Do you wish that you can increase your metabolic rate to lose weight? I feel you! Besides wrecking your waistline, excess fats can increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease, among others. Good thing there are thermogenic foods that can help enhance our body’s thermogenesis – a process in which the body produces more heat to burn more calories.
To shed these excess fats, we list down the best thermogenic foods that you can easily include in your weight loss journey. Read on below to find what are the best thermogenic foods that you can include in your weight loss/control diet.
Eggs
Loaded with high-quality protein and good cholesterol, eggs have a powerful thermogenic effect that can ramp up your metabolism. This is because consuming protein can produce more heat and burn more calories compared to other diets. It can also suppress your cravings and hunger because it makes you feel satiated or full for a more extended period of time.
A study of overweight women showed that eating eggs instead of bagels increased their feeling of fullness and caused them to consume fewer calories. As to how many eggs per day you can consume, the American Heart Association suggests eating one (1) egg or two (2) egg whites daily as part of a healthy diet.
Summary: Eggs have low calories and high protein, making it an excellent fat-burning booster.
Flaxseeds
Whole grains like flaxseed are fiber-rich food that can act as a laxative and help reduce your risk of constipation. Although your body spends more energy to process proteins than carbohydrates and fats, consuming high-fiber foods can still significantly boost your metabolism.
Flaxseeds also boast of good fats relevant to your diet because it provides essential fatty acids that your body cannot make on its own. In studies of people with high cholesterol, health nutritionists recommend ingesting one to three tablespoons of ground flaxseed per day.
Summary: Whole grain flaxseed takes more energy to digest, making the body produce a thermic effect that burns more calories.
Lentils
This plant is packed with protein that contains a generous amount of resistant starch. These starches take a lot of energy to break down, making your body use more energy during digestion.
From the word itself, it “resists” digestion in the small intestine and prohibits breaking down into glucose and keeping your blood sugar levels in check. Resistant starch also has fewer calories than regular carbohydrates. It means that the higher resistant starch, the fewer calories it has. Although there is no right amount of resistant starch intake, 15-30 grams per day provides health benefits.
Summary: Resistant starch found in lentils takes more energy to ingest, ramping up your metabolic heat production.
Chili Peppers
This plant is packed with protein that contains a generous amount of resistant starch. These starches take a lot of energy to break down, making your body use more energy during digestion.
From the word itself, it “resists” digestion in the small intestine and prohibits breaking down into glucose and keeping your blood sugar levels in check. Resistant starch also has fewer calories than regular carbohydrates. It means that the higher resistant starch, the fewer calories it has. Although there is no right amount of resistant starch intake, 15-30 grams per day provides health benefits.
Summary: Resistant starch found in lentils takes more energy to ingest, ramping up your metabolic heat production.
Ginger
This spice has impacts similar to chili peppers because of its compound gingerol, a relative of capsaicin, which gives its spiciness. Ginger also contains a high amount of anti-inflammatory properties that can help alleviate stomach swelling caused by gases.
In fact, ginger has been recognized as a weight management spice as it enhances thermogenesis and reduces the feelings of hunger. Doctors recommend consuming a maximum of 3 to 4 grams of ginger extract per day.
Although the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists ginger as generally recognized as safe (GRAS). However, pregnant women and children under the age of 2 are advised to refrain from consuming ginger due to debatable reasons.
Summary: Just like peppers, ginger has a chemical that can increase your body’s thermogenesis and can suppress your hunger.
Green Tea
Known as the healthiest beverage on the planet, green tea is abundant in caffeine and catechins. These two thermogenic compounds can help boost the breakdown of stored fat and stored carbohydrates in the body. Experts recommend drinking a minimum of three (3) to five (5) cups of green tea per day. Still, the optimal amount may vary from one person to another.
Summary: Green tea has chemical compounds that can boost metabolism and help you lose weight.
Coffee
Coffee contains some stimulants, most importantly, caffeine that doesn’t only increase your metabolic rate but also makes you more alert. What caffeine does is it stimulates the nervous system and sends signals to the fat cells to break down fats.
