Download Top 10 Metabolism Boosting Foods

Josh Bezoni
with Shawn Wells, R.D.
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Top 10 Metabolism
Boosting Foods
“Boosting the metabolism” may be the holy grail of obtaining and maintaining a lean
physique. Figuratively speaking, it’s the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. But what
the heck is metabolism? Is it even possible to “boost” it by eating certain foods?
Generally speaking, metabolism is a word used interchangeably with total daily energy
expenditure (TDEE), which is generally considered to consist of three main components:
• Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR). This is essentially the number of calories, or
amount of energy, that your body requires to sustain vital functions at rest. This
makes up the largest component of your overall metabolic rate. Depending on
activity level, it accounts for 60% to 75% of your daily energy needs.
• Thermic Effect of Feeding (TEF). Digestion, absorption, and assimilation of the
nutrients you consume (from food) are active processes that require energy. TEF
accounts for approximately 5 – 15% of overall metabolic rate. This is also called
Diet-Induced Thermogenesis, or DIT.
• Physical Activity. This is the single most variable element of metabolism.
Depending on activity level, it can account for 15% to 30% of overall energy
expenditure. This component of metabolic rate consists of both structured
exercise as well as non-structured activity, which includes doing household
chores, walking to and from your car, shivering, fidgeting, etc. This non-structured
activity is termed non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT).
Interestingly, when researchers examined the role of NEAT in obesity, they found that,
on average, obese folks sit for 2 ½ hours longer (each day) than lean individuals. (1) The
authors concluded, “If obese individuals adopted the NEAT-enhanced behaviors of their
lean counterparts, they might expend an additional 350 calories (kcal) per day.” Thus,
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one way that you may “boost” your metabolism is by moving more (and sitting less),
which may simply mean parking your car further away from building entrances, taking
the stairs, doing yard work, etc.
In addition to NEAT, structured exercise also plays an important role in TDEE. In fact,
certain types of exercise may have a much more profound impact on metabolism than
others. Typically, when folks think about exercising, they think primarily about exercising to
burn calories during a specific time period. However, that type of exercise (e.g., “cardio”)
only has an effect on one aspect of your overall metabolic rate (i.e., exercise activity).
To get the biggest bang for your exercise buck, it’s a good idea to incorporate exercises
that not only burn calories (during a session) but also increase your RMR. One of the
single most important ways you can increase your RMR is by increasing your muscle mass
through resistance training. Elia (2) found that muscle tissue contributes approximately 20%
to TDEE (versus 5% for fat tissue). Thus, muscle is more metabolically active than fat, and
as a result, losing fat and adding muscle “boosts” metabolic rate.
While standard aerobic exercise (i.e., cardio) burns calories during the activity, it does
not have the same effect on RMR as anaerobic exercise (i.e., high-intensity exercise),
which results in significantly greater excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC).
EPOC, also colloquially termed “afterburn,” refers to the elevation in RMR that occurs
after specific types of exercises. That is, certain types of exercise (e.g., resistance
training, interval training) can significantly boost your RMR, so you’re burning even more
calories while at rest.
To learn more about boosting your metabolism through exercise, please visit the
following article published at the BioTrust Community Forums:
Critical Elements of Fat Loss Training
Like exercise, diet can also affect RMR. For instance, very low calorie diets often fail
because not enough calories are being consumed to fuel physical activity, and this
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underfeeding can diminish metabolic processes. These intense energy restrictive diets
are not only tough to maintain, but actually trigger the body to suppress its RMR by as
much as 20%. (3)
Basically, biological processes adapt to these conditions as if the body were in a state
of famine. Because the body’s most important priority is survival, it initiates a cascade
of energy preservation mechanisms to match energy expenditure with energy intake.
In addition to reduced RMR, these processes include reduced thyroid hormone output,
sympathetic nervous system activity, reproductive hormone output, and spontaneous
physical activity, as well as increased appetite, parasympathetic nervous system
activity, and muscle efficiencies.
Other studies show significantly decreased levels of important metabolic, fat-burning
hormones with crash dieting, such as the Metabolism study performed by Dr. Campbell
at the University of Vienna in which thyroid levels dropped by a whopping 38% after just
2 weeks of consuming a very low calorie diet. (4)
And yet another Metabolism study conducted by Dr. Gloria Dubuc and the nutrition
research team at the University of California-Davis, showed a 50% reduction in the
body’s production of leptin, the “metabolic master switch,” after just 7 short days of
following a severely reduced-calorie diet. (5)
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Is it true that metabolic rate declines with age?
It’s generally accepted that metabolic rate declines significantly as folks age (i.e.,
age-related metabolic decline). In fact, studies show, on average, that sedentary
populations experience a 2 – 4% decline in resting metabolic rate with each
passing decade after the age of 25. (6, 7, 8) However, this supposedly inevitable
metabolic decline may be more lifestyle-related than age-related.
