10 Easy Foods That Boost Metabolism
No, this isn’t a “one weird trick” ad! Today we’re going to explore the topic of nutrition and metabolism, asking the question: “Are there foods that boost metabolism?”
Ultimately, the answer is yes – there are some specific foods as well as overall dietary patterns that result in greater energy expenditure over the course of the day. There’s no one food that’s a metabolic panacea, however – exercise/activity is ultimately the biggest driver of metabolic output that we can control. But if our goal is to have the highest metabolism possible, it certainly helps to have both exercise and nutrition in our corner!
Here are 10 foods that boost metabolism, and I’m going to be rolling them out in categories…
Proteins
Let’s kick off our list with a discussion of the “thermic effect” of food. This effect (called “postprandial thermogenesis”) is basically your body expending energy trying to digest something. The harder a food is to digest, the more energy (calories) your body uses trying to process it. In the end, your body can only use the “net” calories.
Protein has the highest thermic effect of all the food groups, and the higher-protein a meal is, the stronger the effect is. Protein is very slow-digesting, which creates this large thermic effect. All proteins have a high thermic effect, so these are just a few examples of protein foods that boost metabolism!
1 – Fatty fish like salmon or sardines (which also contain omega-3’s, which will come up again on this list)
2 – Chicken breast and other lean meats
3- Low fat, high-protein dairy like Greek yogurt or cottage cheese (or even whey protein powders)
Fiber from carbohydrates
Carbohydrates have the second highest thermic effect after protein, with a key feature being fiber. The less processed, the better! Although carbs are often thought of as the enemy of weight loss, the truth is that these whole foods boost metabolism.
4 – Whole grains like oatmeal, farro, and whole wheat products, which contain high-fiber complex carbohydrates that digest very slowly
5 – Beans and legumes, which are incredibly high in fiber per serving
Spicy flavors
In what seems to intuitively make sense, spicy foods give you a temporary metabolic boost after eating them! This is because of a compound called capsaicin that is in many spicy foods.
6 – Spicy peppers like jalapeños, cayenne, ghost, red chili, etc., which can be eaten in salsas, hot sauces, dressings, etc.
Supplements/beverages
7 – Cinnamon
8 – Coffee/espresso (caffeinated)
9 – Green tea (including Matcha)
10 – Omega-3’s
But on top of the food themselves, eating habits are important, too. It’s important to note that the thermic effect of food is higher if you eat:
- whole foods (vs. processed meals)
- higher-protein meals (vs. meals that just have some protein)
- larger and more consolidated meals (vs. smaller meals with lots of snacks).
If you want to reap the benefits of these foods that boost metabolism, I suggest picking 1-2 things that you can do consistently! For example, if you’ve never tracked your fiber, take a few days to make sure that you’re hitting 25 grams a day for women or 38 grams for men. Maybe start drinking green tea and develop a taste for it. Start cooking more with spicy peppers/salsas. Throw beans on your lunch salad. Start taking a good omega-3 supplement.
There are so many small things you can do to boost your metabolism with food, and it’s not a gimmick – the only “trick” is to stay consistent!
References for Foods That Boost Metabolism
What is the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF)?
Green tea for weight loss and weight maintenance in overweight or obese adults
