7 Foods That Boost A Slow Metabolism And Reverse Metabolic Damage

You probably don’t need scientists to tell you that your metabolism slows with age. But they’re studying it anyway—and coming up with exciting research to help rev it up again. The average woman gains 1½ pounds a year during her adult life—enough to pack on 40-plus pounds by her 50s, if she doesn’t combat the roller coaster of hormones, muscle loss, and stress that conspire to slow her fat-burning engine. But midlife weight gain isn’t inevitable: We’ve found eating strategies that will tackle these changes.
Reverse dieting is a popular topic within the fitness and bodybuilding community. Since both anecdotal and scientific evidence show that metabolic damage from dieting is not a myth, bodybuilders and dieters are turning to reverse dieting as a way of reversing metabolic damage. Although mainstream fitness experts rarely address the topic of reverse dieting, anecdotes and research indicate that dieting slows your metabolism and primes you for rapid weight regain at the end of the diet.

Foods That Reverse A Slow Metabolism And Reverse Metabolic Damage

Olive Oil

Taking in fat in order to burn fat? It may not seem to make sense, but healthy monounsaturated fats like olive oil can actually aid the body in burning calories. But to get a benefit, you have to replace other types of fat – like cream or butter – with olive oil, and consume it only in limited quantities.

Garlic

Adding garlic to meals rich in fats and carbohydrates may keep those substances from wreaking havoc on your health. Studies have found that garlic supports blood sugar metabolism and helps control lipid levels in the blood. Of course, that doesn’t mean garlic bread is suddenly a health food, but adding crushed fresh garlic to your meals certainly wouldn’t hurt.

Broccoli

Broccoli contains two essential nutrients, calcium and vitamin C, which team up to boost metabolism – that is, as long as you have a healthy thyroid. Broccoli is also “goitrogenic,” meaning it can slow the production of thyroid hormones in people with thyroid disease.

Ginger

Just like the capsaicin in hot peppers, the heat of ginger root can decrease appetite, aid in digestion, and increase metabolic rates after eating. Try adding sliced or grated ginger to your stir-fry or tea, or add it to baked recipes like banana bread.

Almonds

A low calorie diet rich in almonds can help increase weight loss, according to a 2003 study. Researchers have speculated that the good monounsaturated fats in almonds not only have an effect on insulin levels, but also give dieters a sense of satiety, so they eat less overall.

Avocado

This creamy pale green fruit may be high in fat and calories, but it’s also packed with fiber, vitamins and minerals. More importantly, most of the calories in an avocado come from monounsaturated fats, which help control the metabolic rate.

Hot peppers

Cayenne, chili, jalapeno and habanero – make your meals spicier, and you’ll speed up your metabolism, too. Research has shown that adding hot peppers to a meal, even just in the form of a pinch of cayenne, can boost metabolism by up to 25 percent for three hours after you eat.