Researchers at the University of Colorado found that, amongst sedentary women,
postmenopausal women (50 – 72 years old) had significantly lower RMR than
premenopausal women, providing evidence for age-related metabolic decline.
However, the researchers found that RMR was not significantly different between
premenopausal women and postmenopausal women who regularly performed
endurance exercise. As a result, they concluded that “age-related decline in RMR
in sedentary women is not observed in women who regularly perform endurance
exercise. The elevated level of RMR observed in middle-aged and older exercising
women may play a role in their lower levels of body weight and fatness compared
to those in sedentary women.” (9)
In a follow-up study, these same University of Colorado researchers compared
a group of young (age 19-36) and older (age 52-75) inactive men with physically
active men of a similar age. They found that RMR was indeed lower with age in
both sedentary and physically active men. However, RMR was not significantly
lower in older men who maintain exercise volume and/or energy intake at a level
similar to that of young physically active men.
Thus, the researchers concluded that the purported age-related decline in
metabolic rate is attributable to two controllable lifestyle factors: 1. Reductions in
exercise volume (moving less); and 2. Reductions in energy intake (i.e., eating
less). (10)
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Fortunately, although lowered calorie intakes produce pronounced decreases in
metabolism, the reverse is also true: Increasing your daily calorie consumption can aid
in reversing the trend. For instance, in a study that appeared in the British Journal of
Nutrition, researchers found that a single day of over-eating increased metabolic rate by
10%, including an elevation in resting metabolic rate up to 14 hours after the last meal. (11)
Conversely, a single day of under-feeding was found to lead to a 6% reduction in
metabolic rate.
Researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch found that an 8-day overeating phase resulted in an increase in total daily energy expenditure by 18%, including
increases in both RMR and non-resting energy expenditure. (12) In a study published in
the American Journal of Physiology, scientists found that, after 9 days of overfeeding,
subjects’ resting metabolic rate significantly increased, and it explained up to one-third
of the overall increase in total daily energy expenditure, which was also impacted by
thermic effect of feeding and increased cost of physical activity. (13)
It is important to point out, however, that the increase in energy expenditure during these
over-feeding trials did not fully match energy intake. Thus, while increasing daily calories
can indeed help boost the metabolism, it can be a surefire way to gain weight unless you
offset the increase in calorie intake by burning even more calories through exercise.
In fact, studies that combine increased energy expenditure (through structured exercise)
and increased energy intake demonstrate an even more significant boost in resting
metabolic rate. (14, 15) That is, in these “high energy flux” states, subjects’ total daily
energy expenditure significantly increased not only through physical activity and TEF
(i.e., thermic effect of feeding) but also through increased RMR.
Speaking of TEF, here’s where things get even more interesting, and specifically,
where your day-to-day food choices can have a significant impact on your metabolism.
As mentioned, TEF can account for approximately 5 – 15% of total daily energy
expenditure, and the amount (i.e., calorie intake) and types of foods you eat most
heavily influence this component of metabolic rate.
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There is a general consensus in the scientific literature that protein stimulates
dietary-induced thermogenesis to a greater extent than other macronutrients (e.g.,
carbohydrates, fat). (16) In fact, protein-rich foods are estimated to boost metabolic rate
by as much as 30%, whereas as fats and carbohydrates are typically estimated to be in
the 5 – 10% range. (17) Thus, simply swapping out some carbohydrates for protein-rich
foods may be a step in the right direction to boosting your metabolism and improving
your health and body composition.
As a matter of fact, researchers at the University of Illinois assigned women to either a
high-carbohydrate diet or a high-protein diet, both with the same overall calorie intake
and calorie deficit. After 10 weeks, both groups lost weight while dieting, but the highprotein group—which simply replaced some calories from carbohydrate with protein—
lost more weight overall and nearly double the amount of body fat.
Not only does a higher protein intake yield greater weight loss, more importantly, it
results in more fat loss and greater retention of calorie-burning muscle mass. What’s
more, the high-protein group had improved levels of blood triglycerides, better blood
sugar management, and reported greater satiety throughout the course of the 10 weeks
of dieting. The scientists concluded with the following:
“This study demonstrates that increasing the proportion of protein to carbohydrate in
the diet of adult women has positive effects on body composition, blood lipids, glucose
homeostasis and satiety during weight loss.” (18)
With that in mind, it’s the perfect time to segue into our list of the Top 10 Metabolism
Boosting Foods, which is highlighted by, you guessed it, several protein-rich foods. Enjoy!
