Speeding up your metabolism can be important when trying to manage weight, but it may not always feel easy. The good news is that some snacks and drinks can help boost your metabolism, and are scientifically proven to do so. If you are looking for some foods to incorporate into your diet so that you can boost your metabolism naturally, here are some things to try.
Eating plenty of protein is vital if you want to increase your metabolism. This is true whether you prefer vegan or vegetarian options like nuts, seeds, and legumes, or other choices like meat, fish, and eggs.
A lot of the reason protein helps boost metabolism is that your body has to work harder to properly digest these foods. The more energy it takes to consume food, the higher the thermic effect of food, or TEF, will be.
From a hardboiled egg between meals to a chicken wrap with a low-carb tortilla for lunch, there are lots of high-protein snacks and small meals that can help boost your metabolism while allowing you to feel full at the same time.
Legumes can be a great dietary option for those needing a fast metabolism and can fit well into many different types of diets. Foods like black beans, chickpeas, and lentils all require a high amount of energy to digest, which helps increase metabolism. Beyond that, they are also rich in prebiotics, which can support healthy digestion. Their high fiber content has the added benefits of increasing satiety and supporting digestive health.
While consuming fatty substances may seem counterintuitive when you are trying to speed up your metabolism, there are clear benefits to eating MCT oil. Some studies have shown that MCT oil can help increase metabolic rates in humans. Also, MCTs tend to go straight to the liver to be converted to energy, instead of being held onto and stored as body fat. The best ways to consume MCT oil are as part of a smoothie or as a supplement.
Apple cider vinegar is another powerful substance when it comes to a natural metabolism booster that you can incorporate into your meals. It can be diluted with water, taken as a shot, or mixed with things like olive oil and lemon juice to create a dressing for salad.
While there are not many studies addressing how apple cider vinegar impacts humans, animal studies have shown it to have fat-burning properties. Additionally, it may also help to extend feelings of fullness.
If you enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning, the good news is that it could help boost your metabolism in a meaningful way. If you want to have a fast metabolism, coffee can temporarily boost your metabolism for you. This is due in large part to coffee's caffeine content, which also has fat-burning properties. When drinking coffee, it is important to find the right balance for you, as overconsumption could lead to jitteriness.
Like coffee, tea can also be a great help if finding a way to naturally increase metabolism is your goal. The healthy compounds in tea called catechins work with the caffeine that is naturally present to give your metabolism a boost. Green tea and oolong tea in particular are helpful when it comes to fat oxidation and improving fat-burning ability overall.
Spicy foods are not just great for nutrition elevation, but they are also helpful for increasing metabolism naturally. Even though some studies have shown that the metabolic boosting power of spicy foods like peppers, which contain capsaicin, is small, it may pack a punch for some when combined with other metabolism-boosting strategies.
One way to start eating more spicy foods is to begin adding peppers, like chili peppers, to some foods that you already eat. Another way to get the natural benefits of peppers is to take a supplement. With a supplement, you can get a more concentrated amount of capsaicin, and you may also be able to avoid some of the uncomfortable aspects that can come with consuming spicy foods.
If trying new foods feels like too much, the good news is that simply making sure that you are drinking plenty of water throughout the day can be a great metabolism booster. Besides the fact that there is some evidence that water can increase your resting metabolic rate, drinking more water can also help you to feel fuller for longer. When you fill up on water, you are less likely to fill up on other foods and beverages. Drinking lots of water also makes it easier to avoid sugary high-calorie drinks as well.
Mineral density is important, not just to elevate nutrition but also as a natural metabolism booster. Minerals are essential for many functions that occur within your body, and this includes metabolism. Minerals like iron, magnesium, calcium, and selenium are highly important for supporting your health. Selenium and iron can be important in particular for thyroid function, which has a direct impact on your metabolism. To make sure that you are getting enough minerals to support your thyroid, and by extension your metabolism, it can be helpful to include plenty of seafood, nuts, and seeds in your daily meals.
While there are many benefits to speeding up metabolism, there can be reasons to slow down metabolism as well. For example, you may want to reduce inflammation, gain muscle, or try to increase mental clarity.
When trying to slow metabolism, some may eat larger meals, while for others it may make more sense to fast or to reduce calorie intake overall. Additionally, avoiding foods and beverages that help speed up metabolism can be impactful as well.
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https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14671205/
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