Boost Your Metabolism: 6 Easy Home Remedies
Some people can eat whatever they want without gaining a gram. And for others, the mere thought of a slice of cake seems to settle around the waist. That can come down to your metabolism: if it is sluggish, every treat shows up faster. What the metabolism actually is and which home remedies give it a little nudge, you will read here.
What exactly is the metabolism?
How fast the body turns over energy depends largely on your individual metabolism - and that is largely determined by genetics and muscle mass. The metabolism processes the substances you take in through food. These are either used as energy or excreted. So your metabolism helps determine how much energy your body uses in everyday life.
You can give a sluggish metabolism a nudge in various ways: alongside regular exercise, enough sleep and enough water, there are a few home remedies that many people find help to warm the body from within. Here are six of them.
1. Grapefruit: refreshing and bitter
Slim people are often spotted with grapefruit at the breakfast table, and that is no coincidence: the fruit is packed with vitamins, antioxidants and minerals, and brings bitter compounds along too. The taste is not for everyone, but it gets the saliva and gastric juices going and makes a good start to the day. As part of a balanced diet, grapefruit is a low-calorie, refreshing companion - you can read more about how to get rid of excess water in the body naturally in a separate post.
2. Apple cider vinegar with lemon: the classic from the cupboard
Not without reason does apple cider vinegar find its way into many diet books. It is said to curb the appetite and stimulate digestion. Simply mix a glass of still water with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar and a squeeze of lemon, and drink it on an empty stomach or about an hour before bed.
The lemon makes the brew more pleasant to taste and brings plenty of vitamin C. Vitamin C contributes to a normal energy-yielding metabolism and is a nice bonus to your daily glass.
3. Chilli: fancy a little heat?
Anyone who has ever eaten authentically Asian food knows the sweating at the table. That is the body's natural cooling mechanism and a sign that energy is being turned over while eating. The culprit is the capsaicin in chilli. In moderation it creates a warming sensation - but do not overdo it, because too much heat irritates the stomach and gut.
4. Ginger: the warming root
Much like chilli, ginger scores with a pungent compound: gingerol. The root, which many know from tea or smoothies, is considered stimulating for digestion and creates a warming sensation. Fresh ginger slices add flavour to water, tea and smoothies. Tip: like many aromatic ingredients, ginger features above all in Asian cuisine.
5. Caffeine: especially pleasant in tea
If you want to lose weight, you should drink enough. Alongside plenty of water, many reach for coffee and tea, partly because of the caffeine they contain, which is considered stimulating. But anyone who does not drink their coffee black quickly racks up calories: a milky, fatty cappuccino with a sugar crust and a biscuit to dunk... sound familiar? With unsweetened green tea you are less likely to sip a little calorie bomb, and still take in around 50 mg of caffeine per cup.
Why many prefer green tea over coffee
Green tea is naturally low in calories and brings along plant compounds and bitter notes. One difference compared to coffee: the caffeine in tea is bound to tannins and is released more slowly and evenly, which many find easier on the stomach. Mind the variety: while matcha is a real wake-up call, lower-caffeine types like kukicha, sannenbancha and genmaicha also suit the evening.
Best to drink coffee and tea without sugar
Like coffee, green tea tastes best unsweetened. Even with low-calorie sweeteners you are not necessarily doing yourself a favour: when we taste something sweet, it can spark the appetite for more sweetness - and before you know it, the cravings kick in.
Green Tea Capsules
A highly concentrated green tea extract in handy capsule form - bring the tea tradition into your everyday life without brewing a single cup.
€17.50 per tub€59.70 €52.50
you save €7.20
€16.30 per tub€99.50 €81.50
you save €18.00
Prices incl. VAT. Food supplements are not a substitute for a balanced, varied diet and a healthy lifestyle.
6. Cinnamon: the spice for the cold season
Cinnamon does not just taste great on desserts, it is a real all-rounder in the kitchen. The oriental spice brings warming aromas and goes wonderfully in tea. Boil water with fresh ginger and a cinnamon stick, for example - the combination with orange slices is delicious and warming too.
Frequently asked questions
Can I really influence my metabolism?
Which home remedies are considered stimulating?
Do I save calories with green tea instead of coffee?
More on the topic: eat well, live well
Choosing mindful food does your body and mind a daily favour. For more tips, browse our Surpresa Natural blog. There you can read, for example, how to lose the lockdown weight, which foods help against inflammation and all about the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids.