6 Foods That Boost Your Metabolism

There are no shortcuts to losing weight. But here’s some good news! There are many foods that can help to speed up your metabolism. Adding a few to your diet can give you a fat-fighting boost and help give you the edge you need to get your body’s fuel-burning machine running at its best level. Here are six foods to add to your diet to boost your metabolism.

Celery

You’ve probably heard that celery is a “negative calorie” food. While that’s not exactly true, celery is very low in calories and loaded with water and indigestible fiber, so it takes a lot of effort for your body to process. It also acts as a diuretic, so the body uses energy to increase urine production, stimulating your metabolism.

Garlic

Garlic is truly nature’s gift. It helps to regulate blood pressure and fight heart disease, which decreases the risk of a heart attack. When the heart is healthy, the body’s metabolism runs more smoothly. Additionally, garlic helps to lower the risk of diabetes and boost your immune system. It’s also high in antioxidants, which fight the free radicals that want to slow down the metabolism. So, not only does garlic boost the metabolism, it helps to fight some of the factors that want to slow it down. How great is that?

Kimchi

This fermented cabbage dish isn’t a staple of the Korean diet for nothing. Kimchi is loaded with probiotics which aid digestion and diminish bloating, which helps your metabolism run more efficiently because there’s less in the way of its efforts to break down nutrients properly. Plus, its ingredients include garlic, that wonderful metabolism booster, and chili peppers. The capsaicin in chili peppers is another great metabolism stimulator. It’s also been found that people who eat kimchi have improved cholesterol levels and increased weight loss.

Dark Chocolate

Now you have another reason to eat chocolate. Studies done by German and Swiss researchers found that participants who ate 1.5 ounces of dark chocolate daily had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol and showed more regulated metabolism than non-eaters. The scientists theorize that the flavonoids in cocoa regulate metabolism by helping to alleviate stress, which can wreak havoc on your fat-burning abilities. But, don’t think of this as an excuse to overindulge, 1.5 ounces is enough to give your body a boost.

Salmon

With its high levels of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, salmon is a great source of lean protein and a serious metabolism helper. Omega-3 fatty acids help decrease the risk of heart disease and lower blood pressure levels. They also decrease levels of the hormone leptin, which has been linked to weight gain and slow metabolism. The fatty acids send a signal to the thyroid, telling the liver to burn more fat. Choose a wild-caught Alaskan salmon to get the highest levels of omega-3s.

Apples

Just one apple a day can help prevent cardiovascular disease, diabetes and metabolic syndrome, a condition associated with increased abdominal fat. Apples contain a variety of vitamins and minerals that help keep your metabolism running efficiently. Not to mention they’re loaded with fiber, which studies have shown to be vital to reducing fat. Your mom was right when she told you to eat an apple a day.

This list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning water and exercise. Water keeps electrolytes balanced and helps carry nutrients and oxygen throughout the body, which is essential for a healthy metabolism. When you skip the water, your metabolism slows down, making you feel tired. Exercise helps elevate your metabolism and it will stay high for hours after the activity stops. Plus, it builds muscle, which on its own burns more calories even when you’re not working out. Try to get at least 30 minutes of exercise, such as walking, running, swimming or cycling every day.