Metabolism Boosting Foods

There are many benefits to metabolism boosting, and one of the best ways to do it is to watch what we eat. While exercise plays a very important part in increasing our metabolism, there are also a huge range of foods that have special metabolism boosting benefits. We shall look at some of these foods in today’s article.

Benefit of Metabolism Boosting Foods

Most of us know that there are lots of benefits to having a fast metabolism, however not everyone knows why.

As we get older, our metabolism slows down, meaning it takes longer for our bodies to digest the food we eat which results in more stored fat in the body. A slow metabolism can cause fatigue, dry skin and obesity.

By adding metabolism boosting foods to our diets, we can help keep our metabolisms as high as possible. There are lots of foods that have metabolism boosting qualities, and we shall look at some of the most popular of these below.

Grapefruit for Boosting Metabolism

Grapefruit has long been considered as one of the best natural ways of boosting your metabolism – as well as providing many other health benefits. Grapefruits work by lowering the insulin levels in your body. Insulin is what triggers your body to store food as fat.

Grapefruits are also rich in fiber. Fiber is very hard for the body to break down – so to do so you must burn a lot more calories resulting in weight loss.

Adding grapefruit to your diet also offers a wide range of other health benefits including supplying a mega dose of vitamin C, folic acid and potassium – all of which promote a healthy heart and immune system.

Green Tea and Coffee for Boosting Metabolism

Green tea and coffee are two great metabolism boosters that are very easy to add to your diet. Green tea has become a very popular drink over the past couple of years, and it has a wide range of health benefits.

Green tea is probably best known for its high antioxidant content, however it has fantastic abilities to increase your body’s metabolism as well. Green tea has thermogenic properties – meaning that it helps warm up the body. When your body creates heat it needs to burn more calories, which in turn increases your metabolic rate.

Caffeine also has similar properties, which is both in green tea (in small doses) and in coffee. Coffee increases your heart rate and helps boost your metabolic rate on a temporary basis. Coffee should be drunk in moderation however, and no more than three cups a day are advised.

Yogurt for Boosting Metabolism

Natural yogurt is fantastic as a metabolism boosting food as it contains large amounts of protein. Protein, like fiber, is very hard for the body to digest and so requires more energy to be processed – burning more calories along the way and increasing your metabolic rate.

Natural yogurt also contains pro-biotic cultures that will help regular your digestive tract and aid in a fast and healthy digestive system.

Apples for Boosting Metabolism

Apples offer similar benefits to grapefruits, in that they are high in fiber – which requires the body to burn a lot more calories than for other foods.

Apples are also very low in calories yet they also have a low GI rating, meaning that they will help you feel full for longer – preventing you snacking too regularly. An apple a day really will keep the doctor away!

Spinach for Boosting Metabolism

The final metabolism boosting food we shall look at today is spinach. Spinach offers a huge amount of benefits to your body, with metabolism boosting just one of them! Spinach is a fantastic source of antioxidants, potassium, iron, magnesium and vitamin C. It also contains fiber, which in a similar way to apples and grapefruit helps increase the metabolism by forcing your body to burn more calories.

Spinach contains metabolism-regulating vitamins and minerals such as B vitamins and calcium. It is an all-round great addition for your diet, and can help combat lots of health problems all in one go. Why not switch your usual lettuce in your sandwiches for some spinach?

Metabolism Boosters

We've all heard people talk about metabolism – but what is it and how can we boost it? That is what we shall talk about in today's guide.

What is Metabolism?

Metabolism refers to the chemical reactions that go on inside your body that allow you to live and grow. Your metabolism helps you to digest food and absorb nutrients.

Obesity is strongly linked to slow metabolism – as you are not digesting your food as quickly as someone with fast metabolism. However, there are ways to boost your metabolism that we shall look at below.

What Causes Slow Metabolism?

Your metabolism is most commonly affected by hydration, nutrition and physical activity. To be able to boost your metabolism you must first understand why it is low.

When trying to lose weight, many people lower their calories and fat intake – however this can actually slow down your metabolic rate. A good weight loss routine must also include physical activity to help bring your metabolic rate back up.

Even the healthiest of people will find that their metabolic rate will lower as they get older – this is just a natural process. Most people find it a lot harder to lose or keep off weight as they get older because of their lowered metabolic rate.

Unfortunately, a large factor affecting metabolic rate is genetics. While not everyone is blessed with a fast metabolism, there are ways of speeding it up.

What are the Benefits of Boosting your Metabolism?

Many people talk about boosting their metabolism, but what are the benefits of doing so? There are a lot more benefits to boosting your metabolism than you may think.

A faster metabolism can help you live a much more active and healthy lifestyle. Low metabolism can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, constipation, weight gain, dry skin and feeling cold.

The main benefit to boosting your metabolism is that it can help you maintain a healthy weight. Those with a high metabolic rate will find it easier to keep weight off than those with a slow metabolism. An increased metabolism can even help you burn more calories while you are sleeping!

How Can you Boost your Metabolism?

There are lots of ways in which you can boost your metabolism, and the most important thing to remember is what we mentioned before: physical activity, hydration and nutrition.

As well as ensuring you maintain those three things in a healthy manner, there are numerous foods and products that work as metabolism boosters.

Green tea has become a very popular metabolism booster – and is very enjoyable and easy to drink. Why not swap your usually morning tea to a green tea? Green tea contains the chemical EGCG that works by speeding up your brain and nervous system resulting in your body burning more calories. Coffee also works as a temporary metabolism booster – however you shouldn't consume more than three cups per day.

Other natural metabolism boosters include: almonds, grapefruit, yogurt, apples, turkey and spinach – to name just a few.

