Healthy fats and protein take longer for your body to digest, and you actually expend more energy digesting them than you do other foods, said Dori Arad, PhD, director of the Mount Sinai PhysioLab, in a previous interview. Though building muscle is the best way to increase your metabolism, eating more of these foods can give you a small boost. Protein has the added bonus of helping you build muscle, too. And when it comes to losing weight and working on your metabolic rate, every little bit counts!
Go for healthy fats like:
- Nuts, including almonds and walnuts
- Fatty fish, such as salmon and trout
- Avocados
- Olive oil
And choose lean sources of protein, such as:
- Skinless chicken and turkey
- Beans and lentils
- Fish
- Tofu
- Ground beef that's 90 percent lean or leaner