Similar to coffee, drinking green tea has many health benefits, and some studies suggest that this is even healthier than drinking coffee. But what makes green tea so great for your metabolism? It actually contains EGCG, which is a plant compound that improves your body’s ability to burn fat.
- Milk: Turns out your mother’s daily reminder to finish drinking your milk was correct! Calcium plays a big role in promoting your body’s ability to burn fat more quickly. The best part is that milk is most likely already part of your daily diet and there are so many calcium-rich foods to choose from!
- Whole Grains: Whole grains are better than processed grains, such as pasta or white bread, because your body actually requires more energy to break down whole grains when compared to processed grains. Some of the best whole grains that also contain fiber are oatmeal and brown rice.
- Lentils: You may be familiar with the phrase “small but mighty,” and this phrase certainly applies to lentils. In fact, just a single cup of lentils equals 35 percent of your recommended daily iron intake! As we mentioned above, iron deficiency is one of the most common causes of a slow metabolism, making it essential to get your daily iron intake.
- Water: This is perhaps the easiest item on this list, but even if you’re just slightly dehydrated, this can impact your metabolism. Always make sure you are properly hydrated, and as an added tip, drink cold water because it forces your body to use more energy to warm your body back up.
Adding any of these foods into your daily diet can go a long way in benefiting your metabolism – simple right? Be creative when including these foods into your daily diet, and your body’s fat-burning power will increase in no time!
