High Thermogenic Foods! Do they Help in Weight Loss?
Is it true high thermogenic foods boost your metabolism twice and help in weight loss? Eating in a calorie debt should always be your priority when it comes to weight loss, but the quality of your food is also important. There is no single food that will help you lose fat, but some foods are better at boosting your metabolism than others. They are called hot foods or high thermogenic foods. Adding it to your diet will increase the several calories you burn each day and ultimately promote fat loss.
This blog post fetches you closer to high thermogenic foods and also talks over the top crucial high thermogenic foods.
What are ” High Thermogenic Foods “?
High-calorie foods are foods that your body uses more energy to digest than it eats through a process called dietary thermogenesis. Frankly, high thermogenic foods increase your metabolic rate—the rate at which your body burns calories. Some food groups have a greater thermic effect than others. For example
- Protein has an incredible thermic effect and can increase your metabolism by 15-30%.
- Carbohydrates boost metabolism by 5-10%.
- Fats only increase it by 0-3%.
Hot or high thermogenic foods increase your metabolism, but the effect is temporary. However, there are other better ways to boost your metabolism long-term, such as increasing NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) and lifting weights.
Also, the heating effect of food varies from person to person because the thermic effect of food depends on many factors. Such as
- Age
- Activity level
- The total amount of food
- Breakdown of macronutrients in each food
- Frequency of consumption
Process of Thermogenesis
Clearly, high thermogenic foods include thermogenesis however, thermogenesis means the production of heat. Typically, the calories we consume are either used to digest, absorb, metabolize food or are burned as fat. Yet, this refers to the energy required to break down food to turn it into fuel. No doubt, the main product of metabolism is the process usually by which the production of heat increases.
Eating certain metabolism-boosting foods can certainly increase the body’s thermogenic effect. Mainly, the thermogenic effect ( thermogenesis ) refers to how many calories your body can burn. So if you comprise a healthy metabolism then surely your body’s thermogenesis process will burn more calories to help you reach your weight loss goals.
Top 6 High Thermogenic Foods
If you’re serious about your weight loss goals then make sure you include high-thermogenic foods in your diet. Here’s a top list of metabolism-boosting, fat-burning foods for a lean body.
Lean Meat
In addition to having the highest thermic effect of the three major macronutrients, protein has a high degree of saturation. Protein-rich foods help keep your blood sugar stable between meals and normally keep you fuller for longer. Commonly, lean meat is rich in protein and is the first top high thermogenic food. Generally, lean meats include
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Pork
- Lean steak and sausages
- Bush bird
- Fish
- Goose
- Duck
All these 90% or less beef are excellent sources of lean protein importantly Ground turkey is very adaptable and easy to prepare.
Eggs
Secondly, eggs are another great reserve for lean meat as they are a healthy source of dietary fat and protein. Usually, eggs are rich in iodine, truly a mineral that helps promote normal thyroid function. Merely, eggs also possess all the necessary amino acids:
- Histidine
- Isoleucine
- Leucine
- Lysine,
- Methionine,
- Phenylalanine
- Threonine,
- Tryptophan
- Valine.
Primarily, they also include other essential components that are usually crucial for a healthy metabolism like:
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin E
- Choline
- Iron
Low-Fat Dairy Products
Anyhow, if you don’t like a lot of meat, you can replace low-fat dairy products like yogurt or cottage cheese with chicken or pork. As these dairy products also help in thermogenic but choose products without added sweeteners. Don’t take yogurt cups with sweetener but yogurt cups with fruits have great carbohydrates which is a healthier option.
Seeds and Nuts
Particularly, nuts and seeds have more fat than any other food on this list, so you might think it’s a contradiction to include them on this list.
Nonetheless, nuts and seeds are rich in vitamins and nutrients that support metabolic health widely. High in soluble fiber, which especially delays the absorption of food and makes you feel full.
All types of nuts and seeds are high-thermogenic foods, but flaxseeds and Brazil nuts are your best bets. Flaxseeds commit protein, fiber, omega-3 fats and other important nutrients. Recently in 2019, a study found that flaxseed improves the gut microbiome and increases energy expenditure in mice. Although these effects have not been tested on humans, the results suggest that flaxseed is a metabolically advantageous food.
Brazil nuts are rich in the mineral selenium, which plays an important role in regulating thyroid function and metabolism.
Green Tea
Regardless, there are clashing statements on the health benefits of green tea but greatly green tea is a high-thermogenic food. Vastly, some studies suggest that green tea may play a favorable role in fat metabolism during exercise and at rest. Researchers attribute this to the presence of catechins, which normally include antioxidant and inflammatory properties. Scientists also found that green tea increases energy expenditure by 4 to 5 percent.
Dark Chocolate
Incline to green tea, dark chocolate is also rich in catechins and further contains high amounts of monounsaturated fats (MUFA). Predominantly, these are rich in fiber and minerals such as magnesium, iron, and zinc. Louisiana State University scientists found that after consuming dark chocolate, gut microbes in the stomach ferment the chocolate and promote the production of polyphenolic compounds. Look for dark chocolate that is not overly processed and has a cocoa content of at least 70%.
Bottom Line
It’s impossible to boost your metabolism long-term by eating certain foods, but it can help. Finally, High Thermogenic Foods require more energy to digest and can temporarily boost your metabolism. Slightly increase the number of calories you burn throughout the day. Moreover, High-thermogenic foods have many benefits, including reducing the risk of disease, improving sleep quality, and improving digestion.