This fruit has gotten a bad rap, but without good reason. For one thing, a large banana provides nearly 500 mg potassium. "Potassium helps your body regulate minerals and fluids in and out of your cells and may potentially increase basal metabolism, a measure of calories burned at rest while awake," says Newgent. "Bananas also contain resistant starch, which functions like fiber since your body can't digest it, and has metabolic benefits, including reducing blood sugar levels after meals." Keep in mind that the greener the banana, the more resistant starch it contains. Also, research shows that sniffing a banana can actually suppress your appetite, so you may want to breathe in its scent before enjoying it.
You can certainly boost your metabolism by exercising, but what many people don’t realise is that what you eat has a direct impact on your metabolism too.
It’s similar to having a cardio session, as they give your body a kick start in calorie burning. And this in turn helps you lose weight. Hurrah!
Check out 10 simple foods that can boost your metabolism below…
Here are 10 metabolism-boosting foods to include in your diet
1. Blueberries
Because blueberries contain no fat, cholesterol or sodium this makes them a healthy and nutritious option as well as a great way to boost your metabolism.
2. Coconut oil
Virgin Coconut oil contains a high amount of Lauric acid which research suggests boosts cholesterol (the good kind).
Lauric acid can also boost your metabolism as it is metabolised in the liver, causing greater energy expenditure – which will help to burn even more stomach fat.
3. Broccoli
Broccoli is rich in both calcium and vitamin C. These two vitamins work together to help you burn calories faster and more effectively. Calcium activates your metabolism, while vitamin C helps you absorb more calcium.
4. Chia seeds
Chia seeds were labelled the ‘running food’ by the Aztec tribes’ way back in history.
This is because a handful of chia seeds used to fuel the activities of the Aztec warriors for a day and fuel the extensive travels of tribes-people at those times.
5. Chilli
Research has found that a chemical contained in chilli could boost your body’s ability to burn more fat and curb your appetite.
This is because capsaicin, the chemical that gives chillies their characteristic pungency, stimulates the natural process where some of the food we eat is converted immediately to heat.
6. Cinnamon
A Scandinavian study found that when volunteers were given rice pudding with three grams of cinnamon, they produced less insulin after the meal.
Because insulin is the hormone that turns excess sugar into fat, this means less weight gain. As well as lowering blood sugar levels cinnamon may slow down the emptying of the stomach, meaning it can make you feel fuller for longer.
7. Celery
It’s thought of as a thermogenic food, and also has high levels of calcium. This makes it an awesome metabolism booster.
8. Oatmeal
If you’re looking to jumpstart your metabolism, start your morning off with a bowl of oatmeal.
This super food is rich in fat soluble fibre, which requires a lot of calories to break down. Eating oatmeal can also help decrease your cholesterol levels and reduce your risk of heart disease.
9. Baby spinach
Spinach is high in B vitamins, which helps to boost metabolism naturally.
If you’re strength training, spinach will help your muscles recover, and this will lead to a faster metabolism because you’ll end up with better muscle mass which directly leads to burning up more calories.
10. Almonds
Don’t over do it on the almonds, as they are high in calories, but they do contain fatty acids that help raise your metabolism.
You could even try adding a spoonful of natural almond butter to your Healthy Mummy Smoothies.
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