Food that will help to boost the rate at which calories are burned

If you're struggling to shift a few extra pounds, you might want to add afew of these metabolism-boosting items to your shopping list.

GREEN TEA
If the celebrities, such as Jennifer Lopez and Gwyneth Paltrow, swear by it for weight loss, then who is going to argue? It's long been believed that green tea extract may boost the metabolism - and it does a good job of enhancing the mood, too. No wonder sales of green tea have soared in recent years.

APPLES AND PEARS
These fruit contain a fibre called pectin, which is thought to limit how much fat your cells can absorb. They have the added benefit of suppressing the appetite, too.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
Long heralded as a health tonic, it's thought that apple cider vinegar may also be an aid in the battle against the bulge by burning fat. There is even an apple cider vinegar diet that involves taking one to three teaspoons of the vinegar or apple cider vinegar pills before each meal.

CAYENNE PEPPER
This is a super fat-burning spice and eating it with lean protein foods, such as chicken or turkey, could boost your metabolism for hours afterwards.

CINNAMON
Studies show that just a pinch of the sweet-smelling spice will force your body to metabolise sugar at 20 times the normal rate. Try sprinkling it on your morning porridge or cereal, or on top of a cafe latte.

CITRUS FRUITS
A US medical study found that participants who ate half a vitamin C- packed grapefruit with each meal in a 12-week period lost an average of 3.6lbs. The research indicates that the unique chemical properties in this vitamin C-packed citrus fruit reduce insulin levels, which may promote weight loss. Others claim that oranges, lemons, limes and tomatoes are great for boosting metabolism.

ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS
These are a must for slimmers. The best sources of these fat-busting beauties are pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds and oily fish. The essential oils are said to stimulate the removal of stored body fat and have powerful moodenhancing qualities.

GARLIC
Already shown to be an effective blood thinner, garlic may also have the ability to break down fat. Garlic can be taken in capsule form or added to pasta, stir fries and soups.

GINGER
Some researchers believe that the spice will increase your internal body heat, boost the circulation of blood and removal of toxins, as well as elevating metabolism and improving digestion. You could add ginger to stir fries or even soups.

HOT PEPPERS
The fiery pepper is claimed to speed up metabolism and cool your food cravings, researchers in Canada have found. It's believed that capsaicin - a chemical found in jalapeno and cayenne peppers - temporarily stimulates the body to release more stress hormones, which can speed up the rate at which calories are burned.

LOW-FAT DAIRY
Research in America revealed that people on a reduced-calorie diet who included three to four servings of low-fat dairy foods, such as yoghurt and cottage cheese, lost significantly more weight than those who ate a low-dairy diet containing the same number of calories. It's believed that the combination of lean protein and calcium can increase fat metabolism and maintain muscle mass.

SOYA BEANS
This versatile foodstuff contains a potent fat blocking compound called lecithin, in addition to protein and essential minerals. Try a handful of roasted soya beans as a healthy snack. Or you can buy soya bean milk and use instead of dairy milk.

TURKEY
Many studies show that protein can help to boost metabolism. It's proven that the higher the lean muscle to fat ratio in your body the more efficient you'll be at burning calories. And, after all, lean meats are a body builder's favourite.

WATER
A German study found that metabolic rates increased by up to 30 per cent when participants drank 500ml of water. It has been found that many people confuse hunger pangs with a need to drink more water. So there are double the reasons for drinking water to aid weight loss.

Source: News Now