Are you have a hard time losing weight? Look at your everyday diet, and see where you can add some metabolism-boosting foods in.

Instead of over-exercising daily, a major contributor to a slower metabolism and weight gain is mostly due to your diet. Other factors contribute to speeding up your metabolism beyond food, too.

Getting regular movement or exercise at least a few times, a week is necessary to keep your metabolism in check. Changing up your workouts is also important to make sure you can build muscle, too. Drinking the right amount of water and limiting sugary beverages is also essential to enhance your metabolism.

A good night’s sleep is also essential to help improve your metabolism. Metabolism can slow down as you age, so it is especially important to eat a healthy balanced diet and practice the right lifestyle habits that benefit your unique body.

Table of Contents

Foods that Boost Metabolism
Conclusion

Foods that Boost Metabolism

Are you eating the right foods each day to give your metabolism the boost it needs? Check out the list below to see what foods can help to boost your metabolism and how you can start eating more of them below.

1. Dark Leafy Green Vegetables

Green vegetables like dark leafy greens are especially powerful food to help boost your metabolism. That is because they are full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Between vitamin K, vitamin C, potassium, fiber, there is always a reason to add more dark leafy greens to your diet. Choose and vary your diet with spinach, bok choy, dandelion greens, all types of kale, arugula, and more.

Try to incorporate more dark leafy greens in your breakfast in a smoothie or omelet for easy consumption. Or, add it like a seasoned side dish to your favorite lunch or dinner. You can even try mixing them with your favorite seasonings like garlic and onions to enjoy the flavor, nutrition, and give yourself a boost to your metabolism.

2. Pineapple

Pineapples are highly nutritious due to their high content of bromelain and vitamins. Bromelain is a powerful digestive enzyme that can help to boost your metabolism. Because pineapple and pineapple juice is so high in bromelain, it has anti-inflammatory benefits.

Bromelain helps to easy digestion, too. Eating more pineapple makes it easier to break down proteins. This sweet fruit can have promising benefits at reducing obesity alongside a healthy diet of course (1).

Pineapples are also high in a wide variety of essential B vitamins like folate and B6, as well as potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, iron, manganese, and more. The body needs a healthy dose of essential minerals and vitamins to speed up metabolism and lose weight. They can also help to boost immunity, and they make a powerful anti-inflammatory to soothe sore throats (2).

3. Broccoli

Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable that can boost metabolism because it contains an element called glucoraphanin. This substance can help to give your metabolism a boost because it lowers fat blood cells in the body (3).

This vegetable is full of other nutrients as well. From vitamins A, C, K, E, and even B vitamins, broccoli is an excellent addition to any diet. It is rare for vegetables to contain any B vitamins, so broccoli is a great addition to vegan and vegetarian diets as well. It helps them get more B vitamins that they do not get from animal-based foods.

They are also an excellent source of non-heme iron, protein, fiber, calcium, and selenium. You can add some more broccoli to your life with many recipes. Try to make your take on beef and broccoli at home with coconut aminos instead of the typical sauce it normally comes with.

4. Beans

Beans are a great source of fiber, protein, and many essential vitamins and minerals, making them an excellent dietary staple to boost your metabolism.

Many beans are especially helpful at weight loss, because of their high content of fiber and protein. They are also one of the most versatile foods around. You can mix beans for a 3-bean dip, stew, or healthier grain-free taco to satisfy your cravings without gaining weight.

Make sure to get your fill of healthy fats, nutrients, and essential B vitamins from beans today to boost your metabolism and feel great.

5. Lemons

Lemons are a potent weight-loss food, and they have been for quite some time. Lemons are high in plant flavonoids that are particularly helpful at boosting metabolism. All of these plant flavonoids have a positive effect on lowering inflammation in the body and even decreasing the risk of many chronic diseases (4).

Lemons are not for everyone, though. Those who suffer from acid reflux or GERD often have a hard time with lemon intake due to their highly acidic properties.

It can also be helpful to add other citrus fruits to your diet to help get a metabolism boost. While lemons have the most flavonoids that can help the most with weight loss and boosting metabolism, but other citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruit, and more can also improve your metabolism.

6. Whole Grains

Whole grains can be an essential staple to many diets, although they are not going to be an option for everyone.

