Dieters often claim, it’s tough to drop weight because their metabolism is too slow. But there are foods speeding it up.
Scientists have identified five groups of products that can improve metabolism:
1. Dairy products
Low-fat milk, yogurt and cottage cheese are excellent sources of calcium, which is essential for normal metabolism. The results of the study, published in Obesity Research journal, showed that the diet, which included 3-4 servings of dairy products, allowed people to lose more weight than dairy-free diets of the same caloric value;
2. Fish
Fish oil contains omega-3 fatty acids, which affect leptine, the hormone that regulates the rate of metabolism;
3. Hot peppers
Studies have shown that chemical compounds found in jalapeno hot peppers and chilies accelerate the heart rate and metabolism. Thus, spicy foods may speed up metabolism by about 25% for the period of three hours;
4. Proteins
Lean beef, chicken and turkey help to significantly accelerate metabolism. The protein contained in these products contributes to the preservation of muscle mass, which requires energy from the caloric intake. In addition, the body spends more calories for the digestion of protein foods: according to the research, fiber diet helps to burn twice as many calories as carbohydrates;
5. Green tea
It contains the ECGC compound, which makes the brain and nervous system work faster, thus accelerating metabolism.
