15 Best Foods to Boost Your Metabolism

15 Best Foods to Boost Your Metabolism
For more energy during the day, pack your diet with healthy metabolism-boosting foods.
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Avocado
From tasty dips to nourishing face masks, it seems there is nothing the avocado can’t do. The health benefits of avocados include plenty of healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats to help boost your metabolism and keep hunger at bay. A study in Nutrition Journal found that when participants added half of an avocado to their daily diet, they felt full after eating and didn’t need to snack.
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Eggs
The incredible, edible egg doesn’t just make for a filling breakfast; it speeds up your metabolism, too! That is probably due to its high protein content. Add eggs to your high-protein meal plan to boost your metabolism while keeping you full in between meals.
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Green Tea
Steep a cup of green tea every day for a hearty serving of antioxidants. The jury is still out, but research has found that drinking green tea each day can increase your body’s fat metabolism. (Yes please!) This is what happens when you drink tea every day.
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Whole Grains
Replacing refined flour like white breads and pastas with high-fiber foods like whole grains has been shown to increase our resting metabolic rate. In other words, your body will burn more calories while lounging around.
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Flaxseed
Flaxseeds are another fiber powerhouse known to boost metabolism and overall health. They’re also rich in protein to keep you full between meals. Ground flaxseed can be added to your morning smoothie or oatmeal as part of a high-fiber meal plan.
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Coffee
As if you needed another reason to reach for that second cup of joe in the morning! The caffeine in coffee not only makes your coworkers much more likable, it also speeds up your metabolism. A recent study found that drinking three cups of coffee per day equals 100 extra calories burned. Well, if you insist…
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Kale
Kale is one of those veggies you know you need in your life. It’s packed with vitamins and antioxidants for a healthy body. It’s also rich in iron, which is a mineral that speeds up the metabolism. Try adding fresh kale to your morning smoothie (just remove the stems first) or whipping up a colorful kale salad for lunch.
Lentils
Adding high-protein foods like lentils to your meals will keep you full all day. Lentils are also rich in fiber to keep your gut healthy and metabolism humming along. Try simmering them for a bowl of hearty lentil soup or adding cooked lentils to your lunch salad.
Chili Peppers
The capsaicin found in chili peppers won’t just make your eyes water; it will also boost fat burning. Research has shown that eating chili peppers can increase metabolism while reducing feelings of hunger. If you can stand the heat, have fun in the kitchen with our top chili pepper recipes.
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Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is a favorite of both health and beauty bloggers for its many benefits, and we can now add fat-burning to that list. It’s rich in medium-chain-triglycerides (MCTs), which are known to increase your metabolic rate and promote fat burning for energy.
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Ginger
Not sure what to do with that leftover gingerroot sitting on the kitchen counter? Well, it’s worth looking for fresh ginger recipes! A 2018 study found that eating fresh ginger contributes to weight loss and faster metabolism. It has also been found to improve insulin and cholesterol levels.
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Cold Water
If you’re sipping a glass of water right now, add a few more ice cubes for an instant metabolism boost. When you drink cold water, your body must warm it up, and that burst of energy leads to fat burning. Be sure to keep a bottle of water with you at all times; good things happen when you drink water all day.
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Seaweed
Dried seaweed is a crunchy, salty snack that has way more benefits than boring potato chips. Seaweed is rich in iodine; our bodies need iodine to keep our thyroid gland healthy and our metabolic rate high. Try a new kind of salad with fresh seaweed or munch on the dried version for a metabolism-boosting snack.
Now a freelance health and food writer, Carrie worked as a nurse for over a decade. When she isn't hunched over her laptop with a baby in hand, you will find her cooking her grandmother’s recipes, lacing up her running shoes or sipping coffee in the bathroom to hide from her three young children.