Getting in shape and joining a gym are the first things most people think of when they want to lose or keep weight off. While staying active is crucial, what you put on your plate is just as important. Your food choices can help you burn calories.

These foods boost your metabolism, take more energy to digest or contain compounds that can aid the fat-burning process. Here’s an insightful article on foods that are known to help you torch calories simply by consuming them.

Foods That Help Burn Calories

Protein-Rich Foods

Chicken, lean beef, legumes, and tofu fill you up and require more digestion energy than carbohydrates. This means higher calorie burn during digestion, a process known as the thermic effect of food.

Green Tea

Green tea can speed up your metabolism because it is full of vitamins called catechins. It could help you burn more calories even when you’re not doing anything.

Chili Peppers

Chili peppers’ heat-producing chemical increases metabolism, burning more calories.

Whole Grains

When you break down whole foods, like oats and brown rice, your body burns twice as many calories as when you break down processed foods.

Grapefruit

Some studies suggest that the enzymes found in grapefruit can help increase sugar breakdown and boost metabolism.

Coffee

Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant that boosts metabolism and increases fat burning. However, moderation is key.

Yoghurt

The high protein content requires more energy to digest, and the probiotics may help maintain a healthy gut flora, which can help with digestion and fat loss.

Apple Cider Vinegar

This has been associated with a decrease in appetite and an increase in the feeling of fullness, leading to a reduction in calories.

Coconut Oil

Medium-chain fats in coconut oil make you burn more calories than longer-chain fats that have the same number of calories.

Water

Drinking water can temporarily increase metabolism, and drinking it before meals can help decrease the calories consumed.

While these foods could help you burn more calories, they aren’t magical solutions to weight loss. Mixing them with a healthy diet and physical activity will produce the best results.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Can food alone help you burn enough calories for weight loss?

A: No single food or food group can induce weight loss. While certain foods can help increase the rate at which you burn calories, they need to be part of a balanced diet combined with physical activity for effective weight loss.

Q2. How does protein help burn calories?

A: Protein has a high thermic effect, meaning your body uses more energy to break it down and digest it than fats and carbohydrates. This increased energy expenditure helps burn calories.

Q3. Are spicy foods good for calorie burning?

A: Spicy foods that contain capsaicin, like chilli peppers, can temporarily increase metabolic rate, which aids in calorie burning. However, the effect may be small and might not significantly impact weight loss when consumed in typical amounts.

Q4. Is it true that drinking water can lead to calorie burning?

A: Yes, drinking water can increase your metabolism for a short period, especially if the water is cold, as the body uses energy to bring it to body temperature. Also, drinking water before meals can reduce calorie intake.

Q5. Do you only burn calories when you are active?

A: Your body burns calories 24/7 to maintain vital functions like breathing and circulating blood, a process called basal metabolism. Physical activity and digesting food also burn calories, with certain foods increasing the metabolic rate more than others.