7 Healthy foods to boost metabolism …. You walk into the grocery store, and suddenly, you feel yourself being pulled to the middle like a magnet. You see bright rainbow-like lights shooting from the isle. It’s amazing, and you must see what’s there. You enter and realize you’ve walked into a wonderland of amazement. The colors are so beautiful. You’ve been taken by the sirens call, and your healthy diet is about to crash hard into the rocks of the snack aisle.
The packages are so colorful and enticing, promising your taste buds pure bliss. But wait! You came to the grocery store promising yourself that you would only buy healthy foods — yet, you can’t resist. So what do you do?
You need snacks that are tasty and healthy. I have something even better for you—tasty and healthy foods to boost metabolism. These snacks are super easy to prepare and can be taken just about anywhere in a container. You will be thanking yourself for preparing these snacks instead of opening a bag of potato chips.
7 Healthy foods to boost metabolism
1. Grapefruit sections with a mint or basil chiffonade
Section grapefruit and place it in a bowl. Take a handful of mint or basil leaves and roll them up lengthwise as if making a straw. Cut across the roll, revealing long and thin strips. Add the herbs to the grapefruit and mix.
Grapefruit is full of fiber, which keeps you full longer. It also lowers your insulin levels. Mint and basil pair really well with citrus, and give this snack some added flavor without the added sugar. Remember that Grapefruit can interact with medications, so make sure to talk to your doctor before eating grapefruit if you’re taking medication.
2. Yogurt with chopped almonds and dark chocolate
Spoon some yogurt into a bowl. Chop a small number of almonds and dark chocolate on a cutting board. Mix the almonds and chocolate into the yogurt and eat.
This snack has three metabolism-boosting foods. Yogurt’s probiotic cultures regulate your digestive tract and help your body process food more efficiently. It is also high in calcium, which is essential for weight loss. Chocolate helps reduce your stress hormones, which in turn reduces the cortisol (a contributor to belly fat) in your system.
3. Sliced apple with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
Slice one apple into eight slices and spread one tablespoon of peanut butter equally among each slice.
Apples don’t have a lot of calories and are full of fiber, which helps keep you full longer and keeps your insulin steady. The protein in peanut butter also helps keep you full longer.
4. Turkey, spinach, and avocado spread roll up
Lay a few slices of low-sodium turkey on a cutting board. Mash and spread about ¼ an avocado on top of the turkey. Top with a few slices of spinach and roll like a tortilla.
Turkey is lean meat, which is rich in protein and helps build lean muscle mass. Just keep in mind that lunch meat usually has too much sodium added, so opt for a low-sodium product. Spinach is a good source of vitamin C, magnesium, antioxidants, iron, and potassium. (See #6 for avocado information.)
5. Celery with yogurt spread (yogurt, curry powder, sea salt, or Kosher salt to taste).
Prepare a few celery stalks and set them aside. Mix curry powder and a pinch of sea salt or Kosher salt with some low-fat Yogurt or 0% Greek Yogurt. Evenly distribute the yogurt onto the celery stalks and eat.
Celery is made up of mostly water, so eating it can help you eat less overall. Curry burns more calories in the body and speeds up the metabolism. (See # 2 for yogurt information.)
6. Half an avocado with a sprinkle of sea salt or kosher salt.
Cut an avocado and remove the pit. Score the avocado by running a knife through the length and the width about 3-4 times each, as if you were cutting a cake. Sprinkle with sea salt or kosher salt, and eat with a spoon.
The omega-3 fatty acids in avocados are so good for you. They also have a huge amount of vitamins and minerals. Most of the calories in an avocado come from monosaturated fats, which help control your metabolism.
7. Chopped jalapenos mixed with yogurt on a whole grain cracker.
If you chop your own fresh jalapeno, remember to wear gloves and remove the seeds. Mix chopped jalapenos (according to your tastes) with low-fat yogurt or 0% Greek Yogurt. Place on top of a wholegrain cracker, and eat.
The capsaicin found in jalapenos speeds up your heart rate and increases your body temperature slightly. Your body releases stress hormones that amp up your metabolism. This causes your body to burn calories long after you have eaten the jalapenos. (See # 2 for yogurt information.)
These snacks are just a few of the many combinations you can come up with regarding foods that increase your metabolism. Get creative with these metabolism-raising foods, and you’ll have one more tool to help with your weight loss!
