Our diet plays a role in practically every area of health. Not only does food provide us with the energy and nutrients we need to face the day, it also allows our body to carry out key functions, including digestion and metabolism.
As we know, staying healthy is founded on healthy habits like eating a balanced diet and keeping active.
However, while all foods increase metabolism to some extent (because our body requires energy to digest them), research has found that some may offer an extra boost.
With that said, here are 11 foods that may boost your metabolism.
Note: Eating these foods doesn’t guarantee weight loss and they should only be eaten as part of a healthy, balanced diet.
1. Chilli peppers
Spicy meals that contain fresh or dried chilli peppers have been found to increase metabolism and contribute to healthy weight management.
These health benefits are linked to a specific chemical found in chilli peppers called capsaicin.
Eating capsaicin increases body temperature and oxygen consumption, which causes a slight increase in the rate at which the body burns calories. It’s also been linked with healthy weight management by making you feel fuller.
The results of this scientific review found that capsaicin (both in natural and supplement form) may help the body to burn up to 50 extra calories a day.
Check out these five ways to cook with chilli peppers from Harvest to Table for ideas on how to add these spicy vegetables to your diet.
Note: If you’re considering adding capsaicin supplements to your diet, it’s important to speak to your doctor first, as they won’t be suitable for everyone.
2. Seaweed
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver once called seaweed “the most nutritious vegetable in the world”. Seaweed contains various vitamins and minerals which are essential for metabolism – including iodine, magnesium, iron, zinc, and vitamin C.
Iodine plays a key role in metabolism as the thyroid gland, which is responsible for regulating metabolism, relies on it to function.
As a result, a lack of iodine can lead to hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid), which slows metabolism and affects the body’s ability to burn fat. Studies suggest that hypothyroidism can slow down metabolism by as much as 50%.
Among other things, seaweed is also rich in B vitamins including B1, B2, B3, and B5, which are essential for carbohydrate metabolism.
For ideas on how to add seaweed to your diet, check out this list of 10 types of seaweed and how to eat them from Tasting Table. You’ll find everything from Nori (the seaweed used in sushi) to kombu, which is used in miso soup.
3. Brazil nuts
Brazil nuts are one of the best sources of selenium – a mineral that plays a key role in metabolism, immune system function, and reproduction.
Selenium is particularly important for thyroid gland function, which, as we know, is important for regulating metabolic function.
Each Brazil nut contains between 68 to 91mcg of selenium, which is more than the recommended daily allowance of 75mcg for men and 60mcg for women per day.
For this reason, experts advise against eating too many Brazil nuts as it may increase the risk of selenium toxicity. According to the NHS, adults should consume no more than 350mcg of selenium per day.
If you don’t like Brazil nuts, foods like tuna, pork, eggs, tofu, and lentils are other good sources of selenium. You can find out more in our article; Selenium – what is it and why do we need it?
4. Protein-rich foods
Research shows that eating protein-rich foods, such as meat, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds, and dairy products, may temporarily increase metabolism.
This is because, compared to carbohydrates and fats, our bodies require more energy (and therefore more calories) to digest protein. This study found that eating protein-rich foods increased metabolic rate by 15-30%, compared with a 5-10% increase when eating carbs, and a 0-3% increase when eating fats.
High-protein diets can also help to reduce a loss of muscle mass during weight loss. This is significant because muscle burns more calories at rest than fat.
Lastly, protein is known to be by far the most filling macronutrient and, as a result, can help to prevent overeating. In this study, overweight women ate 441 fewer calories a day without any intentional restriction when their daily protein intake was increased from 15% to 30%.
If you’d like to add more protein to your diet, our article, 12 high-protein meal ideas, is worth a read.
5. Beans and legumes
Beans and legumes like lentils, chickpeas, and kidney beans are a low-fat, high-protein, nutrient-dense, and low-glycemic index (low GI) food.
It’s thought that adding a serving of beans and legumes to your plate may help to boost your metabolism – and improve your gut health too.
According to experts, beans and legumes may help to boost metabolism by releasing carbohydrates into the bloodstream slowly. This provides the body with longer lasting energy and helps to avoid blood sugar spikes, which can lead to food cravings and overeating.
Studies have found that adults who regularly consume beans and legumes have a lower body weight and smaller waist circumference than people who don’t.
For ideas on how to add more beans and legumes to your diet, check out Jamie Oliver’s advice on how to cook with beans and pulses. You’ll find everything from black bean enchiladas to red lentil and sweet potato soup.
6. Coffee
Research has found that the caffeine in coffee may help to increase metabolism.
Various studies have reported that people who consume a minimum of 270mg of caffeine a day (the equivalent of about three cups of coffee) burn up to 100 extra calories a day.
It’s also possible that caffeine may help the body burn more fat to use as energy, and may be particularly effective at boosting workout performance.
