A slow metabolism doesn't burn calories very efficiently, sometimes leading to difficulties in losing weight. With a high metabolism, the number of calories burned by your body on a daily basis raises. If your metabolism is running slow, the calories that would normally be burned off becomes stored as fat so your body can use it later. The good news is that there are some foods and drinks that can help give your metabolism a boost.
Blueberries
Blueberries can have a great impact on the calorie burning abilities of your body by boosting your metabolism. They are also completely packed with antioxidants, which provide their own set of healthy benefits, such as protection from certain illnesses and diseases. You can eat blueberries all by themselves or you can add them into some low fat plain yogurt. Also use them as a topping for your healthy cereal as a natural sweetener. If you prefer to drink blueberries, you can mix them with plain yogurt, apples and oranges to create a fruit smoothie.
Green Tea and Coffee
Whether you are getting it in the form of green tea or coffee, caffeine is used to effectively give your metabolism a boost. The catechins found in green tea are what give it the metabolism benefits. By drinking two cups every day, you get these metabolism benefits plus a reduction of the possibilities of developing heart disease or cancer. If you choose coffee for your metabolic boost, you will also experience an improvement in your concentration and productivity.
Broccoli
Broccoli is a food that requires very minimal preparation and gives your metabolism a huge boost. Whether you choose to consume fresh or frozen broccoli, the calorie burning benefits of this leafy green vegetable remains the same. Broccoli is also beneficial at fighting off skin, liver and breast cancer. Broccoli gives you tons of vitamins, minerals and nutrients. If you don't like to eat plain broccoli, try adding it into your favorite pasta or use it as a topping for a vegetable pizza.
Hot Peppers
Add hot peppers to nearly any recipe to spice things up a bit. Some good examples of peppers that give your metabolism a boost are jalapeno peppers, habaneras and cayenne peppers. These peppers are considered to be thermagenic and actually heat your body. When your body temperature rises, your metabolism is increased and more calories are required to cool your temperature back to normal.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Green Tea
- "Ultra-Metabolism: The Simple Plan for Automatic Weight Loss"; Mark Hyman; 2008
- "Secrets to a Healthy Metabolism"; Maria Emmerich; 2009
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