Lean Red Meat (grass-fed preferred)
Beef is loaded with protein, and when it comes to fighting the battle of the bulge, there
is likely not a more important nutrient than protein. As a matter of fact, researchers
suggest that an increased protein intake may be one of the single most important
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dietary and lifestyle changes that one can make
as part of an effective weight loss strategy.
Specifically, there are multiple potential
beneficial outcomes associated with an
increased protein intake: (19)
1. Increased satiety: Protein-rich foods induce a greater sense of satisfaction than
fat- or carbohydrate-rich foods, and they may even decrease energy intake in
subsequent meals;
2. Increased thermogenesis: Dietary protein exerts a significantly higher “thermic
effect” than fats or carbohydrates, and high-protein diets have continuously been
shown to boost the metabolism (i.e., increase energy expenditure); and
3. Maintenance or building of fat free mass (FFM) and preservation of metabolic
rate: High-protein diets have repeatedly been shown to preserve FFM when
dieting for fat loss, and they have also been shown to be necessary for the
preservation of metabolic rate, which is frequently compromised as a result of
dieting. (20)
Clearly then, one of the single most important dietary factors that you can do to support
your metabolism is to boost your protein intake. As mentioned, beef is a great source of
protein, as well as the following essential nutrients:
• Vitamin B12
• Selenium
• Zinc
• Niacin
• Vitamin B6
• Phosphorus
• Choline
• Iron
• Riboflavin
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Obviously, despite a bad rap in certain circles, beef is a nutrient-dense, fat-fighting
all-star. However, not all beef is created equally, and grass-fed beef may be a superior
option over standard grain-fed options.
Interestingly, regardless of whether your beef is grain-fed or grass-fed, you’ll be getting
about 40-50% saturated fat, about 40-50% monounsaturated fat, and somewhere
near 10% polyunsaturated fat. However, and this is a BIG however, the diet of the cow
significantly influences the types of each fat present.
Depending on the breed of cow, grass-fed beef contains up to 5 times more omega-3
fatty acids than grain-fed beef. (21) The average ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids
in grass-fed beef is 1.5:1, which is essentially ideal. On the contrary, in grain-fed beef,
this ratio jumps all the way up to nearly 8:1.
This is important to note for a plethora of reasons, but succinctly put, this type of Omega
Imbalance, which is characterized by excessive consumption of omega-6 fatty acids
coupled with a deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids, is connected to an increase in all
inflammatory diseases, including: (22)
• Cardiovascular disease
• Type 2 diabetes
• Obesity
• Metabolic syndrome
• Irritable bowel syndrome and inflammatory bowel disease
• Macular degeneration
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Asthma
• Psychiatric disorders
• Autoimmune disease
What’s more, this overconsumption of omega-6 fatty acids not only affects you but also may
impact your offspring, as it can increase the incidence of obesity in future generations. (23)
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In addition to a much healthier omega-3 fatty acid profile, grass-fed beef is one of the
best dietary sources of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), as it contains an average of 2 to
3 times more CLA than grain-fed beef. CLA possesses significant antioxidant activity,
and research has shown it to reduce body fat, increase lean body mass, and improve
body composition. (24)
Wild-Caught, Fatty Fish
Wild-caught, cold-water fish like salmon, sardines,
anchovies, mackerel, halibut, and tuna are rife with
protein and omega-3 fatty acids. In addition to their
brain and cardiovascular health benefits, these
essential fats have been shown to have beneficial
effects on metabolism and body composition.
Researchers from Gettysburg College found that supplementation with fish oils, which
supply the same types of omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish like salmon, for 6 weeks
significantly increased fat free mass and decreased fat mass. (25) What’s more, the
subjects also experienced increased metabolic rate and significantly decreased levels
of cortisol, a stress hormone associated with increased abdominal fat storage. (26)
Researchers from Australia recently found similar impressive results as they combined
omega-3 fatty acid supplementation with a specific weight loss diet. The scientists found
that subjects with higher omega-3 fatty acid intakes lost significantly more fat than
the subjects who did not supplement with the essential fats, despite the fact that both
groups followed the same diet protocol. (27)
Interestingly, recent research suggests that fish oil supplements (i.e., omega-3 fatty
acids) significantly increase metabolic rate. What’s more, the scientists making
this finding also discovered that supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids or CLA,
which is found in beef and full-fat dairy, significantly increases the body’s number of
mitochondria, which are known as the muscle cells’ calorie-burning “power plants.” (28)
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One concern with fish intake is the potential heavy metal and purity issues that are
common with the modern fish supply. What’s more, there are some ethical concerns
regarding mislabeling of fish. Specifically, a recent study conducted by the world’s
largest ocean conservation group, Oceana, revealed that nearly half of the fish being
sold in the United States are actually less expensive, potentially harmful fish that have
been deliberately mislabeled as a higher quality, more sought-after fish. (29)
With these things in mind, you’ll want to make sure that you ask questions and only
purchase these fish from a trusted market/supplier, who can confirm that they are
precisely as marked. If you can find a source you trust, these fish indeed possess some
fat-fighting benefits.
