Increasing your metabolic rate is important for anyone who is seeking to lose or maintain their weight. Why? Your metabolism determines how many calories you burn at rest, meaning, the higher your metabolism, the more you burn — and the slimmer you’ll be without any added effort.
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Although genetics and exercise (the more muscle, the higher the metabolism, generally) play a role, there are also a number of foods you can eat to help speed things along.
Here are our picks for the best metabolism-boosting foods.
Broccoli
This green vegetable contain vitamin C and calcium, which are both great for boosting your metabolism, as well as chlorophyll, another great asset for metabolism-boosting. Besides that your kitchen must have quality cookware to cook scrumptious meal from these veggies. Frozen or fresh, fried or steamed, these versatile little veggies are a must-have in your kitchen arsenal.
Garlic
Garlic is a natural thermogenic food, which means that it causes your body to heat up. All this heating takes energy, so your body burns off calories in the process. You don’t have to eat a raw clove, but feel free to generously sprinkle some garlic in stir fries, sauces and soups to reap all the metabolism-boosting benefits.
Grapefruit
Grapefruit contains naringenin, an antioxidant that researchers found helps your body use insulin more efficiently, keeping your blood sugar in check and improving calorie burn. Additionally, grapefruit is full of water, and we all know that proper hydration is essential for keeping your metabolism all fired up.
Yogurt
Low-fat or Greek yogurt contains calcium and protein, which gives you the energy your body needs to keep going all day and helps build lean muscle mass. It can also help you regulate your digestive tract.
Salmon
High levels of the hormone leptin have been linked to slower metabolisms and weight gain. One way to lower leptin levels is to increase your intake of oily fish. The oil found in fish like salmon has been shown to cut leptin levels and help your body process foods more effectively.
Almonds
Almonds contain are full of fatty acids — metabolism-boosting machines. So before you leave the grocery store, make sure you grab a nice bag of these nuts and enjoy them in your morning oatmeal or as a snack on the go.
Oats
Oats contain soluble fibre, which takes a lot of energy to break down. All that energy burns calories and gives your metabolism a boost, which is why a bowl of oatmeal, ideally topped with some fruit and protein (like almonds!), is a great way to start your day off right.
Flaxseeds
Flaxseed boast a number of health benefits, including being chock full of Omega-3s and Omega-6s. Slip a few of these in your drink or meal and you’ll start slimming down in no time.
Lean Protein
Lean protein like chicken and turkey helps with muscle building, which we all know helps with speeding up our metabolisms. Turkey also contains properties that help improve your immune system and fight cancer.
Hot Peppers
Spicy peppers like cayenne, habanero and chillis are great for the metabolism because they contain properties that stimulate receptors in the body, increase blood circulation, and metabolic rate. Some studies have stated that peppers can boost the metabolic rate by 25 per cent! Muy caliente.