Only for a short while though. Experts say your metabolism may momentarily rise after eating for a few hours. The term for this is the food’s thermic effect (TEF). It results from the additional calories needed for the breakdown, absorption, and processing of the nutrients in your food.
Simply put, metabolism is the biological process by which your body burns calories and uses up energy. It runs 24/7 to keep your body moving, even while you’re resting or sleeping, by converting the food and nutrients you ingest into the energy your body requires to breathe, circulate blood, grow and repair cells, and everything else it does to survive.
Metabolism works at different intensities in different people. It all boils down to your genes to determine how fast metabolism works in each individual body.
Regardless of the science—conventional or modern—all doctors agree that optimal health is correlated with a good metabolism. One can only properly utilise all of the nutrition that enters their body through its effective functioning. Nonetheless, a magic pill or medication cannot correct metabolism. Over time, including healthy eating and lifestyle practices into your routine can increase your metabolic rate and enhance overall health.
When it comes to the discussion of metabolic rates, health fads, casual conversations over dinner and small-talk on the subject can be exceedingly alarming – much of it being misconceptions! Let’s take a look at some interesting facts on metabolism.
Consuming More Protein Can Increase Your Metabolic Rate
Did you realise that digesting food burns calories? Furthermore, protein burns more than fat or carbs among the three macronutrients. Studies reveal that eating more protein can momentarily increase metabolism by 15 to 30 per cent. More than that, a diet high in protein promotes lean muscle mass at healthy levels, which raises basal metabolic rate. Lean meats like chicken and fish, dairy, nutritious grains, beans, lentils, and nuts are other good sources.
Menopause Can Slow Down Metabolism
Menopause can reduce the body’s calorie-burning abilities. Lower oestrogen levels during menopause can cause a woman’s metabolic rate to drop. Additionally, it may lead to an increase in visceral fat, which further slows down metabolism, according to studies. A review published in Menopause found that combining exercise and diet is more helpful, and the key to a healthy diet is to eat small, frequent meals that are fibre-rich.
Vitamin D Can Affect Your Metabolic Rate
Vitamin D is commonly associated with healthy bones and sunny moods, but studies have suggested that it may also have an impact on metabolism and weight fluctuations. Since sunshine is one of the best sources of vitamin D, it’s common to refer to it as ‘the sunshine vitamin.’ One of the best natural food sources of vitamin D is seafood and fatty fish. Standard foods like milk and cereals are frequently fortified with vitamin D in an effort to boost consumption of this nutrient. If you don’t get enough vitamin D from your diet or from sunlight, you probably need to take supplements. However, it’s best to have your vitamin D levels evaluated before starting a supplement so that you can determine the right dosage.