Eggs (omega-3 and cage-free preferred)
Based on what you’ve read so far,
you likely realize how important
protein-rich foods are to support
your metabolism-boosting efforts. In
addition to grass-fed beef and wild
salmon, cage-free whole eggs should
be at the top of your list.
In addition to packing 7 grams of
appetite-satiating protein, a single
egg is also loaded with several critical
nutrients, including:
• Choline, which supports brain health and nervous system function;
• Lutein and zeaxanthin, which are potent antioxidants that fight free radicals and
help prevent macular degeneration;
• Vitamin A;
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• Vitamin D;
• Selenium;
• Phosphorus;
• Potassium;
• And more.
That being said, just like there are differences between
beef from grass-fed and grain-fed animals, not all
eggs are created equally from a nutrition standpoint.
Specifically, research from Mother Earth News
suggests that eggs from cage-free pasture-raised hens provide a drastically improved
nutrition profile than standard store-bought eggs. (30) For example, compared to typical
supermarket eggs, the eggs from pasture-raised hens may contain:
• 1/3 less cholesterol
• 1/4 less saturated fat
• 2/3 more vitamin A
• 2 times more Omega-3 fatty acids
• 3 times more vitamin E
• 6 times more vitamin D
• 7 times more beta-carotene
Because the lines are somewhat blurry on the definitions of cage-free and pastureraised, it may be beneficial to do some additional research on the eggs available to you.
Better yet, you may attend a local farmer’s market and purchase certified organic eggs
from cage-free, pasture-raised hens.
Since eggs are synonymous with breakfast, this is as good a time as any to remind
you to include protein at your first meal of the day. Research suggests that the satiety
effects of a high-protein breakfast will have far-reaching implications on your appetite
and waistline.
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In a recent study, researchers from the University of Missouri found that people who ate
a high-protein breakfast (e.g., eggs and lean beef) felt more full, had fewer cravings,
and were less likely to snack on high-fat and high-sugar foods at night, compared with a
group who ate a calorically equivalent bowl of cereal. (31)
Multiple other studies comparing a high-protein breakfast (e.g., 30+ grams of protein) to
a breakfast of ready-to-eat cereal have also shown similar benefits in satiety, appetite,
hormonal responses, and subsequent food choices. (32, 33)
Plain Greek Yogurt and Cottage Cheese
(organic preferred)
If the metabolism-boosting benefits of a highprotein diet have not yet been extolled upon you,
please allow us the opportunity to remind you
that a diet rich in high-quality protein has wellestablished scientific support as a successful
strategy to promote weight loss and weight
management in adults, as high-protein diets have
regularly been shown to result in greater losses in
fat mass, maintenance or building of fat free mass,
improved body composition, and preservation of
metabolic rate when dieting. (34)
Along these lines, high-protein meals increase satiety and boost the metabolism. (17) For
those reasons, you can add plain Greek yogurt to your list of fat-fighting foods. Greek
yogurt contains more than double the protein of regular yogurt and only about one-third
the amount of sugar.
What’s more, authentic strained Greek yogurt is rich in multiple sources of probiotics.
Research indicates that the gut flora (i.e., the bacterial ecosystem) of obese folks differs
significantly from that of thin people. (35) Along these lines, recent research published in
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the British Journal of Nutrition suggests that certain probiotics from the Lactobacillus
family of bacteria, which are prominent in Greek yogurt, may help you lose weight and
keep it off. (36)
When choosing a Greek yogurt, we recommend that you opt for plain versions, as fruitflavored varieties have over three times as much sugar. Instead, add some fresh fruit
(e.g., berries), which will provide a nutrient-dense source of fiber, vitamins, antioxidants,
and polyphenols.
Cottage cheese goes hand-in-hand with
Greek yogurt. Cottage cheese packs a
whopping 28 grams of protein per single
cup, and it is also a good source of calcium,
riboflavin, vitamin B12, selenium, and
phosphorus.
