Metabolism Boosting Foods (and Drinks)

hype aside, they could make some difference

What if you could burn calories without breaking a sweat, simply by eating certain foods? It’s an irresistible idea that generates so many false claims and half-truths online that I am sure I burned extra calories stomping around in anger after reading them. But it turns out, some foods and drinks do have solid science behind them as likely metabolism boosters. Even those with the most evidence won’t transform you into a calorie-burning machine — but they might make some difference and are worth considering.

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Green Tea

Green tea is the most celebrated metabolism-booster for good reason. Many studies confirm that the polyphenols called catechins (especially EGCG) and caffeine in green tea increase the calories you burn. A 2011 meta-analysis  found that supplementation with EGCG and caffeine mixtures increased energy expenditure by an average of 100 calories a day. But here's the fine print: The amount of EGCG consumed in the studies was, on average, about 250 milligrams a day. You’d need to drink three to six cups of green to get that amount. That seems doable, and there are other health benefits of drinking green tea, so as long as you keep in mind that it has caffeine, and you don't add sugar to it, there's probably no downside.

Cayenne Pepper