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Foods That Burn Fat and Increase Metabolism

Parul Solanki
Including foods that burn fat and increase metabolism in the diet can help you shed those excess kilos and make your dieting effort easier.
Metabolism can be defined as the conversion of food into energy which is then burnt as calories. In recent years, scientific studies have come up with studies on the effects of food on the body. Some foods that burn fat and increase metabolism actually increase your basal metabolic rate (BMR).
This is the number of calories your body burns while at rest to maintain normal body functions. By eating these foods every two or three hours you can fire up your metabolism and thus increase the process of burning the stubborn body fat.

List of Foods That Burn Fat and Boost Metabolism
It is believed that by choosing high quality thermogenic or negative calorie whole foods you are able to burn off those excess calories. This is because for consuming these fat burning foods your body requires more energy to digest them. In this manner the extra fat is burned and converted into energy.

Water

The best way to speed up the metabolism and encourage optimal bodily functions is to drink plenty of water. Drinking around 8 glasses of cold or ice water a day helps burn those extra calories.

Whey Protein

Whey protein, probably is one of the best things you can have to boost your metabolism, besides it being a complete, high-quality protein.

Green Tea

Green tea and its extracts have chemicals such as EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate) that not only helps in burning fat but also increases the metabolism. Green tea has anticancer properties, prevents heart disease, and uplifts your mood.

Lean Protein

Consuming lean protein such as skinless chicken breasts can increase your metabolic rate. This is because the digestion of protein stimulates cellular activity leading to the burning of the excess fats. The best lean protein food choices are lean chicken, turkey breast, egg whites, fish and seafood.

Complex High Fiber Carbs

Foods rich in carbohydrates and fiber are not only a highly thermogenic, but also help fill you up and allow you to sustain for long periods of time without food.
The complex carbohydrates in sync with lean protein creates a steady release of insulin into the bloodstream and minimizes insulin swings. The best high fiber complex carbs to choose are whole grain breads, brown rice, beans, oatmeal, and non-starchy vegetables.

Calcium

Calcium is essential for regulating hormonal activity in the body and can accelerate weight loss by breaking down the fat in fat cells. Low-fat dairy products, leafy green vegetables, sesame seeds and almonds are rich in calcium.

Vegetables

High-fiber non-starchy vegetables such as cabbage, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, endives, celery, tomatoes, and peppers are the best metabolism boosters as they have the most thermogenic properties and also have minimal impact on your insulin levels.

Fruits

A variety of fresh fruit in your diet can cleanse the body since it contains a lot of fiber, water, and vitamins.
The best fruit choices are apples, citrus fruit, strawberries, cranberries, blueberries, raspberries, melons, mangoes, kiwi, and pineapples. Fruits that are high in vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B12, potassium and phosphorus help in the efficient operation of your metabolism. Pectin found in fruits such as apples  helps against fat absorption into the cells.

Spices

Hot spicy food can temporarily fire up your metabolic rates. For example, the compound capsaicin present in hot peppers, stimulates your body to release more stress hormones, thereby speeding up your metabolism and increasing your ability to burn calories. These spices include peppers such as chilies, cayenne, and horseradish.

Garlic and Ginger

Ginger and garlic raises your body temperature and helps to stimulate your body's fat burning mechanism. Apart from this, these herbs are also used as a diuretic. Regular intake of garlic and ginger boosts your immune system and helps prevent cold and flu.

Vinegar

The acid from vinegar slows down the digestion of starch and keeps your insulin levels balanced. This property can actually lower blood sugar by 30% when consumed with a meal. This is effective in speeding up your metabolism and treating metabolic disorders.

Essential Fatty Acids

Omega-3 essential fatty acids affect the levels of the fat hormone, leptin. Leptin is said to influence the number of calories burnt and stored as fat.
Therefore, people with low levels of leptin tend to burn more calories than those with higher levels of the hormone. The best sources of omega 3 fats are tuna, lean white fish, salmon, and sardines.
A healthy diet consisting of these foods that burn fat and increase metabolism coupled with a moderate exercise program, will fire up your metabolism and help you shed those excess kilos and get you into shape in no time. Eat healthy and stay fit!