Cottage cheese is rich in casein protein, which is known as a slow-digesting protein. In
essence, casein forms a gel-like substance in the stomach, which makes it a very efficient
supplier of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. In fact, studies show that levels of
amino acids remain elevated upwards of 5 hours after ingestion of casein protein. (37)
While whey, a fast-digesting protein, is often thought of as the “gold standard” of
protein supplements, some studies suggest that casein—or a combination of whey and
casein—may provide greater muscle building and recovery benefits. In animal studies,
scientists have found that, compared to whey, casein protein provides a more sustained
anabolic (i.e., building) effect. (38)
Recent research in humans demonstrated that a blend of whey and casein is superior
to whey protein alone after resistance training to promote muscle protein synthesis and
recovery. (39) Furthermore, scientists recently demonstrated that casein protein provides
muscle recovery benefits during sleep when consumed before bed. (40)
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One cup of cottage cheese also packs a healthy punch of branched-chain amino acids
(BCAAs), including over 2 ½ grams of leucine, which is essential to muscle health.
BCAAs are crucial to exercise performance, muscle recovery, and maintaining blood
sugar levels, and the amino acid leucine is considered to be the “anabolic trigger” for
muscle recovery and growth following exercise. (41)
We recommend that you choose organic sources of Greek yogurt, cottage cheese,
and other forms of dairy whenever possible. Similar to the discussion regarding grassfed beef, organic dairy has a significantly different fatty acid profile when compared to
conventional dairy.
Specifically, studies comparing organic to conventional have reported that organic dairy
contains: (42)
• 25% fewer omega-6 fatty acids, which are pro-inflammatory;
• 62% more omega-3 fatty acids, which are anti-inflammatory;
• 2.5 times lower omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratio, which is much closer to
optimal;
• 32% more EPA and 19% more DHA, which are two omega-3 fatty acids crucial
for nervous system function, cardiovascular health, pain management, hormonal
regulation, body composition, feelings of well being, and more; and
• 18% more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which has been shown to reduce body
fat, increase lean body mass, and improve body composition. (24)
Chicken
Chicken is best known for its high protein
content, and at up to 35 grams of protein
per 4-ounce (cooked) portion, it is indeed an
excellent source. As a result, it helps boost
the metabolism, increase satiety, and support
the maintenance of calorie-burning lean body
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mass. Muscle mass is more “metabolically
active” than body fat, and generally
speaking, metabolic rate is proportionate to
lean body mass. (43)
In addition to its rich protein content, chicken
is also a very good source of numerous
other vitamins and minerals that are critical
to overall health and metabolism, including:
• Vitamin B3
• Vitamin B6
• Vitamin B12
• Pantothenic acid
• Selenium
• Phosphorus
• Choline
• Zinc
• Copper
• Magnesium
• Iron
Clearly, chicken provides broad nutrient support. Like cottage cheese, chicken is also an
excellent source of the amino acid leucine. A cooked 4-ounce portion of chicken breast
provides over 2 ½ grams of leucine, which is the threshold at which protein synthesis is
restored, according to researchers at the University of Illinois.
In fact, high-leucine diets (a minimum of 2 ½ grams of leucine per meal) have been
shown to lead to greater weight loss, greater fat loss, and better preservation of lean
body mass. What’s more, researchers have found that high-leucine diets also result in
better blood sugar management. (18, 44)
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Mixed Beans
Beans are an excellent plant-based source of
protein, and depending on the type, they provide
upwards of 12 grams of fiber per 1-cup serving.
Dietary fiber and protein are two nutrients that
researchers have found to be positively associated
with satiety, or feelings of fullness. (45)
Not surprisingly, researchers found that, when
study participants supplemented their regular diet
with garbanzo beans daily, they reported significant
improvements in satiety, appetite, meal satisfaction,
and bowel function. Participants were also found to
decrease consumption of snack foods and overall
calorie intake. (46) Additionally, researchers from
Purdue University found that subjects who added
beans to a reduced-calorie diet lost over three
times as much weight as the control group, which
consumed the same number of calories, over the
course of 6 weeks. (47)
What’s more, an increase in the hormone cholecystokinin (CCK), which is secreted in
the gut in response to protein and fat intake and helps to slow gastric emptying and
increase satiety, has been reported following bean consumption. (48) Thus, in addition
to their high protein and fiber content, beans may positively influence appetite by
stimulating satiety centers in the brain.
Legumes, including certain beans and lentils, are also a good source of resistant starch,
which is a special type of carbohydrate that is not digested by the human body. (49)
Resistant starch is not technically classified as a fiber, although many researchers now
believe that it should be.
