First of all, drop the idea that eating slows your metabolism. Kristen Trukova, MS, RD, LDN, CNSC, CSO, a Clinical Oncology Dietician, says that, “Eating any food causes an uptick in metabolic rate. This is called the ‘thermic effect of food.’ Thermogenesis from eating throughout the day burns about 10% of our daily calorie intake, which is about 180 calories for a diet of 1800 calories/day.”
In other words, don’t think that starving yourself or eating less is going to boost your metabolism; technically speaking, the opposite is true.
That being said, you can’t just eat anything. As Major explains, “For most people, processed foods, breads, pastas and grains are foods that block a properly functioning metabolism.”
Switching to a whole-food, plant-based diet is the first step; the second is including some (or all!) of these 21 metabolism-boosting foods in your daily diet.
1. Almonds
Although high in calories (don’t overdo it), almonds contain fatty acids that raise your metabolism.
2. Beans
Protein and fiber are two of the building blocks of boosting your metabolism, so beans, rich in both, are a good choice.
“Dietary proteins take more calories to digest than any other macronutrient,” saysauthor of “Belly Fat for Dummies,” Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDE. “When you boost your intake of protein, you naturally begin to burn more calories each day.”
Trukova agrees. “Consuming 400 calories of protein will require about 80 calories to digest it, compared with only around 40 calories for carbohydrates and 12 calories required for fat digestion of the same amount of food,” she says.
But that’s not the only reason that beans are good for your metabolism. Farley highlights the importance of all foods rich in iron when it comes to boosting your metabolism. “Iron is an important mineral that helps transport oxygen to muscles, needed to burn fat. Iron helps our bodies make energy,” she says.
3. Berries
All fruits are a good idea due to their carb and fiber content, both of which are important tools for boosting metabolism. But Earthbound Farm’s Registered Dietician, Ashley Koff, highlights the powers of berries in
particular, which she says are rich in “antioxidants, like vitamin C, which helps combat damaging free radicals generated during exercise.” Berries help you heal more quickly.
4. Bone Broth
Sara Vance, C.N., nutritionist and author of “The Perfect Metabolism Plan,” loves bone broth as a metabolism booster, due to its protein, mineral and collagen content. “Collagen supports the mucosal barrier in the gut, which means it is useful for supporting healthy/strong digestion and assimilation of nutrients – which is critical for a strong metabolism,” she says.
5. Celery
You might have heard the urban legend that celery is a “negative-calorie” food, and while we’re not sure we’re on board with that per se, Koff explains that this very low calorie food can be a big-time metabolism booster.
“When you chew on celery, you’re stimulating digestion, adding water to hydrate (a key to better metabolism),” she says, suggesting that you use celery as dippers for guacamole, salsa, or peanut butter. You can spiced up your dip cinnamon, ginger or cayenne for an extra kick, both of flavor an of metabolism-boosting action.
6. Chia Seeds
Vance also loves chia seeds, calling them “the reason I became a nutritionist.”
“I decided if one food could do this much, I had to study more about the power of foods as medicine and fuel,” she says.
While chia seeds have lots of different characteristics, metabolism-wise, chia seeds offer a few specific benefits.
“Chia seeds are high in fiber, protein and healthy omega 3 fats,” says Vance. “When you have all three together, it is very powerful.”
7. Chocolate
This is probably good news for a lot of you out there – yes, according to Vance, dark chocolate (70% or higher cacao) can help boost your metabolism.
“Raw cacao is one of the best food sources of magnesium, and magnesium helps to support healthy glucose levels,” she says. “Magnesium also stimulates the fat-burning hormone adiponectin.”
As with all sweets, less is better, but a bit of dark chocolate won’t hurt your efforts towards a better metabolism and might even give you the boost — emotional and physical — that you need.
8. Apple Cider Vinegar
Cider vinegar is a great metabolism booster according to Baron, who suggests mixing it with some lemon juice, a pinch of cinnamon, a pinch of cayenne, and a drop of raw honey before drinking.
Palinski-Wade agrees that cider vinegar is a great way to boost your metabolism, working in quite a different way than many other foods on this list. According to Palinski-Wade, cider vinegar “helps to boost your stomach’s ability to produce hydrochloric acid (HCA).
