What is Metabolism?
Your metabolism simply refers to the way your body converts food and beverages into energy. This complex biochemical process involves the combination of calories from food and drinks with oxygen to produce the energy you need to perform various activities.
Even when you are sleeping, your body needs energy. There are dozens of functions happening within your body that you may not even notice, including breathing, blood circulation, modulating hormones and restoring or repairing cells.
Similar to the above, your body needs a certain amount of calories in order to perform these basic functions. This is called your basal metabolism rate, or metabolism.
There are many factors that determine your metabolic rate.
- Your body composition and size – People who have more muscle burn more calories even when they are asleep.
- Your gender – Men tend to have more muscle and less body fat than women so they are more likely to eat more calories.
- Age – As you age, your body’s mass and muscle content decreases, while your metabolism slows down.
What happens if you speed up your metabolism?
You’ll enjoy many health benefits if your metabolism functions at its best. Remember that your metabolism is affected by many factors, including weight.
A fast metabolism means that you will feel less tired and have more energy. Your body will convert food into fuel quickly, giving you steady energy.
People with a high metabolism can stay focused mentally. You will be less likely to gain weight, and you can lose weight quickly if you need to.
6 Foods that can speed up your metabolism
Although it might seem counterintuitive to believe that certain foods can speed up your metabolism, it is true. To kick-start fat-burning, your body needs nutrients. Skipping meals might not help you lose weight.
These foods are proven to increase metabolism and help you lose weight.
1. Lean Meats
Digesting protein takes more effort than digesting fat or carbohydrates. Experts recommend eating lean, fresh meats like poultry or fish. Research has shown that protein can help increase your post-meal calories by up to 35%.
Protein is essential for muscle building. Your metabolism will speed up if you have more muscle. Therefore, try to include protein at every meal and snack throughout your day.
2. Legumes
A great source of plant-based proteins is beans and pulses. They are also high in fiber, both insoluble and soluble. The body burns a lot of energy to break down fiber and protein. This helps keep your metabolism working well.
High fiber beans help to maintain blood sugar levels and reduce sugar cravings in the afternoon. [3]
Additionally, legumes contain iron, zinc and selenium. These minerals are essential for your thyroid to make enough hormones. Your metabolism could slow down or even become compromised without them.
3. Nuts
Another great source of fiber and protein is nuts. Studies have shown that nuts are a great source of protein and fiber. Nuts take longer to be broken down which makes them more satisfying for you and your metabolism.
Research has shown that nuts can increase your metabolism. Numerous studies have shown that nuts can increase your metabolism.
4. Whole Grains
Whole grains are complex carbohydrates that contain a greater number of sugars. This means that your body takes longer time to break down whole grains, which increases your metabolism’s ability to burn more calories for a longer time. Research has shown that whole grains can increase your post-meal energy consumption by as much as 50% compared to processed foods.
Complex carbohydrates are more nutritious, especially B vitamins. These vitamins play an important role in the conversion of food into energy. This is the heartbeat of your metabolic function. Vitamin B12 is associated with weight loss, as it increases metabolism and provides long-lasting energy.
Whole grains are better than processed grains. You should look for whole-wheat flours, quinoa and brown rice, as well as oats, barley, corn, and brown rice.
5. Probiotic foods
Fermented foods like yogurt, kefir and kimchi can increase the amount of good bacteria in your stomach. These bacteria are responsible for digestion and uptake of nutrients.
In a 2012 study, the Journal of Functional Foods found that adults who ate probiotic yogurt every night at dinner for six weeks lost between 3-4% and 5% body fat. This is compared to adults who consumed plain yogurt, which only lost 1% of their body fat.
Probiotics may alter the body’s ability to metabolize bile acids, according to some studies. These acids are produced by the liver. Their primary function is to reduce fats in the upper stomach. Probiotics may influence the metabolism of bile acids, which can affect how much fat you can absorb from food.
6. Caffeine
Caffeine, a stimulant that is powerful and can help you “wake up”, and boost your metabolism . Caffeine works by blocking the neurotransmitter adenosine. This causes other neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, to release more dopamine.
You will feel more alert and energized which can make it easier to exercise longer. However, too much caffeine can cause a chronic stress response, which can make it difficult to exercise longer.
Research has shown that caffeine can boost your resting metabolic rate by as much as 3-11% depending on how large your dose is. This can also help you burn more fat. A study showed that caffeine-based supplements can increase fat burning by up to 29%. Researchers have concluded that caffeine may be able to significantly affect energy balance and accelerate metabolism.
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