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Multiple studies have shown that naturally-occurring resistant starch intake increases
satiety and reduces food intake both acutely and in the long-term. (50, 51) Research
has also shown that consumption of resistant starch increases fat oxidation (i.e., fat
burning). (52) Resistant starch has also been shown to decrease fat storage in adipocytes
(i.e., fat cells) and improve insulin sensitivity. (53)
Furthermore, researchers speculate that resistant starch may also increase the thermic
effect of feeding, which means that it boosts the metabolism, as well as promote weight
loss and preserve fat free mass. (54)
If the weight management and metabolism benefits aren’t enough, regular consumption
of beans appears to also possess significant cardioprotective benefits. Specifically,
researchers found that eating just one serving daily of pulses, which include beans,
lentils, and peas, can significantly reduce “bad” (i.e., LDL) cholesterol and the risk of
heart disease. (55)
Scientists from throughout Canada and the US reviewed 26 randomized controlled trials
that included over 1,000 people. Despite variation between studies, the researchers
found a 5% reduction in LDL cholesterol in individuals who ate one serving (i.e., 3/4
cup) of beans per day. Men had greater reduction in LDL cholesterol than women,
perhaps because their diets are poorer, cholesterol levels are higher, and benefit more
markedly from a healthier diet.
Overall, the research is quite clear that adding 3 – 5 cups (per week) of beans to your
diet may have some significant beneficial effects on your body composition as well as
your cardiovascular health. There are many options from which to choose, including
black beans, dried peas, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, lentils, lima beans, navy
beans, pinto beans, and more.
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Coconut Oil
(cold-pressed, extra virgin)
While extra virgin olive oil has always been (and will
continue to be) a staple, nutritious, go-to oil for healthy
cooking, there’s a new kid on the block that’s getting all
the attention as of late, and for good reason. Coconut
oil, which is actually 90% saturated fat, is the new
superstar, but it hasn’t always been viewed as healthy.
Perhaps some of the negative light that has previously
been shined on coconut oil is somewhat deserved.
According to Alexandra Bernardin:
“For years, coconut oil was portrayed as a destroyer of cardiovascular health.
Its artery-clogging, heart attack-causing, cholesterol-raising side effects were
flaunted in the media, and the public responded by shunning this useful and
natural oil. However, researchers made one big mistake, which they conveniently
did not publicize: In their studies, they used hydrogenated and partially
hydrogenated coconut oil. By doing so, they changed everything good about
coconut oil.” (56)
For sake of reference, hydrogenation essentially refers to the fact that these were
trans fats that were used, and of course, coconut oil is going to get a bad rap if it’s
being chemically warped into this health-derailing nightmare (i.e., trans fats). But, what
happens when we use fresh, cold-pressed, extra-virgin coconut oil? We get an allnatural food that is chockfull of health-building saturated fats.
According to Bernardin, here are some of the top reasons you should include coconut
oil in your diet:
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1. It’s composed of medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), which your body can quickly
and efficiently use for energy and are not stored in the body as fat.
2. Like breast milk, coconut oil is high in the fatty acid lauric acid, which plays a critical
role in immune system function.
3. It is antiviral, antifungal, antiparasite, and antiprotozoa.
4. Coconut oil is high in capric acid and caprylic acid, which are antioxidants.
5. It is cardioprotective. Populations that consume 30-60 percent of their daily caloric
intake from coconuts are virtually free from cardiovascular disease, and it helps to
lower cholesterol.
6. Unlike unsaturated vegetable oils like soybean and corn oil, coconut oil does not
block the secretion of thyroid hormone.
7. Coconut oil is easily digested and can support healthy digestive function.
8. Coconut oil helps with zinc and magnesium absorption, two very important minerals
vital for a multitude of functions in the body including bone health.
In addition, several studies have linked the consumption of extra virgin coconut oil to
smaller waist sizes. For example, researchers found that subjects who consumed two
tablespoons of coconut oil per day for 12 weeks while following a reduced-calorie diet
and including daily exercise (i.e., walking) lost a significant amount of abdominal fat
compared to the control group that followed the same diet and exercise program without
coconut oil. (57) In addition, the coconut oil group also experienced an increase in HDL
cholesterol and a decrease in their LDL:HDL cholesterol ratio.
The researchers concluded, “Supplementation with coconut oil does not cause
dyslipidemia and seems to promote a reduction in abdominal obesity.”
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What’s more, research also suggests that the MCTs found in coconut oil have a
significant thermogenic (i.e., metabolism-boosting) effect. In one study, rats were
overfed with either long-chain fatty acids (LCTs), which are the common form of fat
found in foods, or MCTs. The rats fed the MCTS gained 20% less weight and 23% less
body fat despite consuming the same overall amount of energy. (58)
In another study, researchers found that consuming MCTs increased metabolism more
than eating LCTs from other foods. As a matter of fact, the subjects that consumed
MCTs lost significantly more weight and burned more fat than the group consuming
LCTs. (59) Researchers have also found that consuming just 1 – 2 tablespoons daily
of MCTs can elevate the metabolism by as much as 5%, which may mean burning an
additional 150 calories or more just by swapping your oils. (60)
Green Tea
If your goals are to lose fat and add
calorie-burning lean muscle mass—
and who doesn’t want to do that—then,
besides plain, filtered water, your
beverage of choice should be green
tea. According to researchers, Camellia
sinensis, which is the plant species
whose leaves and buds are used in the
production of tea, exerts several “antiobesity effects.” (61)
Although various types of teas (e.g., oolong, black, green) all come from the Camellia
sinensis plant, green tea leaves are processed (i.e., fermented) differently, which
leaves them with a higher concentration of beneficial polyphenols called catechins, and
it’s these compounds, which also have noteworthy anti-inflammatory and antioxidant
properties, along with green tea’s naturally-occurring caffeine that seem to have quite a
potent effect on the metabolism and helping reduce body fat.
