Thermic foods are foods that are capable of speeding up the rate of your metabolism; thus, burning lots of calories. Due to their functions, foods with high thermic effect are useful for people looking for ways to lose unhealthy fat stored in different parts of the body.
If you are keen on firing up your metabolism, these are the best thermic foods that you must consume regularly:
High-fiber foods
When it comes to energy regulation and increased metabolic rate, high-fiber meals are your best bet. These foods cannot be digested easily by the body; hence, more energy will be used up for their digestion. Fortunately, high-fiber foods are commonly found everywhere; hence, you can hardly have any issue with taking them.
Notably, high-fiber foods include:
- Vegetables
- Whole grains
- Fruits
- Legumes
- Seeds
- Nuts
Protein-rich foods
Foods with lots of proteins are packed with tons of thermic effects. These diets make you feel full quickly and help you to burn lots of fats. The best protein-rich foods with high thermic effects are from plants and lean animals.
Given this, you should take:
- Poultry products
- Nuts
- Lentils
- Unsweetened fermented dairy
- Lean meat such as chicken, red meat, turkey, pork, and duck
Foods with lots of selenium, zinc, and iron
Basically, selenium, zinc, and iron are vital nutrients that regulate the functioning of the thyroid glands. Without these nutrients, your thyroid glands will not be able to perform their functions which include the control of the metabolic rate of the body.
If you want to eat foods rich in selenium, zinc, and iron, you should choose the following:
- Dairy products such as milk and beef
- Poultry products like eggs
- Seafood like lobster
- Legumes and nuts
Beans and legumes
Lots of plant foods have high protein content, but beans and legumes are known as the biggest sources of protein. According to various studies, your body will be forced to burn lots of calories for beans and legumes to be digested. As a result of this, these thermic foods can make a big difference in your metabolism.
Some examples of beans and legumes you can add to your meals include:
- Black beans
- Peas
- Peanuts
- Lentils
- Chickpeas
Chili peppers
Generally, chili peppers have a particular chemical called capsaicin. This substance can increase the speed at which calories are burned by your body. Over time, this will boost your metabolism and encourage your body to use stored fat.
Based on the reviews of some scientific studies, chili peppers can assist you to burn additional 50 calories daily. Therefore, you should add chili peppers to your daily foods if you want to burn calories and increase your metabolism.
Citrus fruits
Although citrus fruits are popular for containing vitamin C that can improve the functioning of the immune system, these fruits can also fire up your metabolism. This is because many of them come with high soluble fiber that can take care of your gut bacteria. Besides, high soluble fiber can also get rid of unwanted fat and lower your appetite.
Common examples of citrus fruits are:
- Orange
- Grapefruit
- Tangerine
- Citron
- Lemon
- Tangelo
- Lime
Tea
Tea has catechins, which are compounds that can increase your metabolism. However, you must understand that not all teas can perform this function. To fire up your metabolism with tea, you should go for green and oolong teas. The digestion of these particular types of teas requires lots of energy. Furthermore, these teas can encourage your body to utilize its stored fat; thus, ensuring that your body burns more fats.
Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes are believed to contain lots of protein and fiber. As a consequence of this, it is not strange that these foods can contribute to an increase in the rate of your metabolism. Therefore, if you want to fire up your metabolism, you are advised to make sweet potatoes some of your favorite meals.
Coffee
It is well established that there is caffeine inside coffees. While caffeine may have some other negative impacts, this substance can also boost your metabolism. Similarly, the substance can make your body use stored fat as the fuel for your day-to-day activities.
If you take three cups of coffee per day, you can lose as many as 100 calories daily. However, various individuals react to caffeine in different ways. So, be cautious when taking coffee to fire up your metabolic rate.
Foods with lots of iodine
Iodine-rich diets can enhance the functioning of the thyroid glands which, in turn, affects how your body digests food items. Hence, you can use iodine-rich foods to speed up your metabolism.
Here are examples of foods with lots of iodine:
- Shellfish
- Eggs
- Soy products
- Dairy products
Apart from the aforementioned foods, you can also fire up your metabolism by eating dark leafy greens, avocados, wild-caught seafood, turmeric, apple cider vinegar, and medium-chain triglyceride oil.
