Are you looking for a list of foods that speed up metabolism? Many believe that there are foods that can do just that. Barring any health or metabolic problems, if you are trying to lose weight then you may want to incorporate some of the foods on the list of foods that speed up metabolism into your daily dietary intake.
About Your Metabolism
Metabolism, simply put, is how effectively your body converts the food (fuel) you take in into energy. Food that is not converted to immediate energy is stored in the muscles as glycogen or as fat.
Metabolism is a highly individual aspect of your health that is influenced by a number of factors. Some of the factors that affect your own unique metabolism are:
- Your height and weight - As a general rule, the larger you are the higher your caloric requirements are to maintain your body mass.
- The amount of lean body mass you have - In general, fat is less hungry than lean body mass. If you increase your lean body mass, then you can also increase your metabolism.
- Your activity level - How active you are determines, to some extent, how many calories your body will burn. This is not just formal exercise, but also whether you spend more time sitting, standing or lying down, how much you fidget, etc.
- Age - In general, your metabolic rate decreases as you age.
- Health factors - There are other health factors that may play a role in determining how your body metabolizes food, as well. For instance, a hypothyroid health condition will slow down your metabolic rate while a hyperthyroid condition will speed it up.
Discover Your Metabolism
You can get a general idea of your body's basic metabolic requirements by calculating your basal metabolic rate and then using the Harris Benedict equation to factor in your activity level. Use this BMR calculator to discover a general calorie range for your body's requirements.
List of Foods that Speed Up Metabolism
Are there other ways to speed up your metabolism? Try some of the foods on this list of foods that speed up metabolism to see if you can give yourself a metabolic boost.
Cold Water
Drinking cold water can boost your metabolism. Not only does water flush out impurities, but as your body attempts to regulate the cold from the water, it gives you a slight metabolic boost to warm you up.
Green Tea
Green tea has been shown to boost metabolism - both because of substances present in the green tea and because of its caffeine content. Green tea is also loaded with antioxidants for good health.
Grapefruit
Grapefruit has been shown to reduce insulin levels, which can help to boost your metabolic rate.
Lean Protein
Combining lean protein sources with a muscle building fitness regimen can boost your metabolism by increasing your overall lean body mass.
Hot Peppers
The capsaicin in peppers can get your body revving. Capsaicin is often an ingredient in fat burning and metabolism boosting products.
Coconut
Recent research suggests that coconut and its oil can help to boost your metabolism. This is because coconut oil contains medium chain triglycerides, that are burned by the body more quickly. Coconut is also a healthy source of fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Dairy Products
There is some evidence suggesting that eating calcium-rich low fat dairy products such as yogurt and skim milk can help to burn fat and increase metabolism.
Other Foods
The following is a list of other foods believed to burn fat and boost your metabolism.
- Apples
- Artichokes
- Asparagus
- Berries
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cantaloupe and other melons
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Cranberries
- Cucumbers
- Eggplant
- Garlic
- Grapes
- Green Beans
- Kale
- Leeks
- Lemon and lime
- Lettuce
- Mushrooms
- Nectarines
- Okra
- Onions
- Papaya
- Parsley
- Pears
- Pumpkin
- Radish
- Scallions
- Spinach
- Squash
- Tomatoes
- Turnips
- Watermelon
Conclusion
Is it possible to increase your metabolism by eating certain foods? In most cases, the jury is still out because much of the evidence for the metabolism boosting effects of the above foods in anecdotal. What is your best bet for a healthy metabolism and lifelong weight control? Eating a calorie-controlled, healthy diet consisting of lean protein, lots of fruits and vegetables, healthy fats and whole grains and pursuing an active lifestyle will go a long way towards weight control and increased metabolism.