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Specifically, green tea extracts standardized for the catechin epigallocatechin gallate
(EGCG) and caffeine have been shown to increase the rate of fat oxidation (i.e., fat
burning) at rest and during exercise. In one study, subjects that took a green tea
extract, which contained both caffeine and EGCG, three times per day increased both
thermogenesis (i.e., metabolic rate) and fat oxidation over the course of 24 hours. (62)
The authors stated that the effect was superior to that witnessed by caffeine alone.
Subsequently, researchers have found that consumption of a green tea extract prior
to exercise increased the amount of fat burned during the bout of training. (63) What’s
more, the researchers also noted improvements in blood sugar management and insulin
sensitivity. Overall, researchers have concluded, “A green tea-caffeine mixture improves
weight maintenance, through thermogenesis, fat oxidation, and sparing fat free mass.” (64)
In addition to an increased metabolic rate, heightened fat oxidation, and improved blood
sugar and insulin sensitivity, green tea consumption has also been found to decrease
appetite and help regulate blood triglycerides. Researchers suggest consumption of
2 – 4 cups (i.e., 500mL – 1L) of green tea per day to reap these fat-burning and health
promoting benefits. (65)
Coffee
Coffee is one of the world’s most consumed drinks,
trailing only water and tea, although the latter is often
debated. Despite its popularity, coffee seems to be a
somewhat contentious beverage, as it is frequently
considered “unhealthy.” However, there’s seemingly
more research to suggest the opposite, as there are
a multitude of health benefits associated with regular
coffee consumption, and amongst them is an increase
in metabolic rate.
Research over the past several years suggests that
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coffee consumption may protect against type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, liver
cancer, and liver cirrhosis. It’s important to point out that studies suggesting these
benefits are observational in nature, which means that they don’t necessarily prove that
coffee caused the effects. Here’s a sampling of some of the health benefits associated
with regular coffee consumption:
• Research suggests that regular coffee consumption is associated with a
substantially lower risk of type 2 diabetes. (66)
• Some studies have shown an inverse relationship between coffee consumption
and Alzheimer’s disease, suggesting that coffee may have protective benefits
against dementia. (67) Recent reports estimate that moderate coffee consumption
may lower the risk of Alzheimer’s by as much as 20%. (68)
• Studies have shown that coffee drinkers have a significantly lower risk of
developing Parkinson’s disease. (69)
• Recent research on coffee and mortality performed by scientists from the
Harvard School of Public Health found that people who regularly drank coffee
had a lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease than those who rarely
drank coffee. (70)
Often, people think of coffee just as a vehicle for caffeine, which we’ll discuss more in just a
moment. But it’s actually a very complex beverage with hundreds and hundreds of different
compounds in it. In fact, a cup of coffee contains all of the following essential nutrients:
• Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5)
• Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
• Niacin (Vitamin B3)
• Thiamine (Vitmain B1)
• Potassium
• Manganese
Even more, coffee is loaded with antioxidants. In fact, studies show that coffee is
the single greatest dietary source of antioxidants—outweighing even fruits and
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vegetables—amongst many cultures. (71)
Of course, coffee is synonymous with caffeine, and there may be a host of benefits—
including metabolism-boosting advantages—associated with caffeine consumption. For
instance, coffee consumption increases alertness and energy levels, and studies have
shown that coffee consumption can improve performance on mental tasks. (72, 73)
In addition, studies have found that coffee can improve mood, feelings of well being,
reaction times, vigilance, and cognitive function. (74) Caffeine is also widely studied
from a sports performance standpoint, and it has been shown to significantly improve
physical performance and reduce perceived levels of exertion (i.e., makes tasks feel
easier) when taken before exercise. (75)
From a metabolism standpoint, studies show that coffee consumption significantly
increases metabolic rate. (76) In fact, consuming as little as 100mg of caffeine, which you
can get from a single cup of coffee, is enough to boost metabolic rate, and it appears
that repeated/greater doses lead to an even more pronounced effect. (77) What’s
particularly interesting is that this increase in resting metabolic rate is accompanied by
greater oxidation of fat. Simply put, coffee and caffeine appear to boost metabolic rate
and increase fat burning.
