10 foods that boost fat burning

Metabolism is the term used to describe how quickly your body burns fat or calories. It is partly genetic, but you can boost it by eating the right foods. Yes, that is right, by eating! There are certain foods that can rev up your metabolism naturally.  A higher metabolism helps you burn more calories, which may help you to lose weight.

Hot Peppers

Hot peppers, such as jalapeǹo and cayenne, have an oily chemical compound surrounding their seeds called “capsaicin”. Capsaicin boosts thermogenesis – the process in which the body turns calories into heat to use for fuel. This helps the body burn fat. In addition to that, capsaicin is also known to curb your appetite.

Coffee

Drinking coffee doesn’t just help you stay alert, but it can also help you burn more calories. It is the caffeine in coffee is known to increase thermogenesis.  A recent study found that caffeine stimulates genes associated with metabolism. However, bear in mind that too much caffeine can be counterproductive to your health.

Tea

Catechin which is abundantly found in teas is a “type of disease-fighting flavonoid and antioxidant”. A review study conducted by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that its presence in teas, plus the combination of caffeine helps boost metabolism. In addition to that, tea also alters gut bacteria and gene expression to help reduce fat absorption.

Coconut oil

Coconut oil is high in medium-chain triglycerides (MCT). MCT works wonders on a sluggish metabolism. Numerous studies suggest that when humans replace the fats they are eating with MCTs, they burn more calories. MCTs also control your blood sugar level and naturally suppress your appetite.

Broccoli

Broccoli is rich in calcium, chromium and vitamin c, which helps promote weight loss. Calcium can help reduce the production of new fat cells and stimulates the breakdown of stored fat. Chromium aids in regulating blood glucose which can help in promoting weight loss. Vitamin C is needed by the body to synthesise certain compounds which are essential to turn fat into energy. An article published by the Journal of Nutrition in 2007 concluded that less fat is burned during exercise when the body is low in Vitamin C. Broccoli is also high in water and fibre content which helps to make you feel fuller quicker.

Avocado

Avocado contains healthy fats that help lowers cholesterol and boosts metabolism, which helps to ward off metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is the combination of having three or more risks for being diagnosed with heart disease or diabetes. “Avocado is a well-known source of carotenoids, minerals, phenolics, vitamins, and fatty acids. The lipid-lowering, anti-hypertensive, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, anti-thrombotic, anti-atherosclerotic, and cardio protective effects of avocado have been demonstrated in several studies.”

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is rich in fat-soluble fibre which requires a lot of calories to break it down. Eating oatmeal can also help decrease your cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease. Also oats are high in the “satiety index” which means that oats make you feel full quickly.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is believed to boost metabolism because the body uses more energy to process the spice than other foods. It is also said to increase insulin sensitivity and decrease blood sugar levels. Cinnamaldehyde, the oil that gives cinnamon the flavor has been found to trigger fat cells to burn energy they would typically store.

Seaweed

Seaweed is a great source of iodine.  Iodine is a mineral required for the production of thyroid hormones and proper function of your thyroid gland. One function of your thyroid hormones’  is to regulate your metabolic rate.  Therefore iodine supports your thyroid  and can help your metabolism.

Water

Keeping yourself hydrated is one of the best things you can do to boost your metabolism and lose weight. A study published by the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism concluded that drinking about 500ml of water increases the metabolic rate in men and women by 30%.

Consuming these foods regularly may help you lose weight and boost your metabolism in the long term. Keep in mind that there are a lot of factors that influence weight loss; maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle, getting enough sleep and watching what you eat will all have an effect on your weight loss journey.