“What does that mean? Once you are making more HCS, you can easily digest your food and better absorb nutrients.”
If that wasn’t enough, Palinski-Wade also cites cider vinegar’s role in leveling blood sugar levels, which helps to curb cravings.
9. Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a fairly unanimous metabolism booster among our experts. Palinski-Wade says, “Cinnamon contains thermogenic properties, which means when you consume it, your body automatically starts to burn more calories throughout the day.” She recommends about ¼ teaspoon per day.
Vance agrees, citing not only cinnamon’s role in helping the body to effectively metabolize carbohydrates, but also its role in managing cravings for sweets as keys to its success.
10. Coconut Oil
Yes, as counter-intuitive as it might seem, there are some fats that help boost your metabolism. Vance loves coconut oil, calling it her “favorite fat.”
“It is high in medium chain fatty acids – which a more easily converted into energy than other kinds, so they help to boost the metabolism and are less likely to get stored as fat,” she says. “It is supportive of the thyroid gland too – which is essential to a healthy metabolism.”
Vance eats coconut oil plain, but you can also use it as a cooking fat. It doesn’t add a coconut flavor to dishes, so there’s no need to worry about your chicken tasting too tropical if cooked in coconut oil.
11. Coffee
Caffeine gives your mind, body, and metabolism a boost, and a much healthier boost than sugar according to Sports Dietician Lindsay Langford, RD, MS, CSSD of St.Vincent Sports Performance. “The caffeine in (coffee, tea and espresso) gives a short-term jump to your metabolism, so if you need a pick-me-up, drink one of these instead of an energy drink loaded with sugar.”
According to Trukova, energy-boosting effects of caffeine have been proven to consistently increase metabolic rate. “Most studies with caffeine in doses of about 100mg per day (1 cup of coffee) showed an increased calorie burn of between 75 to 110 calories for the entire day,” says Trukova. This admittedly is not a ton – and it’s comparable with the other foods on this list – but in conjunction with exercise and other metabolism-boosting foods, it can make a big difference over a long period of time.
Many of our experts tout the short-term effects of caffeine on metabolism and energy boosting as well. “I love having clients drink green tea or caffeine before workouts to get better fat loss results,” says Davidson. “When your metabolism is charged by these substances your Central Nervous is more active and you can train harder.”
That being said, don’t overdo it on caffeine – try to limit yourself to 2-3 cups per day.
12. Curry
Curry has a few benefits for your metabolism wrapped up in a flavorful package. We’ll get into spicy peppers and their effects in just a bit, but its heat is only one of the elements of curry that boosts your metabolism. Because curry combines so many different spices, from hot peppers to cinnamon to turmeric and ginger, which, according to Baron, are essential metabolism boosters, curry is a great choice.
13. Fish
Not just rich in protein, fish is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, allowing it to do double duty on your metabolism.
According to Dr. Prudence Hall, a Santa Monica, California gynecologist and founder of The Hall Center, “Omega-3 oils lower inflammation and blood sugar which helps raise the body’s metabolism.”
Palinski-Wade agrees about the importance of fish, particularly fatty fish like salmon, and says that you should aim for three servings per week thanks to its richness in protein and omega 3s. “Omega-3 fatty acids help to fight against inflammation in the body as well as decrease circulating stress hormones,” she says. “When stress hormones are elevated in your body over a period of time, they begin to store fat and elevated blood sugar and insulin levels. However, foods rich in omega-3s can lower these circulating stress hormones and turn up your body’s ability to burn fat.”
Eat fat to burn fat? We can get on board with that.
14. Grapefruit
Grapefruit has long been linked to weight loss because it has been proven to lower insulin levels. Its fiber contents are also helpful in boosting metabolism, and its vitamin C content helps your body stay healthy and
your immune system work the way it should, both of which are essential to boosting your metabolism.
15. Green Tea
Epigallocatechin gallate is the form of catechin found in green tea and a substance that has been proven to enhance the fat burning process, according to Davidson.
Many of our experts agree. Cederquist cites a study reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that found that green tea-extract boosted the metabolism by 4 percent over a 24 hour period. To put that into perspective, “It has been stated that three to five cups a day can help you burn an extra 70 calories a day, which would add up to seven pounds a year, 35 pounds in a 5-year period and 70 pounds in 10 years,” she explains.
