How Healthy Eating Increases Metabolism

It's not uncommon to hear a person blame his slow metabolism for his difficulty losing weight, but a person's metabolism isn't really to blame for weight gain or difficulty losing weight. Lots of focus, of course, tends to fall on the foods we eat, because the metabolic process is the process of breaking down food and consuming energy to support bodily functions and movement. While food certainly plays a part, nothing is more effective for weight loss than more activity.

Metabolism

The Mayo Clinic describes metabolism as "the process by which your body converts what you eat and drink into energy." The rate of metabolism depends on a few factors, including your body size and composition, your gender -- men are generally larger than women and tend to use more energy -- and your age, because metabolism slows as you age when muscle stores begin to turn to fat.

Basal Metabolic Rate

The number of calories your body requires to convert food into energy is called your basal metabolic rate and it accounts for 60 percent to 70 percent of your body's energy use. Your BMR happens without any effort on your part and it means that your body is consuming energy even while you are inactive -- it has to to stay alive. Pregnancy and caffeine and tobacco use will increase your basal energy needs, but so will an increase in muscle mass.

Thermic Effect of Food

Your body uses energy to digest food and to absorb and process the nutrients in food. The energy used to carry out this process is called the thermic effect of food. This process accounts for only about 5 to 10 percent of the body's total energy output. It takes more energy to process nutrient-rich foods than it does to process nutrient-deficient foods, such as carbohydrates and fats,because it takes more energy to convert the amino acids in nutrient-rich foods into fat. Eating more nutrient-rich foods such as complex carbohydrates and protein will force your body to use more energy, increasing the rate of metabolism.

Activity and Muscle

Increasing your activity level is the best way to boost your metabolism. If you make an effort to acquire more lean body mass, especially more skeletal muscle -- the only component that you can control -- you can also increase your metabolism. Skeletal muscle function and support accounts for 18 percent of your total energy output. Complex foods are more effective when you are trying to build muscle because they supply more energy over a longer period of time, helping you feel full for longer and putting more time between meals.

Considerations

Healthful eating will benefit your body in ways you can't even imagine, and the metabolic process is one unseen process that will function at a higher rate if you supply it with the right kind of energy. Skipping meals, or drastically reducing the number of calories will actually slow your metabolism as your body slows its processes to conserve energy.