As the number of Americans who are overweight or obese increases to more than two-thirds of the adult population, many people are searching for ways to boost their metabolism and lose weight. Unfortunately, there is no magic juice or pill that can permanently raise your metabolism and cause you to rapidly lose weight. However, there are safe, healthy steps you can take to boost your metabolism.
Juice
No juice or food is going to significantly boost your metabolism and cause your body to burn fat, reports the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Many fad diets touting super-foods that will cause you to lose weight have been reported in health and beauty magazines, including grapefruit juice, cabbage soup or celery. There is no evidence that consuming these or any other single food will significantly increase your metabolism.
Effect of Food on Metabolism
That fact is, drinking any type of juice or eating any type of food will slightly increase your metabolism for about five hours, explains the Student Nutrition and Body Awareness campaign at the University of California, Los Angeles. Your body must expend a small amount of energy to digest and process food. However, this small increase in metabolism only burns a small number of calories compared to your overall daily calorie expenditure.
Caffeine
Juice and food that contain caffeine or other stimulants will increase your metabolism slightly more than foods without caffeine. Stimulants like caffeine cause your body to produce heat, a process known as thermogenesis that is fueled by burning calories. Again, this increase is small compared to your total daily calorie needs, and the effect is temporary, not permanent, the MayoClinic.com explains. Consuming juices containing caffeine are unlikely to significantly contribute to weight loss.
Increasing Metabolism
Exercise and maintaining a consistent diet are the two best ways to ensure your metabolism stays high. Physical activity burns calories, and strength training builds muscle mass, which increases your basal metabolic rate, the Student Nutrition and Body Awareness campaign at the University of California, Los Angeles explains. To keep your metabolism high, you should avoid skipping meals or restrictive diets that severely limit your calorie intake. When you starve your body, it responds by slowing down metabolism in order to conserve energy, warns Illinois State University.
References
- Weight-control Information Network: Statistics Related to Overweight and Obesity
- Federal Occupational Health: Personal Health
- Student Nutrition and Body Awareness campaign at the University of California, Los Angeles: Nutrition Basics
- MayoClinic.com: Does caffeine help with weight loss?; Katherine Zeratsky; May 2011
- Illinois State University: Maximize Your Metabolism



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