16. Hot Peppers and Jalapeños
Any chili pepper you like may help boost your metabolism, according to Farley. “Chili peppers contain chemicals called capsinoids that have been shown to increase energy expenditure,” she says.
Langford agrees. “It’s not the pepper itself, but the chemical that makes them hot – capsaicin – that does the work here. They alert your hormones and increase your heart rate, make you breathe faster and force your body burn more calories and fat.”
In addition, Ficek says that peppers “have been shown to help increase satiety and decrease appetite, another potential mechanism for weight loss.”
According to Palinski-Wade, one pepper a day is the right amount to make sure you’re getting the full effects. “You can sprinkle sliced jalepeno on sandwiches or salads, sprinkle crushed red pepper onto soups, or use ground hot pepper in your favorite taco recipe,” she says.
17. Lean Turkey
We’ve already addressed the power of protein, but turkey and chicken are a particularly good source, since they are high in protein and low in fat, giving you the best bang for your buck.
Protein builds muscle and helps to burn calories since your body is working harder to process it. According to Langford, “It will use 15-35% of the calories you consume in the process of breaking it down.” Since chicken and turkey are both low in calories already, the calorie-burning properties here are magnified.
18. Seaweed
Seaweed’s iodine content makes it a great metabolism booster, according to Hall. “If you eat seafood and seaweed, which is rich in iodine, your body will produce thyroid hormone more effectively,” she says. “Thyroid hormone is a huge metabolism booster.”
Just be careful not to over-consume seaweed and risk iodine poisoning. Three times a week is plenty.
19. Spinach
Spinach, but also any leafy green, is a great metabolism booster. This is in part due to the high fiber content of leafy greens, according to Farley. “High fiber foods like leafy greens can increase your fat burn by 30%,” she says, recommending a minimum of 3 servings per day for maximum results.
But according to Koff, that’s not the only reason you should be considering including more leafy greens in your diet. “Organic dark leafy greens like spinach and kale provide iron to support healthy blood, which is key to optimal cellular metabolism energy, and calcium to support muscle performance,” she says. All the more reason to stock up on leafy greens.
20. Watermelon
While many warn against eating too much watermelon due to its high sugar content, Palinski-Wade says that adding a slice of watermelon to your meal might actually be a good idea. “Thanks to watermelon’s high concentration of the amino acid arginine, this delicious fruit just may help you shed more pounds,” she says.
“A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that when arginine was supplemented into the diet of animals over a twelve week period, a sixty percent reduction in fat occurred,” she explains. “This is mostly due to arginine’s ability to speed fat loss while increasing muscle mass, a known metabolism booster.”
21. Water
Last but really not least is water. In fact, Davidson calls it “the starting point for a boosted metabolism,” citing a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism that found that drinking water increases metabolic rate by 30 percent.
Palinski-Wade agrees. “Increasing your fluid intake may help your body to more effectively break down fat. In addition, even slight dehydration can slow metabolism.”
Add to that its natural appetite suppression, and water may be your metabolism’s new best friend.
But how much water should you be drinking?
You’ve likely heard 8 glasses a day, but it’s never a good idea to trust a catch-all solution when it comes to your health, as the amount you should be consuming of anything depends largely on your weight and calorie expenditure. Any amount is a good idea; Palinski-Wade cites a German study that showed that even 2 extra glasses was helpful. But what should you be aiming for?
“We have found in our clinical experience at Stark that drinking ½ your bodyweight in ounces of water is the ideal amount of water intake,” says Davidson. In other words, for a 160-pound person, 80 ounces of water is a good base amount.
Of course, we don’t want to gorge ourselves on any of these items. Just as important as what you’re eating is how you eat it, and indeed, how you manage the rest of your lifestyle.
We hope you find this useful, if you haven´t taken the decision of caring more about your body it´s not too late, start improving your health. dont forget to share this post on facebook with your friends, pin us in your board, and subscribe to our
Youtube Channel (Use the buttons below). See you soon..
At least 60 minutes of physical activity a day, most of which should be devoted to aerobic exercise. Children should do vigorous exercise and strength training, such as push-ups or gymnastics, on at least three days every week.
