Metabolism is the entire complex of
biochemical reactions that are constantly occurring within the body to produce
energy and maintain life. In the broadest sense, all foods are metabolized
since after eaten they are all involved in the chemical processes of the body.
However, some foods are more directly involve in metabolism than the others.
For instance, mushrooms and loquats reduce blood sugar levels in diabetics,
cherries and leeks facilitate the elimination of waste products, and also whole
wheat provides a balance proportion of nutrients required to product energy
within the body.
In trying to lose weight, we tend
to focus all of our attention on foods we are not supposed to eat and this makes
us miss our favorite delicacy, making the process losing weight less
interesting. However it will be more fascinating if your attention is more
focused on foods that actually boost your metabolism and at the same time
prevents the storage of fat.
Let look at some of the food.
1) Water: it has been a common saying that for
healthy living it is very expedient to take up to eight glasses of water per
day. This is the result of a resent research done to prove if the practice of
drinking such amount of water daily really helps in speedy weight loss.
a. Water
increases metabolic rate by 30% in both men and women. Such increase takes
effect 10mins after water consumption and get to the peak after 30mins to
40mins.
b.
If intake of water is increased to 1.5liters per
day, up to 17,400 will be burnt i.e. approximately 5pounds.
2) Green tea: this is beneficial than black tea in
terms of nutrients. Green tea contains antioxidant, flavoniods, and thermogenic
properties which help in burning the calories. If you really want to speed up
your metabolism you will need to include green tea in your daily diet.
3)
Vinegar: vinegar is a natural health remedy that has
been in use for a very long time. It works well for digestive problem, sunburns,
water retention reduction and infections. The most
effective vinegar is apple cider vinegar which helps in
speeding up metabolism and helps you lose weight and fat.
4) Apples: metabolic syndrome can be
prevented by including apple in your daily diet. Eating two or three apples a
day for several months has been shown effective in reducing cholesterol level.
A partial explanation for this effect is that the pectin absorbs the biliary
salts in the intestine, one of the basic ingredients from which the body makes
cholesterol.
5) Cinnamon: A regular intake of
cinnamon can stabilize the blood sugar (a natural treatment). It has been
confirm that a teaspoon of cinnamon in the daily meal will temper blood sugar
spikes.
6)
Grapefruit: this is one of the fruits always prescribe for those
who want to lose weight. Because of its depurative and detoxifying properties,
it is an excellent complement to the diet of anyone wishing to lose weight.
Study has shown that grapefruit reduces
the level of insulin in the body.
7) Broccoli: Since it is very low in
calories and sugars, and because it produces a certain feeling of satiety, it
should be include in the diets of the obese and diabetics. Due to the two
essential nutrients- calcium and vitamin C in broccoli, it can boost metabolism
and also slow the production of thyroid hormones in people with thyroid disease.
8)
Lean Meats and Fish: your metabolism and energy level can be
boosted with lean protein source from fish and meat. With protein hunger can be
curbed and weight lose can only be limited to fat and not muscle i.e. muscle
will not be lost in place of fat. Having a better
lean muscle mass helps burn a lot of
calories every day, aiding in
weight management on the long run.
9) Garlic: when garlic is added to
food, especially those rich in fat and carbohydrates, it keeps the substance
from harming the body. Research has shown that garlic support blood glucose and
helps manage lipid levels within the blood. In other words, adding little
garlic to your food will certainly boost your metabolism.
10) Oats: unlike other food high in
sugar oats as a whole grain help keep insulin level low after eating. This ensures
that you burn calories.
Other foods include Olive Oil, Hot peppers,
Avocado, Beans, Brown rice, Almonds, Dark chocolate, Ginger, Celery, Low-fat yogurt.