Boost Your Metabolism with these 12 Foods

I could never understand the phrase “you are what you eat”. It isn’t until you are looking at 40 that you really can grasp the nature and relationship of nutrition and health. By the time you reach 30, you’re finally getting your house in order. At this point, you probably have a career path, a disposable income, a comfortable home and a stylish wardrobe. It seems like you’re at the height of your powers, and things are really going your way. Then, quite suddenly, it happens.

You notice that the winter weight doesn’t come off as easily in the springtime. That your pants are a little snugger. That a few drinks on a Friday night can ruin most of your Saturday. Metabolism is responsible for how the body converts what you eat and drink into energy, therefore a healthy metabolism is necessary for weight loss. Although the speed of your metabolism is partially determined by your genetics, certain foods have been shown to naturally speed it up.

Instead of envying 20-somethings for their ability to seemingly keep weight off with zero effort, follow these tips to help speed up your metabolism.

Grapefruit

Grapefruit can reduce insulin levels. Lower insulin levels after eating can help your body process food more efficiently. With less insulin, you burn more calories and store less energy as fat.

Salmon and Tuna

High levels of leptin are associated with slower metabolisms and weight gain. Eating fish is a good way to lower leptin levels. The omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon and tuna cut leptin levels and help your body process foods more effectively. Omega-3 fatty acids are also found in anchovies, sardines, mackerel, and flax seed oil.

Tuna, along with salmon, mackerel, herring, and sardines, contains omega-3 fatty acids, which help stimulate the production of  hormones that regulate metabolism and appetite.

Eggs

Eggs are no longer just an impeccable source of protein. In fact they are quite the metabolic booster and one of the best ones at that. Because they are so protein dense, this will help you build more muscle mass which is great for speeding up your metabolism: the more muscle mass, the faster the metabolism.

This is especially helpful if genetics let you down and you don’t naturally have the metabolism of your dreams. Some would call this an egg-cellent way to improve your digestive powers, but don’t scramble your brains over that.

Black Coffee

The shot of caffeine you get from coffee increases energy and concentration. If consumed in moderation, coffee can cause a short-term boost in your metabolic rate. This common brew allows for a brief spike in your metabolism after drinking it. Okay, with this you HAVE to only sip small amounts of coffee. Consuming too much coffee can be detrimental to your adrenal glands and cancels any effort at improving your metabolism.

But at two cups a day, (400 mg of caffeine) it is a great metabolism booster. Though the effects of black coffee aren’t permanent, they can be sustained by drinking on a daily basis.

Machia

Yup, that’s just a fancy word for green tea. It not only packs a bit of caffeine, which speeds up your heart rate and thus your metabolism, but it also has norepinephrine-stimulating EGCG, a nutrient that helps boost your metabolic rate.

Avocado

Avocado is rich in essential fatty acids, monounsaturated fats, B vitamins, and antioxidants that are known to keep metabolism working and your inflammation in check. Avocado is also abundant in fiber, which helps you to burn even more calories.

Spinach

A major deliverer of iron, magnesium, vitamin C and potassium, spinach is perfect for muscle repair. It also can prevent free-radicals (oxidation crashes and dangerous fluctuations in your body which have the potential to cause cancers) and keep your metabolism at a healthy and consistent level.

Because your muscles are repaired, you retain your muscle mass, which keeps that metabolism in a safe and high place. So take a page out of Popeye’s book and gulp down on these leafy greens by themselves or in smoothies, salads and stir fry’s.

Celery

Strawberries

A great source of anthocyanins (antioxidants of the totally awesome variety) which prevent fat cells from growing while simultaneously causing them to release adiponectin- a chemical that reduces inflammation, blood sugar, and reverses your body’s resistance to insulin.

They also reduce your digestive system’s ability to absorb some starches and fats. This berry is easy to work into your diet at any meal, and they are approved by picky eaters worldwide; so next time you have a fruit fix, think back to your humble friend the strawberry. Consider your metabolism boosted.

Carrots

These orange veggies are high in fiber, and fiber forces the body to work harder during digestion, burning more calories in the process. Herb-Roasted Zucchini and Carrots and Balsamic Roasted Carrots are tasty additions to any weight loss menu.

Asparagus

Asparagus is known as a negative calorie food since it requires more calories to chew and digest it than it contains. It’s also loaded in nutrients and tastes great. Eat them alone as a snack, chopped up in a salad or asparagus makes an amazing side next to some lean meat.

Apples

Like grapefruit, this low-calorie snack is high in fiber, which your body must burn calories to break down. Plus, since apples help you stay full for longer, you’ll eat less.

The Final Thought

The best part is all of these foods are easy to eat and come by, also cheap. You can effortlessly eat all 12 in one day in 3 cheap and delicious meals. I’m looking forward to salmon and asparagus for dinner already.