Create profiles Nutritional supplement for stress relief personalised advertising. Eat a variety nayurally healthy foods that fill you up without filling you out. Myth 2: Adding muscle will help you lose weight. Instead of eating less, you may want to focus on nutritious foods and move more.

Improve your metabolism naturally -

Metabolism-boosting foods, such as those rich in protein, may help support overall health and help with weight loss as part of a balanced diet.

This is the number of calories your body burns. Instead, they serve as a complement to a balanced, moderately calorie-restricted diet to promote weight loss along with regular exercise.

Protein-rich foods could help increase your metabolism for a few hours. This is because they require your body to use more energy to digest them. This is known as the thermic effect of food TEF or diet-induced thermogenesis. The TEF refers to the number of calories your body needs to digest, absorb, and process the nutrients in your meals 1 , 2.

Research shows that protein-rich foods increase TEF the most. Protein-rich diets also reduce the drop in metabolism often seen during weight loss by helping your body hold on to its muscle mass 2. The minerals iron and selenium each play different but equally important roles in the proper functioning of your body.

This gland regulates your metabolism 3. To help your thyroid function to the best of its ability, include foods rich in selenium and iron , like meat, seafood, legumes, nuts, and seeds, in your daily menu.

Capsaicin, a chemical found in chili peppers , may boost your metabolism by slightly increasing the rate at which your body burns calories. In fact, a review of studies notes that capsaicin — from supplements or the peppers themselves — may help reduce body weight and benefit your overall health 4.

Some studies report similar benefits with doses as low as 6—10 milligrams mg per day. This is equivalent to one jalapeño pepper 4 , 5.

According to a review of studies including nearly people, consuming at least 2 mg of capsaicin directly before each meal seems to reduce calorie consumption, especially from carbs 6.

Similarly, adding cayenne pepper to your meal may increase the amount of fat your body burns for energy, especially following a high fat meal. However, this fat-burning effect may only apply to people unaccustomed to consuming spicy foods 7.

The caffeine found in coffee may help increase metabolic rate. Furthermore, caffeine may help your body burn fat for energy. It seems especially effective at boosting your workout performance , according to older research 9. However, its effects may vary from person to person based on individual characteristics such as body weight and age 9.

Tea contains health-boosting compounds called catechins that may work with caffeine to boost metabolic rate. Both oolong and matcha green tea may increase fat oxidation and may help you burn extra calories when part of an exercise plan 10 , In addition, oolong and green teas may help your body use stored fat for energy more effectively, increasing your fat-burning ability Legumes and beans are particularly high in protein compared with other plant foods.

Examples include:. Studies suggest their high protein content requires your body to burn more calories to digest them compared with lower protein foods. This is due to their TEF 1. Legumes also contain dietary fiber , including resistant starch and soluble fiber, which your body can use as a prebiotic to feed the good bacteria in your large intestine In turn, these friendly bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids , which may help your body more effectively use stored fat as energy and maintain normal blood sugar levels Ginger and related spices are thought to have particularly beneficial metabolism-boosting properties.

Ginger may help with weight management, obesity prevention, and energy metabolism For instance, older research shows that dissolving 2 grams of ginger powder in hot water and drinking it with a meal may help you burn up to 43 more calories than drinking hot water alone This hot ginger drink may also decrease hunger levels and enhance feelings of satiety, or fullness Cacao and cocoa are tasty treats that may also benefit your metabolism.

Flavonoids in cacao and cacao byproducts may help support metabolic actions and help reduce hypertriglyceridemia Another research review suggests that cocoa and dark chocolate may help reduce body weight, a factor that can contribute to the risk of metabolic and cardiovascular disorders Processing tends to reduce the amounts of beneficial compounds and add extra sugar and calories MCT oil is a unique type of fat that may offer some metabolic benefits.

Most fats found in foods are long-chain triglycerides, but MCT oil comprises medium-chain triglycerides. Some older studies have shown that MCT oil consumption can increase metabolic rate in humans. Additionally, unlike long-chain fats, once MCTs are absorbed, they go directly to the liver to be turned into energy.

This makes them less likely to be stored as body fat 19 , 20 , MCT oil is typically taken as a supplement, although it can be added to foods like soups or smoothies.

Drinking enough water is a great way to stay hydrated. However, the effects only appear to last for 40—90 minutes after drinking water.

The strength of the effect may vary from person to person. Seaweed is rich in iodine , a mineral required to produce thyroid hormones and for your thyroid gland to function properly Thyroid hormones have various functions, one of which is to regulate your metabolic rate 3.

Drink green tea. Studies have found green tea contains a compound called epigallocatechin gallate, which may increase the calories and fat you burn. A meta-analysis published in Obesity Reviews found that consuming about milligrams of epigallocatechin gallate the amount in about three cups of green tea helped boost metabolism enough to burn an average of extra calories a day.

As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

Thanks for visiting. Don't miss your FREE gift. The Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness , is yours absolutely FREE when you sign up to receive Health Alerts from Harvard Medical School. Sign up to get tips for living a healthy lifestyle, with ways to fight inflammation and improve cognitive health , plus the latest advances in preventative medicine, diet and exercise , pain relief, blood pressure and cholesterol management, and more.

Get helpful tips and guidance for everything from fighting inflammation to finding the best diets for weight loss from exercises to build a stronger core to advice on treating cataracts. PLUS, the latest news on medical advances and breakthroughs from Harvard Medical School experts.

Sign up now and get a FREE copy of the Best Diets for Cognitive Fitness. Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School. Recent Blog Articles. Flowers, chocolates, organ donation — are you in?

What is a tongue-tie? What parents need to know. Which migraine medications are most helpful? How well do you score on brain health? Shining light on night blindness.

Can watching sports be bad for your health? Beyond the usual suspects for healthy resolutions. March 30, Is a sluggish metabolism to blame for your weight gain?

Share This Page Share this page to Facebook Share this page to Twitter Share this page via Email. Print This Page Click to Print. Related Content. Heart Health. Staying Healthy.

Free Healthbeat Signup Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox! Newsletter Signup Sign Up.

There are plenty nagurally metabolism Metabolixm supplements out there, Tour do any of these purported metabolism boosters actually work? We assume these people can mstabolism a healthy body weight Energy-enhancing shakes due to youe genetics, despite whether they narurally to eat a balanced diet and exercise or not. Another interesting finding: Contrary to popular belief, you actually maintain a mostly steady metabolism from your 20s to about your 60s. Your metabolism then naturally slows once you reach older age. However, it can be hard to eat well and be active enough throughout your life, which means you probably need to proactively add certain habits into your daily routine to keep yourself feeling and acting young.

Video

1 Simple Trick to Stop Overeating Today - Best Tip for Menopausal Women