Moreover, caffeine can increase the resting metabolic rate or the number of calories you burn at rest. Studies also show that caffeine, at commonly consumed doses, can promote thermogenesis in the treatment of obesity. For most healthy adults, up to 400 mg of caffeine or four (4) cups of brewed coffee per day is safe.
Brazil nuts
These tree nuts native to the Amazon rainforest in Brazil are an excellent source of selenium. This mineral plays a key role in thyroid hormone metabolism.
These hormones are responsible for modulating the cholesterol level. When the cholesterol level becomes exceptionally high, it causes metabolic syndrome. Brazil nuts are also rich in fatty acids or healthy fats that have been shown to benefit heart health and activate thermogenesis.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), each Brazil nut, with an average of 96 mcg, provides more than the recommended 55mcg of selenium per day in adults. Taking doses above 400 mcg can increase the risk of developing selenium toxicity, so it’s essential to limit your consumption of one (1) to three (3) nuts only per day.i
Broccoli
Broccoli is rich in insoluble fiber. This type of fiber cannot be digested and moves more quickly through the digestive system. This supports healthy digestion because it prevents constipation and promotes regularity.
Several micronutrients in broccoli are known to support weight loss. Its phytochemicals show potential for breaking down fats that help to rebalance metabolism and reduce the risk of cancer. According to the Dietary Guidelines 2015-2020 for Americans, women need 25 grams of fiber, and men need 38 grams each day.
Summary: Broccoli contains powerful properties that can retune metabolism and contribute to the reduction in cancer risk.
Dark green leafy vegetables like spinach and kale
Among the healthiest dark green vegetables are spinach and kale. Aside from its relatively low calories, these superfoods also contain high fiber content that can make you feel fuller than you are.
Kale and spinach are also a great source of calcium, which is very important for weight lifters who avoid other sources of calcium like milk. Both are loaded with essential vitamins and minerals that promote healthy brain function as well as strong bones and muscles.
Although there is not enough scientific information to determine an appropriate range of doses for kale, a chef suggests three (3) to four(4) cups per week is an ideal amount for consumption.
Summary: Superfoods like spinach and kale are low in calories, make you feel full and rich in calcium for stronger bones.
Fatty fish
Omega 3 fatty acids found in thermogenic foods like salmon, tuna, and other fatty fish. This fatty acid can increase the metabolic rate and are crucial for the maintenance of thermogenesis.
This is because these good fats are a major energy source that activates the tissues responsible for thermogenesis. It is presently considered as a target to regulate the human diseases of obesity, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular complications.
A 3-ounce serving of salmon provides 1.1 to 1.9 g total omega-3, which is relatively close to the recommended daily intake of fatty acids per day– 1.1 grams for women and 1.6 g for men.
Summary: Good fats in fatty fish are a powerhouse of energy that can increase the thermogenesis, boost metabolism, and burn more calories.
Olive oil
Olive oil is one of the best thermogenic foods that can boost metabolism. It can also promote fat loss due to its healthy dietary fats. These nutritional fats can decrease cholesterol levels, and keep your blood sugar levels in check. Findings proved that a diet with extra virgin olive oil had the highest reduction in body weight and waistline.
The fatty acids or good fats can also stimulate the enzymes in your body that tell you when you are full, making you feel satiated for a more extended period of time. The recommended safe consumption of olive oil is about two (2) tablespoons of olive oil or 28 g per day.
Summary: Meditteranean diet high in vegetable oil such as olive oil can reduce weight and waistline.
Apple cider vinegar
Vinegar has been used as a remedy for centuries. In recent years, researchers have studied that apple cider vinegar can also help people lose weight.
In addition to being a natural thermogenic fat burner, it also contains a water-soluble fiber that absorbs water and fills in your stomach. This fiber also acts as a natural appetite suppressant that can help you in your weight loss management and also help control blood sugar levels.
