Metabolism Boosting Foods

Metabolism-boosting foods increase your metabolism level to help you lose weight. Metabolism is your body’s way of converting the things you eat and drink into energy. The body uses this energy for all its functions: breathing, circulation, cell growth and repair, hormone regulation and more.

According to Mayo Clinic health professionals, a slow metabolism is not necessarily to blame for your weight gain. But metabolism-boosting foods can’t hurt when you’re trying to lose pounds or maintain your weight. Here are the five best fat burning foods around. Include them in your daily diet to rev your metabolism and burn calories.

1. Water Okay, water isn't really a food, but it's the healthiest thing you can drink to raise your metabolism and lose weight. Water is a natural appetite suppressant and drinking it throughout the day will keep you from confusing thirst with hunger. Water flushes away sodium and other harmful toxins, so don’t replace it with other drinks. Instead, supplement your water with green tea, which also has metabolism boosting properties.
2. Soup Soup is another great fat burner. Eat your soup as an appetizer, snack or even the main meal. Like water, soup naturally suppresses the appetite. This stems from its hunger-appeasing combination of warm liquids and savory solids. With a variety of tastes to please every palate, soups fill you up for very few calories. It raises your body’s metabolism and keeps it running.
3. Grapefruit People who make grapefruit part of their daily diet tend to lose more weight than those who don’t eat the fruit—at least, according to a Scripps Clinic study. This sweet, tart and tangy citrus fruit is packed with vitamin C. Grapefruit is known to reduce insulin levels, enhance metabolism levels and promote weight loss.
4. Apples Eating apples—and pears, their botanical cousins—is another great way to raise your metabolism. According to university studies, three small apples a day do more than keep the doctor away. They help you lose more weight than people who don’t include this fruit in their diets. Apples and pears are low calorie, high fiber fruits that make a good snack. They can satisfy your sugar cravings and they fill you up so you eat less.
5. Yogurt Dairy products, such as low-fat yogurt, also boost metabolism and weight loss efforts. Yogurt is a rich source of calcium, protein and other weight loss friendly nutrients. Yogurt is sometimes called a “superfood.” Along with healthy nutrients, yogurt contains good bacteria and yeast organisms known as probiotics. These microorganisms are good for your digestive system, immunity and overall health.

These weight loss superstars are not the only foods known to increase metabolism. Broccoli, turkey, oatmeal and hot peppers are also effective fat burners. High fiber, water rich fruits and vegetables are always good choices and so are lean meats. Your body must use more energy to digest these foods. Alternating healthy food choices and cycling your calories from day to day are other ways to raise your metabolism.