Metabolism refers to the whole range of chemical processes that occur within the human body, building and breaking down the substances that allow humans to live while also burning calories. Because your metabolism is responsible for burning up to 60 percent of the calories that you use each day, increasing your metabolism is one effective way to stimulate weight loss. There are several ways you can increase your metabolism, but one often overlooked method is the consumption of certain metabolism-boosting foods.
Grapefruit
Grapefruit, popularized as a fat-burning method by many fad diets, effectively decreases the levels of insuline -- the chemical that triggers the storage of fat -- in the body. In addition, grapefruit's high fiber content means that the body must burn extra calories in order to digest it and break it down into components the body can use. High levels of Vitamin C in grapefruit, and other citrus fruits, also stimulates fat loss. People who eat half a grapefruit with their meals lose an average of 3.6 pounds in 12 weeks.
Yogurt
Dairy foods rich in calcium, such as yogurt, milk, and cheese, can increase fat loss by nearly double compared to diets that include a similar caloric intake but no calcium. One serving of yogurt contains about 450 mg of calcium. In addition, yogurts high protein content, 12 g, requires a great deal of energy for the body to process, and yogurt's probiotic cultures also help regulate the digestive tract, which increase metabolic processes.
Coffee and Green Tea
According to Fitness Tips for Life, studies have shown that green tea boosts the metabolism and speeds up weight loss. The high levels of antioxidants in green tea and coffee, specifically epigallocatechin gallate in green tea, speeds up the brain and nervous system, causing the body to burn more energy. The caffeine in both these beverages also gives the body a physical and mental boost, increasing metabolic rate and caloric burn. Adding cinnamon to these beverages helps the body metabolize sugars, increasing the benefits.
Peppers
Spicy foods such as peppers can speed up your metabolism. Capsaicin, the chemical in peppers that give them their spiciness, increases the rate that the body burns calories for hours after consumption due to its thermogenic properties. Foods high in caspaicin also have a cleansing effect on the body, increasing fat loss. Peppers high in caspaicin include chilies, jalapeños, and cayenne.
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