You can also take supplements that are designed to boost your metabolism. Many metabolism boosters are made from natural ingredients, whereas others have been scientifically created to help.

Natural metabolism booster supplements include B Vitamins, green tea tablets and general multivitamins. These are a great way of helping boost your metabolism while also increasing overall health. Some people however do not find the natural metabolism boosters strong enough for their needs and choose to try scientifically-formulated boosters.

There are literally dozens of different non-natural metabolic booster supplements on the market, and it can be hard to know which one to choose. Always read plenty of reviews and get recommendations when possible to help you make the best decision as to which is the best metabolism booster for you.

The best metabolism booster however is exercise. Even just a small increase in your daily physical activity will show positive results. The faster your heart rate, the faster your body will digest your food – meaning it doesn't get a chance to store it as excess fat. Combine a good, nutritious diet with a regular exercise plan – and you are well on your way to achieving your fitness and health goals!

(shared from http://www.metabolismboosters.net/general/)

Black Bean Chocolate Brownies

The doctor told my boyfriend he needs to lower his cholesterol, and I love to bake, so I have been experimenting with some “heart healthy” recipes. This moist “brownie” met with approval. I got the idea for these from the Dr. Oz show, where a similar brownie was tested, and no one could guess that the secret ingredient was black beans, which add texture and fiber to the brownies. Applesauce adds natural sweetness so you don’t need to add a lot of sugar, as I have seen in some Black Bean Brownie recipes.

Ingredients
Black Bean Chocolate Brownies1 (19 oz.) can black beans
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
Directions

1. Rinse black beans and measure out 1 1/4 cups of beans. (reserve any remaining beans for another use - you could add them to a salad.) Place beans in food processor and whirl to mash.
2. Add flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and brown sugar to the mashed beans in the food processor, and process to blend in.
3. Add applesauce, yogurt and vanilla and whirl again to blend.
4. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts.
5. Spray an 8 inch square baking pan
with non-stick spray, and turn the brownie mixture into the prepared pan. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25-30 minutes. Cool completely and cut into squares.

The second time I made this I used 1/2 cup whole wheat flour and added 1/4 cup ground flax seed meal. This also worked out well, and added the heart healthy benefits of the flax seed.
(credit: http://www.recipesoldandnew.com/index.php/2010/02/11/black-bean-chocolate-brownies/ )

Every year it seems there is a new dieting trend. Most recently, high protein, low carbohydrate (high-fat) diets have become all the rage. Some people swear by them while others are skeptical about their effectiveness and safety.

However, a diet based on increased (but not excessive) levels of protein has been shown in a number of studies to give an added boost to dieters by helping them increase weight loss, increase loss of body fat, and reduce the loss of muscle tissue. Many experts recommend a diet containing 25 to 35 percent protein for weight loss and between 20 to 25 percent protein for weight maintenance. In both cases, the protein should be high quality protein.

But how can people easily add more protein to their diets without overdoing it? Whey protein is one great option to consider.

Whey protein is a high quality, complete protein source with little to no fat that can help control hunger and weight,” says Dr. Julie Miller Jones, a professor of nutrition at the College of St. Catherine in St. Paul, Minn.

Usually found in a powdered form, this concentrated dairy protein can easily be added to many foods and recipes. One form of whey protein, whey protein isolate, contains less than 1 percent lactose and is often recommended for vegetarians and for those who are lactose or gluten intolerant.

Let's take a look at four ways that whey protein can help with weight loss.

1. Protein requires more energy to digest than other foods (called the thermic effect of food). This helps use more calories and hence may help with weight loss.

2. Also, high quality proteins such as whey protein help to preserve lean muscle tissue while you lose fat. If your body doesn’t get enough protein and the important essential amino acids on a daily basis it will “steal” them from existing muscle tissue.

3. Protein also helps to slow down the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. This in turn reduces hunger by reducing insulin levels and making it easier for the body to burn fat.

4. Protein has a greater ability to promote satiety than do fat and carbohydrates. Whey protein contains a special component called glycomacropeptide, or GMP. GMP helps promote the release of CCK, which is an appetite-suppressing hormone. This may help you feel full and hopefully stop eating sooner.

In addition to weight loss, another important side benefit of whey protein is its ability to support the immune system. It promotes the formation of glutathione, an anti-oxidant, which plays a key role in supporting the immune system. This is especially important during periods of stress and disease and for individuals who exercise aggressively or smoke.

Here are some ways to easily incorporate protein (using whey protein) into your diet.

* Turn your morning smoothie into a satisfying "fat burner" by combining whey protein, skim milk and fresh or frozen fruit. The dairy calcium provided by the milk makes it even more of a plus in regards to weight loss. Blend and enjoy!

* Make a healthy “home from school” snack by mixing together 1 box (4 serving size) of regular or sugar-free instant JELL-O(R) pudding with 2 servings of natural, vanilla, or chocolate whey protein powder. Add 2 1/2 cups skim milk and mix according to the directions on the box. Refrigerate for 15 minutes and serve.

* Prepare a delicious whipped topping for fruit and desserts. This recipe was created by Dr. Richard Ya Deau, a retired oncology surgeon.

40 grams of unflavored, unsweetened whey protein powder

16 ounces low fat milk

8 crushed ice cubes

1 tablespoon sugar or artificial sweetener, such as Splenda(R)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and mix until stiff peaks are formed. Use as a replacement for the higher fat version of whipped cream.

Whey protein is readily available in health food stores, natural food stores, and many fitness centers. For more recipes and information contact the Whey Protein Institute at www.wheyoflife.org or call their toll-free number, (866) WHY-WHEY.

(Courtesy of ARA Content)