Foods and nutrients that boost metabolism can be used as components of diets that speed up metabolism. Boosting metabolism is often necessary for preventing excess body fat and promoting good health. A wide variety of foods and nutrients can speed up metabolism, and they range from cinnamon to iodine, and from olive oil to cayenne pepper. A common characteristic of these foods is that they can increase insulin sensitivity. Proper choices of foods are important for losing body fat and maintaining fitness.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a highly regarded spice for its ability to increase insulin sensitivity. This property makes cinnamon an important nutrient for reducing body fat and reversing chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Mehtylhydroxy chalcome polymer, MPCP, is the chemical in cinnamon that produces this change in insulin sensitivity. The metabolism-boosting effect of cinnamon can be achieved by consuming 1 g per day. You should consult a doctor before starting a new herbal treatment.
One effect of improved insulin sensitivity is that high energy foods are preferentially oxidized rather than stored as body fat. The body's primary metabolic fuels -- fats and carbohydrates -- are often called high energy nutrients. Improvement in insulin sensitivity assures that high energy nutrients are effectively utilized. It is easier to lose body fat when high energy nutrients are utilized effectively.
Iodine
Pathological conditions such as hypothyroidism can lead to sluggish metabolism. An iodine-deficient diet is the common cause of hypothyroidism. Iodine is an important chemical element that is utilized by the thyroid gland to synthesize thyroid hormone, a metabolism-boosting hormone. When the plasma level of thyroid hormone goes down due to iodine deficiency, depression of metabolism often results.
Addition of iodine in the diet can restore the synthesis of thyroid hormone and accelerate metabolism. Iodized table salt is a common source of iodine. Other dietary sources of iodine include kelp, shellfish, cow's milk, strawberries, asparagus and eggs.
Leafy Vegetables
The metabolism-boosting effects of leafy vegetables are not widely recognized.
Leafy vegetables are known primarily as high-nutrient foods with low energy. They contain minerals, vitamins and phytonutrients. Their high energy-nutrient contents, fats and carbohydrates, are low.
Leafy vegetables have attributes that accelerate metabolism. Among them is the blood glucose stabilizing effect. Dietary fibers in the leafy vegetables slow down the absorption of nutrients from the intestine. This prevents big spikes in your blood glucose level. When plasma glucose is maintained at normal levels, insulin would remain controlled at normal or near-normal plasma levels because insulin levels usually parallel blood glucose levels. At normal plasma levels of insulin, insulin sensitivity would usually remain intact or improve.
Olive Oil
Olive oil is a good oil. Olive oil is unsaturated and it contains alpha omega 3 fatty acids. It can stabilize plasma glucose at normal or near normal levels, a change that results in the increase in insulin sensitivity. Unlike the leafy vegetables, however, good oils are high energy foods and they should be consumed in moderation.
References
- "Agricultural Research Magazine"; Cinnamon Extracts Boost Insulin Sensitivity; Anderson, R. and Polansky, M.; July 2000.
- "Diabetes Care"; Cinnamon Improves Glucose and Lipids of People With Type 2 Diabetes; Khan, Adam et al.; December 2003
- Mayo Clinic; Dietary fiber: Essential for a healthy diet
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