That said, caffeine’s effects vary from person to person and are largely impacted by factors like weight, age, and gender.
For inspiration, check out our article; 10 ways to upgrade your morning coffee routine.
Note: Coffee can affect sleep and increase blood pressure. As a result, it’s important not to drink too much, or consume it too close to bedtime. Experts recommend having no more than five cups of brewed coffee per day.
7. Dark leafy greens
Dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, and collard greens may help to boost metabolism – largely as a result of their iron content.
Iron is an essential nutrient for metabolism function, growth, and development. As a result, anaemia (a condition caused by iron deficiency) is linked with slow metabolism.
Experts advise eating dark leafy greens alongside vitamin C-rich foods, such as tomatoes, red peppers, and kiwi fruit, because studies show this can increase the body’s absorption of iron by around 65%. Eating iron-rich food alongside vitamin A has also been found to increase iron absorption. Some of the best sources of vitamin A include eggs, carrots, sweet potatoes, and organ meats.
Other iron-rich foods include dried fruit like figs and apricots, nuts and seeds, chickpeas, beans, pusles, and fortified breakfast cereals. You can find out more in our article; Iron – what it is, why it’s important, and how to make sure you’re getting enough.
In addition to their iron content, many dark leafy green vegetables are rich sources of magnesium, which also supports metabolism. Magnesium plays a role in over 300 metabolic processes that allow the body to produce energy.
For inspiration on how to add dark leafy greens to your diet, check out these 22 ways to cook with leafy greens from Delicious.
8. Green tea
Green tea has earnt a spotlight in recent years after research began shedding light on its potential health benefits.
A number of studies suggest that green tea may increase fat burning by helping to convert body fat into free fatty acids which are broken down in the digestive tract. Similar results have also been found for oolong tea.
In this study of people with type 2 diabetes, drinking four cups of green tea a day resulted in significant weight loss, reduced waist size, and improved blood pressure.
It’s also thought that the metabolism-boosting properties of green tea may help to prevent weight loss plateaus. Plus, because it’s so low in calories, drinking green tea instead of sugary-alternatives can be good for general weight loss and maintenance too.
You can find out more about green tea in our article; The health benefits of 9 different types of tea.
9. Fatty fish
As well as being high in protein, fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel are rich in omega-3 fatty acids – which may also have metabolism-boosting properties.
This study found that consuming 3g of fish oil (which contains two types of omega-3s) per day for 12 weeks led to a 5.3% average increase in metabolic rate. Another study found that when healthy older women took 3g of fish oil per day for 12 weeks, their metabolic rates increased by around 14% – the equivalent of burning an extra 187 calories a day.
Other research suggests that omega-3s may also increase the calories and fat burned through exercise. In this study, for example, when people consumed 3g of fish oil a day for 12 weeks, they burned 10% more calories and 19-27% more fat when they exercised. Experts believe this could be due to the body turning to fat as a source of energy during exercise rather than carbohydrates.
For more information on how to add more omega-3 to your diet, check out our article; Omega-3 – what is it and why do we need it?
10. Ginger
There’s some evidence to suggest that ginger may have metabolism-boosting properties.
This study found that drinking 2g of ginger powder dissolved in hot water during mealtimes may help to burn up to 43 more calories than drinking hot water alone. This drink was also found to reduce hunger levels, increase feelings of fullness, and therefore reduce the likelihood of overeating.
According to research, grains of paradise (another spice in the ginger family) might offer similar effects. One study of healthy men found that when participants were given 40mg extract of grains of paradise, they burned extra calories over the following two hours than those given a placebo.
However, some participants didn’t show any differences, so it’s likely that these effects vary from person to person.
Check out these ginger recipes from BBC Good Food for meal inspiration.
11. Water
Drinking water instead of sugary drinks like Coca-Cola and fruit juice often leads to more successful weight loss because it reduces calorie intake. And research has revealed that water intake can affect metabolism too.
For example, this study found that drinking 500ml of water increased resting metabolism by 30% for around an hour afterwards. For best results, experts recommend drinking cold water because the body has to use extra energy to warm it up to body temperature.
Another benefit of drinking more water is that it can help you to feel fuller and prevent overeating. As a result, in this study, people who drank 500ml of water 30 minutes before meals for 12 weeks lost nearly 1.3kg more than those who didn’t.
If you struggle to drink enough water, you might like to read our article; 10 tips for staying hydrated and why it’s important.
Final thoughts…
Diet and health are intrinsically linked. And research suggests that certain foods may help to give our metabolism an extra boost.
For further reading, head over to the diet and nutrition section of our website. Here you’ll find everything from healthy snack ideas to essential vitamin and mineral guides.
What do you do to boost your metabolism? Will you be adding any of these ideas to your diet? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below!
