Metabolism is the process by which your body converts the food that you consume into energy. The BMR or basal metabolic rate helps your body in maintaining basic functions like cell renewal and repair, breathing, blood circulation, and a hormonal balance while you are resting. There are many things that affect your BMR rate including gender, age, height, body composition, weight, and diet. The better your metabolic rate the more active you are and the more energetic you feel. However, if your metabolic rate goes down then you can face serious problems like high cholesterol, fatigue, dry skin, muscle weakness, a slow heart rate, depression, and so on.
So, it is important to make sure to keep your metabolism high if you want to stay healthy. Since it is possible to improve your metabolic rate through your diet, we shall now learn about the 10 superfoods you can consume to boost your metabolism.
The 10 Best Foods to Boost Your Metabolism:
10. Green tea
Green tea is rich in polyphenols, antioxidants, and is one of the best superfoods that can help improve your metabolism. The catechins and caffeine present in green tea helps improve energy expenditure and counters the decrease in metabolic rate that people may experience during weight loss. To boost your metabolism you must consume 2-3 cups of green tea every day.
9. Lemons
Lemons are yet another great food source for a great metabolism. They help detoxify your liver and clean your digestive system. The vitamin C and enzymes present in lemons helps clear toxins from your body by transforming them into compounds that get eliminated from your system in the form of waste. This, in turn, helps you enjoy a better metabolism.
To enjoy the benefits you just need to squeeze half a lemon in a glass of warm water and drink it the first thing in the morning and enjoy a boost in your metabolism. You may also squeeze lemon juice into your daily food to add taste while also enjoying the benefits.
8. Grapefruits
Grapefruits contain a good amount of vitamin C that helps improve the functioning of your metabolic system. Vitamin C helps burn fat and regulates fat metabolism. Grapefruits are also rich in naringenin, a flavonoid, which has great antioxidant properties that are known to help improve metabolism. Naringenin lowers the insulin levels in your blood, this improves your blood sugar levels and also your metabolism.
To make your metabolism better and enjoy quick weight loss make sure you eat more of fresh grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice with a good amount of pulp.
7. Cayenne pepper
Cayenne pepper is rich in a compound known as capsaicin, which can have a great positive effect on the metabolic rate of your body. Capsaicin, with its thermogenic properties, helps your cells in converting energy into heat. The increase in thermogenesis boosts both metabolism and body temperature. Try to include cayenne pepper in your diet whichever way you can, and enjoy its enormous benefits.
6. Apples
An apple a day not only keeps the doctor away it also helps you lose weight and boosts your metabolism. It is high in soluble fiber and low in calories and is a perfect option for those who want to increase their metabolism. Since it is rich in fiber it also helps you enjoy a better bowel movement while also improving digestion. It will be a wise idea to eat a whole apple before your meal as it will offer you the benefits, and also help you feel full, thus you will eat less and enjoy quick weight loss.
5. Ginger
Yet another superfood that can improve your metabolism and that which you easily find available at home is ginger. It has thermogenic properties and thus its intake can increase your body temperature slightly. This increase in body temperature is connected to a better metabolic rate. Ginger, being a vasodilator, increases the diameter of your small arteries and also improves blood circulation. When there is a better blood flow and circulation it increases the temperature of the body and this promotes metabolism and helps you burn more calories. To enjoy these benefits you can have ginger tea at least 3-5 times a week, and also add ginger to your dishes.
4. Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a great spice to enjoy better weight loss and to improve your metabolism. Not only is cinnamon low in calories it is rich in phytochemicals and antioxidants that improve your metabolism rate.
You should ideally consume a half to one teaspoon of cinnamon every day for about 20 days to notice a good change in your metabolism levels. You may even consume it every alternate day to enjoy good benefits.
3. Black coffee
Coffee’s metabolism boosting activity is derived from caffeine, a psychoactive central nervous system stimulant that is known to help improve the metabolic rate of your body. Caffeine helps block adenosine, the inhibitory neurotransmitter, and increase releasing of the neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and dopamine. These neurotransmitters are known for releasing fat from the body and improving metabolism. The best time to drink coffee and enjoy these benefits will be right after a meal. Not only will it affect your metabolism immediately, also it will have an impact on fat oxidation.
2. Broccoli
Broccoli is a vegetable that amazingly helps improve metabolic activity in the body. It is rich in vitamin C and calcium, both of which are known to help improve metabolism. Vitamin C helps absorb calcium in a better way and calcium acts as a trigger for boosting metabolism.
Make sure you add one to one and a half cups of cooked or raw broccoli to your daily diet for enjoying better weight loss and for improving metabolism.
1. Almonds
Eating almonds can improve your body’s expenditure of energy. Though they are high in calories, they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids that help boost metabolism in a great way. These fatty acids reduce the production of leptin, a natural chemical that can lower your metabolism levels. However, you should not consume almonds in excess. Just eat a handful of dry-roasted or soaked almonds on a regular basis to enjoy its wonderful benefits.
A better metabolism means you will be able to lose weight easily and can eat what you want to without storing excess fat. So, you should start adding enough of these superfoods to your diet and enjoy an array of benefits.