Foods that speed up the metabolism

There are certain foods that accelerate the metabolism and burn more calories. If you include these foods in your diet, you can burn more calories if you are in a diet, or if you want to maintain your weight after a diet. Of course, just eating a particular food will not be enough. You need to exercise regularly too.

Milk and cereals:

Secret ingredients: calcium, complex carbohydrates and fiber.
Complex carbohydrates and fiber accelerate work of the metabolism, because after you consume them, you will maintain the low levels of insulin. That is good, because high levels of insulin in the body sends a signal to other cells to start storing fat.
Calcium in milk also speeds up metabolism. Research at the University of Tennessee, found that people who have particular diet and consume between 1200 and 1300 mg of calcium per day, lose nearly twice as much weight as those who consume less calcium. Of course, do not overdo the calcium intake, because it can lead to kidney stone. Moderation in everything is best.

Chili peppers:

Secret ingredient: capsaicin – a substance in chili peppers which gives them a hot and bitter taste.
The ‘angry’ hot chili peppers accelerate the rhythm of the heart. Research done in the late 80s showed that eating a pungent spicy meal accelerates the work of the metabolism by 25%. Recent research however has shown that men who consumed coffee and meals containing red hot chili peppers, burn almost 1,000 calories more than men with a normal diet. Of course our advice again here is to not eat too much peppers because too much capsaicin can lead to convulsions or even death.

Green tea and coffee:

Secret ingredients: caffeine and substance called EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate), which is found in green tea.
Caffeine speeds up the heart rate, and when your heart beats faster, you burn more calories. EGCG works similarly. This substance helps the brain and nervous system to work faster and therefore you will burn more calories. Studies show that the combination of caffeine and 90mg EGCG, consumed 3 times a day helps to burn an extra 30 calories even f you are not exercising. Again do not exaggerate with the consumption of coffee and tea because these two drinks can be very beneficial when they are taken in moderate amounts, but lethal if you overuse them.

Thin and lean pork, chicken, beef and turkey meat:

Secret ingredient: protein.
The body needs more energy to process protein from meat than it needs for carbohydrates and fats. This means that the more protein you eat, the more your metabolism will work, so in that process you will burn more calories.
Research done in Arizona, shows that people who have a diet rich in protein, burn twice as many calories even hours after feeding, than people who have a diet rich in carbohydrates.

Salmon, tuna, sardine:

Secret ingredient: omega-3 fatty acids.
Omega 3 fatty acids affect the level of the hormone leptin in the body. If you have a lower levels of leptin that will cause you to eat uncontrollably and you will gain weight. This is where th omega 3 fatty acids come. They can regulate the leptin in your body, and higher levels of leptin will accelerate the metabolism and you will burn calories faster. So the best way to regulate the level of leptin is to eat fish or to take omega 3 fatty acids suplements.