10 Foods That Boost the Metabolism and Help to Burn Fat

This article looks at 10 foods that boost the metabolism, helping you to lose weight faster.

It’s common knowledge that overeating the wrong type of food can cause weight gain.

Conversely, large quantities of some foods can be consumed without causing weight gain.

But did you know that there are foods that boost the metabolism and help to burn fat?

Some foods that help to burn fat do so by stimulating hormones that increase our metabolic rate.  This, in turn, increases our body’s fat-burning capability.

Some foods cause changes to body temperature, and we must use energy to keep our temperature at the right level.

Other foods burn fat because they require more energy to digest.

Regularly including the following foods that boost the metabolism in your diet will help speed up the weight loss process.

They’re also good for you, and they taste great, too!

Foods that Boost the Metabolism – 10 of the Best

1. Apples

Apples contain pectin, a component that binds with water, limiting how much fat our cells absorb.  They also have a high fiber content, and high fiber foods create a feeling of fullness.  When we consume these, we are less likely to overeat.  Over time, eating less results in weight loss.

Studies over the years have concluded beyond a doubt that people who eat an apple, thirty to sixty minutes before mealtime, take in fewer calories because they feel satisfied eating a smaller serving of food.

2. Avocado

When considering foods that boost the metabolism, avocados may not immediately spring to mind.

Avocados contain a high level of B6, a vitamin that directly counteracts the belly-fat-building stress hormone, cortisol.  Avocados are also full of monounsaturated fat, and fat is infinitely more satisfying than carbs.

According to scientific research, including a study published in Diabetics Care, consuming foods containing healthy fat can help to prevent the accumulation of belly fat.  This is due to it regulating the expression of certain fat genes.

Another study showed that people who ate half a fresh avocado with their lunch had a 40% reduction in their appetite for three hours afterward and a 28% reduction for five hours.

3. Cinnamon

Cinnamon is not food per se but a calorie-free spice that enhances the flavor of some foods.

Research has revealed that cinnamon helps to metabolize sugar.  And when added to healthy, low-fat foods, it has been proven to increase fat burning.

High insulin levels increase body fat.

Cinnamon increases the body’s sensitivity to insulin.  Include it in your diet regularly, and you will produce less insulin and so not be as prone to gaining weight.

As little as 1 gram or 1/4 of a teaspoon of cinnamon a day can lower blood sugar and reduce cholesterol by between 10 and 25%.

Cinnamon tastes great in coffee, protein shakes, and smoothies.  It also adds flavor to cereal, yogurt, and cottage cheese.

4. Pine Nuts

Nutrient-rich, pine nuts are an excellent source of an Omega-6 fatty acid called pinolenic acid.

Pinolenic acid is a natural appetite suppressant as, when consumed, it activates a hormone called cholecystokinin, or CCK.

When our CCK level is high, we are less hungry.

Studies have shown that when eaten regularly in moderation, pine nuts can go a long way towards helping to prevent belly fat.

5. Dairy Products

Dairy products are rich in calcium and Vitamin D, both of which build muscle and assist with fat burning.

Regularly including milk, yogurt, and cheese in your diet will boost your metabolism.

And, according to recent research, doing so can result in you losing twice as much weight as people who omit them from their diets.

And don’t think you have to go low-fat, either!  The latest research has shown that because full-fat dairy foods are more filling, we eat smaller portions and feel satisfied for longer afterward.

The calcium contained in dairy products is also believed to promote weight loss by breaking down body fat.

Other ingredients contained in dairy products, including whey proteins, conjugated linoleic acid, and amino acids, may also play a part in the fat-burning process.

6. Chilli Peppers

Hot chili peppers contain capsaicin, which promotes calorie and fat burning by heating the body.  But not everyone likes hot peppers!

If you’re not a fan, the good news is that you can experience its benefits without eating it.

A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of California, in Los Angeles, has shown that dihydrocapsiate (DCT), a compound related to capsaicin which carries far less heat, has the same effect.  The number of calories burned is very modest, but this is still pleasing news for chili-lovers.

7. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar has many benefits, one of which is thought to be that it can help to burn fat.  While few scientific studies have been undertaken to prove this, many people claim to have lost weight after regularly including it in their diet.

One 12-week Japanese study followed 175 obese adults who consumed either water or apple cider vinegar daily.

All of the participants ate the same food and kept a food diary.

Those who consumed the vinegar lost 1 to 2 pounds during the study.  Those who drank water did not lose weight.

This suggests that vinegar may activate specific genes involved in breaking down fats.

Enzymes in apple cider vinegar also help to stimulate the digestive system, enabling it to function optimally.  It may also suppress appetite.

Look for unfiltered apple cider vinegar, which contains “the mother.”

Apple cider vinegar is acidic, and drinking it straight could burn your esophagus and damage your tooth enamel.

Dilute one or two tablespoons in a large glass of water and either down it or sip it throughout the day.  You can also add it to the oil in your salad dressing.

8. Mustard

According to scientists at Oxford Brooke University in the UK, just half a teaspoon of mustard will enable you to burn fat faster by almost instantaneously increasing the number of calories you expend by 20 to 25% for thirty minutes after consumption.

Along with adding flavor to food, mustard seeds are very nutritious, containing protein, fiber, iron, calcium, selenium, phosphorus, manganese, and magnesium.

They contain around 30 calories for every two teaspoons, and they are low in carbs.

For the best result, choose a whole grain or spicy Asian or Mexican mustard that contains cayenne or chili peppers.

Mustard can enhance the taste of many foods, not just sandwiches.

Try using it in curry and bean dishes and mix some into a salad dressing.  It is also excellent as a glaze for meats, fish, and chicken.

9. Ginger

An ingredient found in many weight loss supplements, ginger contains acids that stimulate gastric enzymes and boost metabolism.

A 2012 study in the journal “Metabolism” researched claims that along with increasing calorie burn, ginger consumption can help to control appetite.

It was found that study participants who regularly included ginger in their diets had higher levels of thermogenesis – the warming effect of energy produced when we metabolize food – and were less hungry.