What Foods Boost Your Metabolism – 10 Easy Things To Try Now

Losing belly fat and shrinking your waist line is about understanding what foods boost your metabolism. Learning the ropes for what works can be easier than you think when you know where to look.

There are ten food ideas that you can start incorporating into your regular regime to fire up your metabolism and get the pounds dropping now.

Many people blame their inability to lose weight on a slow metabolism.

But most of the time, a slow metabolism is not the real reason for gaining weight.

Although metabolism does play a role in how much energy your body needs to function, the real culprits of weight gain lie in how much you are eating and how little exercise you may be accomplishing.

What is Metabolism Anyway?

Metabolism is the biological process where food and beverages are converted into energy. During this activity, the calories that the body has consumed through all intake are mixed with oxygen which then produce the energy you have to run your body.

No matter what time of the day, or what you are doing at the moment, your body requires energy to run all of its functions.

Whether it’s breathing, sleeping, or blood circulation, all of these discrete bodily functions require calories to operate.

The amount of calories required to do all the body’s functions is known as basal metabolic rate – a.k.a. metabolism.

Certain things like body size, age and sex play a role in determining your basal metabolic rate. But the good news is, certain foods can also help to burn more calories. Let’s take a look at the top 10 foods to help boost your burn.

1. Protein

Certain protein-rich foods could help you burn more calories. These would include foods like meat, legumes, beans, fish, nuts, dairy, and seeds.

Why should you add them into your diet? Simply because the body burns more calories, or energy for the digestion process.

This is known as the thermic effect of food. According to PubMed Central, research shows that eating protein-rich foods helps increase the thermic effect of food by 15-30%.

Protein-rich foods also help your body retain muscle mass which is important for metabolism and good health. In addition, these foods help keep you fuller longer.

2. Coffee and Tea

Studies have shown that the caffeine found in coffee and tea can boost metabolic rate up to 11% more. In fact, adding 3 cups of your favorite brew (or 270 mg of caffeine) can burn up to an extra 100 calories per day.

In addition, caffeine may also aid in fat burning which is especially helpful when working out.

However, these effects may vary depending on age and a person’s weight.

Research is finding that the catechins and caffeine that are found in tea may help boost metabolism.

Green tea and oolong tea may boost the metabolism by 4-10% according to PubMed Central and the National Institutes of Health.

Similar data has found that both of these teas can increase fat burn by up to 17%.

That’s a simple and easy way to drink your way to a more efficient metabolism.

3. Chilies

Nature has provided an interesting chemical within chilies that can help burn more fat and boost metabolism: capsaicin.

Many research studies have found that capsaicin may reduce appetite, which of course is helpful in assisting weight loss and it can help burn up to an extra 50 calories per day.

It is also helpful in reducing inflammation.

Not all studies concur on this, but if you like chili peppers, it’s a simple thing you can add in to not only enhance the flavors of food but also possibly assist in metabolism.

Give it a try by adding them to freshly cooked vegetables, salsas or grilled meats.

4. Legumes

Vegetarian, plant proteins such as lentils, chick peas, beans, and  peanuts are great to add into your diet because they are high in protein. These carbohydrates are super beneficial for so many reasons. 

They take longer to digest, keep you fuller longer and are rich in fiber.

The fiber helps aid in good bacteria for your gut health which is an added healthy benefit.

Legumes are also full of amino acids like arginine which can help boost the burn of carbs and fat.

Glutamine, which can be found in fava beans, peas and lentils, is another amino acid that may burn more calories during when digestion happens.

5. Keep it Spicy

There are plenty of spices that are thought to help boost metabolism.

According to PubMed Central, one study found that making a hot drink which consists of boiled water and 2 grams of ground ginger had before a meal can increase metabolic burn by 43 calories.

This study also found that having the hot ginger drink helped in feeling satisfied and less hungry.

Grains of paradise, cinnamon and cayenne are also spices found to give a boost in burning extra calories.

However, research indicates that this may vary from one person to another.

Regardless, if you like the spices, add them in and give them a try.

6. Cacao

If you have a love for chocolate, then consider adding in cacao and cocoa to your day.

These flavors may just boost your metabolism in the process.

One study conducted on mice showed that cocoa and cacao extracts may help burn more fat for energy especially when the rodents were fed high-fat, high-calorie diets.

However, the jury is still out over how conclusive the metabolism boosting effects are on humans.

Moreover, if you want to give it a try, stick to the raw versions so that you can maximize any benefits to be had and avoid too much sugar.

7. Apple Cider Vinegar

There’s been a lot of talk in the media in recent years over whether or not apple cider vinegar can boost metabolism.

Several studies on animals have shown promising results in the burning of fat for energy.

Although more studies need to be conducted with humans to test the effectiveness, so far in rodent tests, apple cider vinegar has been shown to aid in reducing liver and belly fat.

Adding in apple cider vinegar to homemade salad dressings might be an easy way to help boost metabolism.

However, be careful to limit consumption to no more than a tablespoon per day as there are some real negative side effects that can happen. Always check with a doctor to be sure this might be right for you.

8. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil has a lot of weight loss hype lately and it may be because it contains high levels of MCTs or medium-chain triglycerides.

Simply put, this type of fat once ingested goes straight to the liver for energy usage.

Therefore, the thought behind it is that it won’t get stored as easily as fat.

Several studies have shown that MCTs can increase metabolism and reduce waistlines.

But as with all fats, use in moderation.

9. Crazy for Seaweed

Seaweed is another food that can help boost metabolism because it is high in iodine – an important mineral to help keep your thyroid healthy.

Hormones in the thyroid can affect how your metabolism performs.

So adding in seaweed regularly can help your metabolism stay firing on all cylinders.

There are many great, tasty seaweed snacks on the market today which are easy to add in to your diet.

Brown seaweed varieties seem to be the best but kelp is so high in iodine that it should not be ingested in huge doses.

10. Stay Hydrated with Water

This is probably obvious by now, but it is very important to keep your body hydrated with water.

It helps flush out toxins, keeps you fuller longer and can boost your metabolism in the short-term.

Research seems to point to the calories needed to bring the water up to the body’s temperature to explain why this might be.

However, the effects are only short-term and seem to differ between individuals.

Regardless, making sure you get enough water each day is a great way to help your body function more effectively.

The Takeaway On What Foods Boost Your Metabolism

It appears that certain foods and beverages may help boost metabolism a little.

Consuming them in moderation on a consistent basis may help burn more calories and help in keeping weight off.

Science is constantly studying and learning how those things work and what their effects are.

However, much still needs to be learned as everything effects each body differently.

Use moderation and common sense.

This list has been compiled to help give you some ideas of what may work, but as always, consult with a licensed healthcare professional to be sure they are right for you.