If you are someone who is looking for ways to enhance or boost metabolism, then you actually want to know how to burn more calories and, particularly, how to lose weight. The word metabolism is a broad term. Many people believe that it means the speed at which you use energy or burn calories. But metabolism actually describes how you break down the food that you use for energy, as well as the processes that happen inside your cells to harness that energy to power your body.
The scientific term for how quickly you burn calories is your metabolic rate, and the total amount of calories that you burn on any given day is known as energy expenditure. In this blog, we will find out more about foods that help metabolism and even the various ways that will help you to find the best method for your body.
Top Foods That Increase Metabolism and Burn Fat
While there are some foods that increase metabolism and burn fat will technically enhance energy, it’s crucial to understand which are the best ones to eat for sustained energy. Complex carbs, healthy fats, and protein takes longer to digest by satisfying your hunger and provides a slow and steady stream of energy, which results in Low Glycemic Index.
It takes less energy to digest High Glycemic Index food due to its high in refined ingredients, which means the body will continue to be hungry, which signals the brain to want more food. Similarly, one of the biggest reasons dieting fails people long-term is due to every single time that you miss a meal, you rob your body of adequate nutrients that your blood sugar to drop, releasing a hormone in the body that makes you burn muscle, not fat. This reaction will cause you to then crave more carbohydrates to help in sustaining energy.
Since it’s true that carbohydrates are a crucial part of a balanced meal in order to provide your body with more energy by focusing on fulfilling your daily protein requirements, you may be able to burn more calories by focusing more on meeting your daily protein requirements that you may be able to burn more more calories rather than consuming as many carbohydrates as possible. A balanced intake of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates will provide calories to fuel your body.
Top Drinks to Increase Metabolism
Hydration is important and is a key to enhancing your metabolism. Proper hydration is crucial for maintaining a healthy metabolism and enhancing efficient calorie burning. Even a mild dehydration will significantly reduce your metabolic rates. Some of the top beverage choices for enhancing your metabolism:
- Water- Consuming enough water throughout the day will help increase your metabolic rate and support digestion.
- Green Tea- Green tea is rich with antioxidants and metabolism-boosting compounds such as catechins. Green tea is a good choice to boost your metabolism.
- Coffee- The caffeine in coffee will stimulate your metabolism; however, moderation is key.
- Herbal tea- Herbal tea such as peppermint, ginger and chamomile, will aid in enhancing metabolism. They are hydrating and offer several health benefits.
The Power of Mitochondria
Mitochondria produces energy necessary for all the cells' survival and function in the body, which includes proper adrenal function. Adrenal glands produce hormones that help in regulating your metabolism, blood pressure, and immune system, which respond to essential functions. Some people believe that food is medicine, and when you consider mitochondrial production and how it affects these hormones, keeping the adrenals healthy is crucial in achieving weight loss, energy, and wellness.
Through a series of chemical reactions. Mitochondria break down glucose into an energy molecule, which is known as adenosine triphosphate (ATP). It is used to fuel several cellular processes, so basically mitochondria will help in turning the energy that we take from the food into energy that cells will use.
Exercise will increase the number of mitochondria, improving our body’s ability to produce energy. L-carnitine and Creatine from natural food sources are two excellent ways to supply energy to the mitochondria. Not only do they help in offering energy to the body, but they are also integral in helping build muscle mass. One will get plenty of both through animal protein such as grass-fed, bison, eggs, and poultry. Moreover, plant-based proteins such as nuts, beans can also do the same.
Best Energy Boosting Supplements
If you are trying to enhance your energy, then vitamin B is a perfect place to begin. Vitamin B is soluble and therefore your body absorbs only as much as it requires and any excess passes through detoxification. Even if we don’t eat a balanced diet or consume excessive alcohol or any other medications then it can lower vitamin B.
Vitamin B12 plays a crucial role in energy production as it helps in transforming the food that we consume into energy that cells will use, and it helps in forming red blood cells that are crucial for lung function and converts fat and protein to energy.
- Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) is used by the nervous system.
- Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) counters oxidative stress.
- Vitamin B3 (Niacin) will support some basic cognitive functions.
- Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) will support important transmitters.
- Cooked broccoli, Spinach, mustard greens, bok choy
- Chinese broccoli are an energy boosting food with magnesium and vitamins B.
Your metabolism is how your body turns calories into energy. Your body uses most of this energy for day-to-day activities, like breathing, circulation, and brain function.
Foods To Boost Metabolism Naturally
We all are aware that foods help in improving our overall health and provide energy to our body that will help in boosting metabolism naturally. Let’s look at some of the foods that help in boosting metabolism naturally.
Green Vegetables:
We are aware that a wholesome diet should have a whole lot of green leafy vegetables. Not only are they low on calories and carbohydrates and are high in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Also, you can include a lot of leafy greens in your diet and speed up your natural fat burning process.
Nuts:
Nuts are high in calories and are known as a powerhouse of energy. Since protein is high on the thermic effect, the body is then required to burn extra calories in order to digest it. Nuts such as almonds have fatty acids that have been proven to enhance the metabolic rate. Since it helps in regulating body temperature and stores fat-soluble vitamins such as A,D,E,K.
Milk & Yogurt:
Regular consumption of calcium will help in metabolizing body fat better. Yogurt and Milk are known as a source of calcium. The latter is considered as a Probiotics and good bacteria that will help to boost metabolism.
Whole Grains & Lentils:
Whole grains are a high source of nutrients and complex carbohydrates as they need extra energy to break own and digest. While on the other hand lentils are high in proteins, carbohydrates and fiber. They are also high in iron that facilities oxygen flow in the body further enhancing the fat burning process.
Wrapping It Up
There is not really much that you can do to change the bulk of the daily energy requirements. But exercising, building lean muscle, and eating nutritious foods are some ways that you may be able to boost metabolism. At the same time, these things are better for your overall health. Having a lot of energy, which is often our end goal, and it feels great, but understanding how to adopt a diet to attain that good feeling can do so much more for you and your overall health. By enhancing your metabolism, it is possible when there is an understanding of how your body produces energy and how different foods will affect your sugar levels.