Foods That Burn More Energy
Food energy can be defined as calories, and all foods contain calories. Foods which burn more energy, or calories, than they contain are referred to as negative-calories foods. If you consume fewer calories than your body uses during digestion, you will lose weight. Consuming a healthy diet containing the right amount of foods and liquids, including negative-calories foods, is important to your overall health and well-being.
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Negative-Calories Foods
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Negative-calories foods, comprised mainly of fruits and vegetables, will burn calories and help suppress hunger. These foods are low in fat, high in protein, contain a lot of water, and are high in fiber--which slows digestion and eliminates feelings of hunger. It is best to eat these foods in their raw state; cooking can break down their beneficial enzymes and nutrients.
Vitamin C and Pectin
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Foods high in vitamin C are very effective at burning energy. In addition, vitamin C breaks down fat making it easier to be flushed out of your system. Pectin is said to be valuable in limiting the amount of fat that is absorbed by our cells. It is also beneficial in the absorption of watery substances which help to eliminate fat deposits. Many fruits and vegetables are rich in both vitamin C and pectin--including apples, berries, lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruits.
Energy-Burning Foods
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Cayenne pepper contains high levels of vitamins A and C, fiber, calcium, and phosphorus. It also contains capsaicin, the ingredient which gives pepper its hot spicy taste. Your body will continue to burn extra calories for 20 minutes after eating capsaicin. Considered to be one of the best fat-burning spices, cayenne pepper enhances the way cholesterol is processed by the body and boosts the body's metabolic rate, which burns more calories.
Soy contains lecithin, a naturally occurring chemical which helps to keep the body from accumulating and depositing fat. Eating a handful of soybeans three to five times a week will help the body to eliminate fat more quickly.
Bananas, along with oranges and milk, contain potassium, a naturally occurring chemical that boosts your metabolism and regulates your body's water balance.
Low-fat dairy products, which contain calcium and protein, promote weight loss, fight osteoporosis, and help to maintain muscle mass.
Salmon is high in protein and contains Omega-3 fatty acids, which are important to our health. These acids help in lowering our levels of leptin which are associated with burning more calories and higher metabolism rates.
Turkey is low in fat and calories and high in protein, helping to boost metabolism. The more protein you consume, the harder your body has to work to digest it.
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References
- Photo Credit Vegetables and Fruits image by Piter Pkruger from Fotolia.com