While there are many health and metabolism benefits associated with regular, moderate
coffee consumption, it’s important to assess and consider your tolerance to caffeine.
Individual differences in caffeine metabolism apply,
and genetically, some folks are “slow” caffeine
metabolizers, which makes them more sensitive to the
stimulatory effects (e.g., jitters, feeling wired) of the
compound.
Dark Chocolate
Who doesn’t like dessert? For the most part, nearly all
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desserts are heavily processed and are rife with refined sugars and inflammatory fats.
Simply put, they are not a great option to help you lose fat, boost your metabolism, or
optimize your health. But, what if you could literally have your cake and eat it too? Well,
with high-quality dark chocolate, you may be able to do precisely that.
Perhaps a more suitable title for this section would be cocoa, as it’s actually cocoa that
seems to possess significant health and metabolism-boosting benefits. Cocoa contains
up to three times more antioxidants than green tea, and it’s these polyphenols that
appear to be responsible for the health-conferring benefits of cocoa. (78)
Cocoa, and therefore dark chocolate, is rich in a compound called theobromine, which
structurally belongs to a family of compounds collectively referred to as xanthine
alkaloids. Also included in this family is caffeine, and as you now know from the
section above, caffeine effectively boosts the metabolism and increases fat burning.
Theobromine possesses mild stimulant qualities similar to caffeine, and cocoa typically
contains about 10 times as much theobromine as caffeine.
Like caffeine, theobromine has been shown to have some unique fat loss properties.
As is the case with other methylxanthines, theobromine has been shown to suppress
the appetite (i.e., anorexia). (79) With dark chocolate, this is an especially nice effect, as
relatively small amount will help control both hunger and your cravings for sweets.
Also similar to caffeine and other methylxanthines, theobromine has been shown
to increase lipolysis (i.e., the break down of fat), which means it has the potential
to heighten your fat-burning abilities. What’s more, researchers have found that
theobromine can increase fatty acid utilization during exercise, which means more fat
burning and, under certain conditions, improved performance. (80)
A very distinct benefit of the polyphenols found in dark chocolate was discovered in a
study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in March of 2005 where
researchers found significant insulin sensitivity benefits associated with the naturallyoccurring polyphenols found in dark chocolate rich in cocoa. (81) And, as you likely
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already know, insulin sensitivity is a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to fat
burning, as it holds a key to unlocking your body’s ability to burn fat effectively. (82)
Remember, cocoa is not a chocolate bar, something whose added ingredients and
processing reduce the number and type of flavonols, increase calories (cocoa itself has
very few), and possibly change the physiological response to the cocoa. As researcher
Dr. Andrew Neilson, assistant professor at Virginia Tech states, “The evidence does not
show that you can eat a chocolate bar every day and expect to improve your health.”
Keep the following in mind when searching for a dark chocolate bar: Generally
speaking, the higher the cocoa content the better. As you move down the “healthy” scale
of dark chocolate bars (from highest to lowest cocoa content), you’ll typically find more
calories and sugar and less protein and fiber (as well as fewer flavonols).
Thus, you should choose a dark chocolate bar with the highest possible cocoa content,
and clearly, 100% cocoa will be your best bet. When enjoying dark chocolate, a couple
of squares should do the trick, as it still packs a significant amount of calories.
Bonus Booster: Hot Peppers
Like protein and compounds found in coconut oil, green tea, coffee, and cocoa,
hot peppers also appear to effectively boost the metabolism. Specifically, various
hot peppers contain a compound called capsaicin, which has been shown to boost
metabolic rate 15 – 20% for up to two hours after consumption. (83) Research has also
shown that capsaicin may increase fat
oxidation, and supplementation with
the spicy compound has been shown to
decrease body weight and abdominal
fat. (84)
With all of that in mind, you might
consider spicing up your meals a bit
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more with cayenne, jalapeño, habanero, and other hot peppers. Basically, the hotter the
pepper, the greater the capsaicin content, and the Scoville scale is used to measure
the heat of peppers based on capsaicin concentration. If you’re feeling especially spicy,
then you might try the bhut jolokia pepper (aka, the “ghost pepper”), which is currently
the highest-rated on the Scoville scale and often used as an elephant repellant in India.
Spark the Fire
With all of this at your disposal, you now have the
figurative lighter to spark your metabolic fire. A good
place to start is to make sure that you’re consuming
plenty of protein-rich foods, and you might consider
replacing some carbohydrates with those foods
shared in the list above. While you’re at it, you might
try cooking those foods with coconut oil to further
enhance your metabolism. Of course, you could start
or finish your meal with some green tea or coffee to
fully optimize the metabolism advantage.
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