6 Food That Will Boost Your Metabolism

Metabolism is the process through which your body transforms the food you eat into energy.

The basal metabolic rate (BMR) of your body helps maintain basic functions, such as cell renewal and repair, blood circulation, breathing and a hormonal balance, when you are resting. Several things influence your basal metabolic rate, including age, gender, weight, height, body composition and your diet.

The faster your metabolic rate, the more energetic and active you are! However, if your metabolic rate is slow, you may face some serious issues like fatigue, high cholesterol, muscle weakness, dry skin, weight gain, swollen joints, heavy menstrual discharge, depression and a slow heart rate. It is important that you boost your metabolism to keep your body healthy.

# Lemons

Lemons help in detoxifying your liver and cleansing the digestive system. The enzymes and vitamin C in lemons help in clearing toxins from the body by turning them into compounds that are eliminated from the body in the form of waste. This ultimately helps in improving your metabolic function.

# Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne pepper contains a compound known as capsaicin that has a positive impact on your body’s metabolic rate. Capsaicin has thermogenic properties that help cells convert energy into heat.

# Grapefruits

Grapefruits are rich in vitamin C that aids in improving the function of your metabolic system. Vitamin C regulates fat metabolism and aids in fat-burning. Grapefruits also contain naringenin, a flavonoid, that has excellent antioxidant properties required for metabolism. Naringenin helps lower insulin levels in the blood. This in turn leads to balanced blood sugar levels and improved metabolism.

# Apples

While an apple a day is healthy in many ways, it can even give a boost to your metabolism and help you lose weight.

Low in calories and rich in soluble fiber, apples are excellent for those wanting to speed up their metabolism. Its fiber content also aids in digestion and bowel movement. In fact, the fiber in apple keeps cells from absorbing fat and also encourages water absorption. This in turn helps remove fat deposits from the body, ensuring a boost to metabolic activity.

# Black Coffee

The metabolism-boosting activity of coffee is derived from caffeine, a psychoactive central nervous system stimulant that works to improve your body’s metabolic rate. Caffeine blocks the inhibitory neurotransmitter adenosine and increases the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters help improve metabolism and release fat from the body.

# Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a delicious way to speed up your metabolism and lose weight. Apart from being low in calories, cinnamon is rich in antioxidants and phytochemicals that help speed up your metabolism rate. This natural blood sugar stabilizer contains Type A procyanidins, a type of flavonoid that is effective in controlling insulin, transporting glucose to your cells and promoting synthesis of glycogen in the body.