Nutrients that regulate metabolism

The human body needs various nutrients, which work together to carry out the body's metabolism. If we do not pay attention to the supplementation of various nutrients in our body, it may cause physical illness. Many people's physical illnesses are caused by bad eating habits, so in daily life, we should use various foods reasonably, and combine meat and vegetables to maximize the best effects of food. So, what are the nutrients that regulate metabolism?

1. Fitness. Even if we are not moving, the body is still consuming energy (energy required for basal metabolism). The more muscular a person is, the higher their basal metabolic rate is. Each pound of muscle requires approximately 6 calories per day to maintain, while each pound of fat only requires 2 calories per day. This small difference will add up over time. In addition, after a set of endurance training, muscles throughout the body are activated, while the average daily metabolic rate is increased.

2. Increase the intensity of exercise. Although aerobic exercise cannot build large muscle groups, it can increase the metabolic rate within a few hours after exercise. The key is to actively participate. Compared with moderate and low-intensity exercise, high-intensity exercise has a stronger and more lasting effect on resting metabolic rate. To achieve this goal, you can take some high-intensity training classes at the gym or add short jogs to your normal walks.

3. Drink more water. The body needs water to participate in energy metabolism. If you are even slightly dehydrated, your metabolism will slow down. A study once showed that adults who drink more than 8 glasses of water a day can burn more calories than those who only drink 4 glasses. Drinking a glass of water or other sugar-free beverage before each meal or snack can help keep your body hydrated. Also, eat more fresh, water-rich fruits and vegetables instead of pretzels or chips.

4. Add ice to drinks. Frozen drinks can prompt the body to consume more calories during the digestion process. Research suggests drinking 5 to 6 glasses of ice water a day can help burn an extra 10 calories. It may not sound like much, but if you do it consistently for a year it's the equivalent of losing 1 pound of weight without dieting. Drinking iced tea and coffee without cream and sugar can also achieve the same goal.

5. Multiple meals system. How can you lose weight by eating more? Of course not. Instead, you should eat smaller and more frequent meals. If you wait several hours between large meals, this will slow down your metabolism. Eating small meals or snacks every 3 to 4 hours can keep your metabolism running high, so you can burn more calories throughout the day. Many studies have also shown that eating snacks at regular times can reduce food intake at meals.

6. Eat some spicy food. Spicy foods contain some compounds that can speed up the body's metabolism. For example, a tablespoon of chopped pepper can temporarily increase your metabolic rate by 23%. While some studies suggest the effect only lasts half an hour, if you eat spicy food regularly, the effects can accumulate. Therefore, in order to quickly increase the metabolic rate, you can add some peppers to the food or add some red pepper powder to the stew.

7. Eat more protein. The body needs to consume twice as much energy to digest protein as it does to digest fat and carbohydrates. (This process is called the thermal effect of food, also known as the special dynamic effect of food, a process that only consumes energy but does not produce energy.) Although you want a balanced diet, you can quickly increase energy consumption by replacing part of the carbohydrates with lean meat and protein-rich foods during meals. Healthy protein sources include lean pork and beef, fish, white meat (chicken, duck, etc.), tofu, nuts, soy beans, eggs and low-fat dairy products.

8. Drink black coffee. If you love coffee, you may enjoy a boost in energy and greater focus after a cup during your morning routine. Part of this is due to increasing your metabolic rate for a short period of time. One study showed that the caffeine in two cups of coffee could cause a 145-pound woman to burn 50 extra calories over the next four hours. Be sure to drink it black without cream, sugar or flavored syrups, otherwise you will consume more calories than you burn.