Let's talk about foods that will help boost our metabolism, but before we do that, let's talk about what we mean when we say "boost metabolism" so that we are all on the same page. Technically, "metabolism" refers to the chemical processes that happen within our bodies that keep us alive. For our purposes, though, when we say metabolism, what we are actually referring to is metabolic rate, or the amount of calories burned to fuel all those chemical processes in your body and that keep you alive. When we say "boost metabolism," we're talking about boosting the number of calories that your body uses to keep you alive.
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Why would you want to boost your metabolic rate/metabolism? Well, as you know, burning calories helps you lose weight, keep it off, or even simply maintain your weight as opposed to gaining weight. But it's not just about weight. Having a higher metabolic rate can keep you from feeling sluggish and tired all the time. It can help you have more energy, and who doesn't want that?
The speed of your metabolism has a lot to do with your genes. There isn't much we can do about our genes, and some of us are gifted with naturally faster metabolisms than others. Still, there are things that we can do through diet and exercise to put our foot on the gas pedal of our metabolism. Today, let's focus on foods that we can ingest that will rev up our metabolism.