7 Foods For a Healthy Metabolism

Your metabolism is a process vital for the growth and development of your mind and body. This extremely vital set of chemical reactions that makes the body capable of being responsive is partly inherited, and also depends greatly on diet. Your metabolism slows down with age, but scientists are constantly researching on ways to give it a boost when it has naturally decided to slow down. In number terms this means an average woman gains about 1 1/2 pounds a year during her adult life, easily amounting to an extra 40 pounds by the time she hits her 50s. All is not lost though. Combat the roller-coaster of stress, muscle loss, and hormones, all of which contribute to slower metabolism by eating the following foods:

Egg Whites

Eggs have made it to the list of almost every diet plan because of their naturally high content of minerals, which are essentially required by a person of every age, gender and health condition (with a few exceptions). The special feature about these egg whites, which keeps the metabolism stoked, is its high content of branched-chain amino acids which boost the process of metabolism.

Lean Meat

Lean meat is an excellent source of iron. Iron is an essential mineral and a requirement of the body and a deficiency slows down your metabolism. Did you know that cooked liver (chicken, turkey, lamb) constitutes approximately 6.2-9.7 milligrams of Iron? Beef, ground meat, lamb are all excellent sources of naturally occurring iron. If you are not a meat-lover, even sea food, dark leafy greens and even dark chocolate makes a great iron source!

Water

Scientists have confirmed that even mild dehydration can markedly slow down metabolism of the body. Want free advice? Drink cold water instead of warm. Your body is forced to use more calories to warm it up.

Chili Peppers

Doctors have recommended adding a tablespoon of chopped chili peppers to a meal at least once a day. They say it contains a substance “capsaicin” which is a chemical compound proven to kick metabolism to higher gear. Moreover, chili peppers are also crammed with Vitamin C, an essential requirement of the body for effective wound healing and collagen synthesis. Collagen is an important constituent of bones and provides structure and elasticity to tendons and skin. Vitamin C is crucial for protection against cardiovascular and immune-deficiency diseases.

Coffee

Studies have shown that the average rate of metabolism is high by 16% in people who drink caffeinated coffee in comparison to those who drink decaf.

Milk

Milk is an obvious storehouse of Calcium. Like any other mineral, the deficiency of Calcium can also greatly contribute to a slow metabolism. This super beverage is loaded with Calcium more than any other. A recommended three glasses of milk per day are likely to prevent osteoporosis. Calcium even helps with weight loss, so go ahead and drink yourself skinny!

Whole Grains

These are great when you want your body to burn fat because of the extra effort needed to break it. Whether it’s a sandwich, or a meal, replace any bread with one made of whole-grains. Over the years, research has made it evident that people who eat fiber-crammed whole grains (think of brown rice) tend to have higher levels of the good cholesterol (HDL), and lower levels of the bad cholesterol (LDL). Clearly, foods with ample fiber are even better!