Metabolism, a collection of chemical reactions that takes place in the body's cells, switches the food you eat into energy. And the thousands of metabolic reactions that happen at the same time — all regulated by the body — keep your cells healthy and working. As metabolism is involved in everything you do, from moving to breathing and thinking, it’s important to keep it strong and healthy. Boosting metabolism is also important if you are struggling to lose weight, as the rate at which your body burns calories and converts fuel (food) to energy can impact how easily you gain or lose weight.
Many factors can influence metabolism,whether genes, age, enzyme secretion, chronic disease conditions or medications, yet we can give it a jolt by incorporating some good habits to our lifestyles, including making sure we get enough sleep, reducing stress, exercising regularly and building muscle tone. Knowing the right things to eat and drink is extremely important too.
So here’s a list of certain foods that can step-up your metabolism and improve your chances of burning fat and leading a healthier, longer life.
Egg whites: Egg whites are rich in amino acids, which boost your metabolism, says Chicago nutritionist David Grotto, RDN. On top of that, eggs are rich in proteins and vitamin D.
2 of 9
Lean meats, lentils and fortified cereals: The majority of women suffer from iron deficiency, which can slow metabolism. Your body can’t burn calories properly when it’s missing what it needs to work properly. So eating foods rich in iron, like lean meats, lentils and fortified cereals is important.
3 of 9
Water: Scott Isaacs, MD, a faculty member at the Emory University School of Medicine, says dehydration leads to lower metabolism. One tip is to drink cold water in order to force your body to use more calories to warm it up.
4 of 9
Chili peppers: These peppers contain capsaicin, which is a chemical compound that can fire up your metabolism, according to Isaacs. Just adding a tablespoon of chilli peppers to a meal can help a lot. Additionally, chilli peppers are a good source of vitamin C.
5 of 9
Coffee: Several studies have shown an association between caffeine consumption and increased metabolic burn. This is probably because caffeinated drinks help the body break down fat.
6 of 9
Green tea: This beneficial beverage, which is rich in antioxidants, contains a plant compound called epigallocatechin gallate that induces fat burning.
7 of 9
Milk: Calcium consumption helps in metabolising fat more efficiently, according to studies conducted by Michael Zemel, Ph.D., Founder of NuMeta Sciences, Inc.
8 of 9
Whole grains: These can help the body burn more fat due to the effort used to break them down rather than consuming processed grains. Whole grains in brown bread or rice are excellent as they are rich in fibres.
9 of 9
High protein foods: Swapping carbs for high-protein foods will intensify the amount of energy the body uses to digest food, burning extra calories in the digestion process alone.