Research suggests that one (1) to two (2) tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) of apple cider vinegar daily for three (3) months helped overweight adults lose an average of 2.6 to 3.7 pounds (1.2 to 1.7 kg). For that reason, you can safely consume about one (1) to two (2) tablespoons of the vinegar mixed with water before or after meals.
Summary: Apple cider vinegar promotes weight loss, acts as an appetite suppressant, and helps manage blood sugar.
Avocado
Several studies show that avocados can help trim belly fat. Thermogenic foods like avocado contain a large amount of fiber, making you feel full longer and helping you avoid over-eating that could aid in weight loss.
Rich in omega-9 fats, avocado also lowers bad cholesterol. It lowers insulin rise after meals, decreasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Moreover, avocados are muscle-building foods because it’s rich in potassium. It contains 35% more potassium than a banana, which is very important in gaining muscle mass.
A registered dietitian recommends keeping your intake of avocado to half a fruit per day because avocado has about 250 calories and 21 grams of fat. And a person eating a 2,000 calorie diet should not consume more than 30 grams of fat per day.
Summary: Avocados burn fat in the belly region, contain a generous amount of fiber to help you feel full, and help you build muscle mass.
Coconut oil
The medium-chain triglycerides or MCTs present in coconut oil may promote weight loss by improving the body’s metabolism and making you feel satiated. MCT is the oil made by extracting the excellent fat from palm and coconut oil. It’s like a fuel that provides quick energy for the body to burn more calories and is less likely to get stored in the fat cells.
Make sure to include MCT coconut oil in your diet to reduce your body weight, belly fat, and total body fat. The recommended daily intake is two (2) tablespoons (30 ml).
Summary: The MCTs in coconut oil may reduce the accumulation of fat in the body, especially in visceral or belly fat.
Berries
Heart-healthy foods like blueberries and strawberries can help lower cholesterol levels in people who are obese. According to Harvard Health Publishing, in 18 years, people who ate the fewest berries were at an increased risk of a heart attack. However, those who ate the most were less likely to have suffered from a stroke.
Berries also contain soluble fiber that can make you feel full, fight off cravings, and reduce the number of calories your body absorbs. Harvard advised consuming three (3) or more servings of a half cup of blueberries or strawberries each week to get the most of its health benefits.
Summary: Berries are best to consume as early as possible to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke caused by bad cholesterol accumulation in our body.
Celery
A super-food and thermogenic-food like celery is a low-calorie and fat-free food. It offers a significant percentage of water and fiber, perfect for helping you lose weight. This 95% of water content makes you feel full, and its chemicals can lower blood pressure and blood sugar level.
Celery can have a positive effect on blood sugar levels in people who consumed 250 milligrams (mg) of celery leaf, three (3) times per day.
Aside from its weight management benefits, it also boasts of different kinds of antioxidants and other nutrients such as calcium and potassium. These nutrients can support the development of stronger bones and muscle mass.
Summary: You can munch on celery because it offers an incredibly low amount of calories–about 10 calories per stalk.
Apricot
Apricot is a low-calorie fruit packed with vitamins, dietary fiber, and potassium. It is also loaded with about 45-50% healthy fats, such as omega 6 and omega 3, that may help lower bad cholesterol.
These healthy fats help fight heart disease, improve mental health, and reduce the symptoms of metabolic syndrome. One (1) cup of sliced apricots or four and a half fruits (4 1/2) provide about 79 calories and 3.3 g of fiber. The Mayo Clinic recommends consuming 25 to 38 g per day.
Summary: Apricot has a great number of healthy fats good for the digestive and cardiovascular system
Final thoughts
Bitter orange is a citrus fruit that contains synephrine that is claimed to help with modest weight loss when combined with proper diet and exercise. Consuming 50 mg of synephrine has been shown to increase metabolism and burn an additional 65 calories per day. The Drugs.com states that weight loss can be achieved with 32 mg up to 80 mg per day.
Summary: Bitter orange’s compound called synephrine can elevate metabolic rate and decrease food intake, helping you lose more weight.