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When you’re trying to lose weight you try not to think about food. After all, food is calories, and too many calories is what makes you pile on those pounds. You think about your metabolism and how it might be failing you by not burning calories as fast as you’d like in order to make the weight come off faster. Even if you’re not dieting, you still want your metabolism to work at its best to help you maintain your ideal weight. Metabolism is important, not just for burning calories, but for a healthy immune system and for good energy, as well, and it turns out that there are lots of foods that can give your metabolism a boost and make it do its best for you!

1. Hot pepper. Eating hot pepper raises body temperature, which boosts metabolism. Eating spicy food can also curb food cravings.
2. Whole grains. This means complex carbohydrates which are harder for your body to break down than white carbs. When your body works harder you burn more calories.
3. Citrus. Burns fat and keeps insulin levels steady.
4. Eggs. Your body has to work hard to digest the protein in eggs. That protein also keeps you satisfied longer.
5. Coffee. Caffeine stimulates the central nervous system, giving you energy.
6. Vinegar. Vinegar burns fat and manages blood sugar levels. It’s a great low-cal, fat-free flavoring, too.
7. Spices. Spices raise your body temperature, which makes you burn fat. Ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric are especially good for that.
8. Dairy. Calcium may help your body metabolize fat, and it also helps maintain muscle mass which makes your body work harder.
9. Green tea. The antioxidants trigger the release of fat from individual fat cells and help turn them into energy.
10. Healthy fats. Olive oil and nuts.
11. Avocado. Avocado is full of good monounsaturated fat which is a metabolism booster. Plus, it helps metabolic mechanisms run smoothly.
12. Beans. Beans and lentils are full of fiber, and digesting fiber burns calories. Beans help the body store less fat.
13. Lean meat. An excellent source of iron, which builds muscle and keeps metabolism working hard. Your body needs to work hard to digest meat and the protein will keep you from feeling hungry too soon.
14. Salmon and other fatty fish. Great source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids which increase metabolism and levels of fat-burning enzymes.
15. Garlic. Burns fat and regulates insulin.
16. Water. Being well hydrated is essential for metabolic health. Drinking water helps the body break down fat- in fact, it increases the metabolic rate by 30 percent! Even being slightly dehydrated can slow down metabolism.
17. Celery. Stimulates digestion and its high water content speeds up metabolism.
18. Dark chocolate. Yum! Dark chocolate contains lots of magnesium which stimulates a fat-burning hormone. Also, yum!
19. Watermelon. Eating watermelon speeds fat loss and increases muscle mass, which is a metabolism booster. Watermelon is also very hydrating.
20. Berries. There is a component in berries that stops fat cells from growing and reduces the body’s absorption fo specific starches and fats.

It turns out that food is not the enemy when it comes to burning calories! Incorporate these delicious foods into your diet and give your metabolism an edge!

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