Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Four Fantastic Foods that can Boost Metabolism

Four Fantastic Foods that can Boost Metabolism
There are a number of ways you can help keep your
metabolism ticking over. Regular exercise, properly
planned meals and an improved diet are all essential
elements which can work together to keep your metabolism
high. However, there are certain groups of food which many
believe to have metabolism boosting properties. Eating
these foods alone will not super charge your metabolism.
However, implementing them as part of an overall metabolism
boosting plan can really improve its effectiveness. In
this article I describe these foods and how they can help
keep your metabolism high.

1) SUPER FOODS:- These are foods which are believed to aid
weight loss, boost your metabolic rate, reduce cholesterol
levels, lower the risk of heart disease and improve your
mood. Super foods include; beans, blueberries, celery,
grapefruit, oranges, pumpkin, salmon, tomatoes, walnut and
yoghurt.

2) SPICY FOODS:- Spicy foods are believed to increase your
metabolic rate temporarily by raising your body's
temperature which raises your heart rate and leads to an
increased number of calories being burned. They are also
believed to have thermogenic properties which stimulate the
body's fat burning process. When it comes to spicy foods
there are a number of options available to you including;
buffalo wings, indian food, mexican food, peppers and thai
food.

When eating spicy foods it is particularly important to
make sure that you do not over indulge. Firstly, you
should not over indulge because the fat burning effects of
spicy foods are both limited and temporarily. Secondly,
excessive consumption can produce a number of unwanted side
effects such as stomach ulcers, acid reflux (which can lead
to heartburn), irritation to the digestive tract and even
damage to your tastebuds.

3) PUMPKIN SEEDS:- Pumpkin seeds are a particularly healthy
snack food. They are low in calories, high in fiber and
rich in protein. The high fiber content makes it more
difficult for the body to process pumpkin seeds, meaning
that more calories are burned in the digestion process.

Apart from their metabolism boosting properties pumpkin
seeds are high in zinc which is known to boost the immune
system and maintain prostate health in men during later
life. They are also believed to benefit the digestive
system.

4) WATER:- OK I know water is not technically a food but
drinking water and staying hydrated is essential if you
want to keep your metabolism working at an effective rate.
If you do not stay properly hydrated then your body goes
into water retention mode and stops concentrating on
certain bodily functions including the burning of calories
and fat. Therefore, consuming adequate levels of water
will help keep your metabolic rate high.

Increasing your metabolic rate is a complex process which
depends on a number of factors. As I have already
mentioned eating these foods alone will not instantly boost
your metabolism. Over indulgence can also be damaging for
your body and your metabolic rate. However, by
incorporating the above foods into your diet in a moderated
and controlled way, you can take your first steps towards
an improved metabolism.


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The Free Fitness Tips Blog provides you with fantastic,
free advice on all aspects of fitness. To find out more
about boosting your metabolism head over to
http://blog.freefitnesstips.co.uk/

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