15 Best Foods to Boost Your Metabolism
For more energy during the day, pack your diet with healthy metabolism-boosting foods.
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.
Avocado
From tasty dips to nourishing face masks, it seems there is nothing the avocado can’t do. The health benefits of avocados include plenty of healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats to help boost your metabolism and keep hunger at bay. A study in Nutrition Journal found that when participants added half of an avocado to their daily diet, they felt full after eating and didn’t need to snack.
Eggs
The incredible, edible egg doesn’t just make for a filling breakfast; it speeds up your metabolism, too! That is probably due to its high protein content. Add eggs to your high-protein meal plan to boost your metabolism while keeping you full in between meals.
Find out the 10 mistakes everyone makes with eggs.
Green Tea
Steep a cup of green tea every day for a hearty serving of antioxidants. The jury is still out, but research has found that drinking green tea each day can increase your body’s fat metabolism. (Yes please!)
Whole Grains
Replacing refined flour like white breads and pastas with high-fibre foods like whole grains has been shown to increase our resting metabolic rate. In other words, your body will burn more calories while lounging around.
Check out these painless ways to increase dietary fibre.
Flaxseed
Flaxseeds are another fibre powerhouse known to boost metabolism and overall health. They’re also rich in protein to keep you full between meals. Ground flaxseed can be added to your morning smoothie or oatmeal as part of a high-fibre meal plan.
Get started with these healthy smoothie recipes.
Coffee
As if you needed another reason to reach for that second cup of joe in the morning! The caffeine in coffee not only makes your co-workers much more likable, it also speeds up your metabolism. A recent study found that drinking three cups of coffee per day equals 100 extra calories burned. Well, if you insist…
Find out how much coffee you can drink before it gets dangerous.
Kale
Kale is one of those veggies you know you need in your life. It’s packed with vitamins and antioxidants for a healthy body. It’s also rich in iron, which is a mineral that speeds up the metabolism. Try adding fresh kale to your morning smoothie!
Here are more iron-rich foods you might consider adding to your diet.
Lemons
Squeeze a lemon wedge over your meal or into your ice water. Studies have found that the properties in lemons can speed up your metabolism and decrease feelings of hunger. Try keeping a bottle of lemon water with you throughout the day or add even more flavour with a pitcher of lemon, ginger and turmeric water.
Learn to spot the signs you’re not eating enough vegetables.
Lentils
Adding high-protein foods like lentils to your meals will keep you full all day. Lentils are also rich in fibre to keep your gut healthy and metabolism humming along. Try simmering them for a bowl of hearty lentil soup or adding cooked lentils to your lunch salad.
Discover 10 plant-based alternatives for everything on your grocery list.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Drinking apple cider vinegar may help your body boost fat burning and decrease the amount of stored fat in your body. Apple cider vinegar can also help promote feelings of fullness after meals.
Just make sure you avoid these common apple cider vinegar mistakes.
Chili Peppers
The capsaicin found in chili peppers won’t just make your eyes water; it will also boost fat burning. Research has shown that eating chili peppers can increase metabolism while reducing feelings of hunger.
Don’t miss our ultimate guide to healthy grocery shopping.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is a favourite of both health and beauty bloggers for its many benefits and uses, and we can now add fat-burning to that list. It’s rich in medium-chain-triglycerides (MCTs), which are known to increase your metabolic rate and promote fat burning for energy.
These are the healthiest cooking oils, according to food experts.
Ginger
Not sure what to do with that leftover ginger root sitting on the kitchen counter? A 2018 study found that eating fresh ginger contributes to weight loss and faster metabolism. It has also been found to improve insulin and cholesterol levels.
These are the foods you’re spoiling by putting in the refrigerator.
Cold Water
If you’re sipping a glass of water right now, add a few more ice cubes for an instant metabolism boost. When you drink cold water, your body must warm it up, and that burst of energy leads to fat burning.
Find out exactly how much water you should be drinking.
Seaweed
Dried seaweed is a crunchy, salty snack that has way more benefits than boring potato chips. Seaweed is rich in iodine; our bodies need iodine to keep our thyroid gland healthy and our metabolic rate high. Try a new kind of salad with fresh seaweed or munch on the dried version for a metabolism-boosting snack.
Next, find out the healthiest fish you can eat.