Full of beneficial nutrients, whole grains like oats, quinoa, barley, farro, millet, and more can be a healthy part of a balanced diet. They can help to boost your metabolism because they help to improve insulin resistance in humans (5). Insulin resistance is a major contributor to weight gain and a slower metabolism.

Some whole grains will be difficult for some to consume due to the high amounts of gluten. Not every whole grain has gluten, though. If you are gluten-intolerant or sensitive, choose whole grains like quinoa and oats instead.

7. Berries

Berries like blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, currants, and raspberries are low in calories and high in essential nutrients.

They are a great addition to most diets, even for those with a sensitivity to excess sugars in fruits. That is because these fruits are much lower in sugars than most. Berries also have potent positive effects at oxygenating the gut lining for optimal digestion (6).

Berries contain powerful antioxidants that can have a significant impact on reducing the chance of obesity and inflammatory diseases, too. Add some berries to your next breakfast smoothie, oatmeal, or cereal to reap in the many health benefits these tiny fruits have to offer.

8. Eggs

Eggs are an exceptional source of protein, essential B vitamins, vitamin A, and more. That makes them another great option to boost your metabolism.

Be sure to eat the whole egg to get the most nutrition out of them, as most of the nutrients are in the egg yolk. The egg white does contain protein, so eating the entire egg is best. The only problem that arises with eggs is overconsumption, like many foods.

You only need one or two eggs to get the many health benefits from this classic breakfast staple. Be cautious when eating out at diners or restaurants because their omelets are typically between three and four eggs a plate. Ask to wrap half before it even comes to your table, so it is not tempting to eat the whole serving at once.

9. Flaxseed

Flaxseed is a tiny seed that is rich in many nutrients to help keep you full longer. They are high in essential plant-based omega 3 fatty acids as well as alpha-linolenic acid.

The alpha-linolenic acid in flaxseeds can have considerable health benefits on improving health overall, too (7). Flaxseed can even help to balance hormone levels, preventing estrogen dominance (8).

It is necessary to have a proper balance of hormones to avoid weight gain and a slower metabolism as well. You can easily add some flaxseeds to your daily or routine. They are practically tasteless, so they make an excellent nutritional booster to cereal, oatmeal, smoothies, bread, and even desserts.

10. Ginger

Ginger is an effective food to add to your diet for a boost in metabolism. That is because ginger is high in antimicrobial properties, helping to regulate the body’s energy and metabolism.

In one study, ginger was effective at producing a thermic effect, creating fewer feelings of hunger in overweight men (9).

Ginger is especially powerful to reduce your appetite. If you are feeling hungry even after meals, try to add some ginger tea or homemade ginger drink to your diet instead of eating more. It is also soothing on the gastrointestinal system, helping to promote better digestion.

11. Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is naturally high in protein, simple carbohydrates that can help to boost your metabolism. This type of yogurt is also a significant source of vitamin B12, which is essential to boost energy in the body, creating a boost of metabolism as well.

Yogurt is high in probiotics, which can promote better digestion, too. Good gut function is important to help the body repair and heal faster. It can be helpful with weight management for the high probiotics as well.

Try out plain Greek yogurt because they are lower in added sugars. Flavored yogurts often have unnecessary sugars and additives. Simply add your fruit to it instead. There are many health benefits to eating yogurt with fresh fruit as well, as it gives you a healthy dose of prebiotics and probiotics (10).

Conclusion

Many fruits, vegetables, seeds, and even dairy products can help to boost your metabolism, but other lifestyle factors are just as important to help improve the speed of your metabolism. The easiest way to start is with your food.

All the foods above can be a part of a healthy balanced diet. But keep in mind that everyone needs different foods in their diet. While some may benefit from yogurt, others will need to leave it out, and the same goes for whole grains high in gluten.

Try to get enough sleep every night, drink plenty of water, eat a balanced diet full of protein, healthy fats, fiber, and essential nutrients for optimal health.

See where you can start incorporating more of these foods in your routine and see if you notice a difference in your waistline.

Be sure to speak with your doctor or healthcare professional if you are struggling with your weight even after implementing a healthy diet and lifestyle habits full of metabolism-boosting foods like these.

Was this article helpful?