From preventing disease to having better skin, superfoods are a must for your diet. They’re also valuable when it comes to helping you achieve your fitness goals. You want foods that will give you energy but also help you burn off more calories so you can tone your muscles and slim your waistline. It sounds tricky to find foods that achieve this, but it’s not. Here are some superfoods that should become your new gym buddies.
Give Your Metabolism a Boost
Nutrients such as iron keep your metabolism running optimally. In fact, if you’re deficient in iron, you could experience a slower metabolism. Make sure you consume three or four servings of iron foods such as fortified cereals, spinach or chicken every day.
Surprisingly, chocolate can also help to increase your metabolism. Research has found that it decreases the body’s production of cortisol, a stress hormone that is connected to a slower metabolism. However, choose dark chocolate with at least 70 percent cocoa for a healthier spin on things.
Foods that Tone You Up
Start your mornings with eggs. They contain all the amino acids you need so that you can build more muscle tissue. Other muscle-friendly foods include lentils. Just one cup contains high amounts of protein and carbohydrates. Best of all, you can eat them in a variety of meals, such as by blending them with your favorite rice or cold pasta dish.
Nutritious Ways to Drop the Pounds
- Foods that Burn Fat. Swap your daily cup of coffee for green tea. Since it contains a plant compound known as EGCG, green tea helps to increase your body’s ability to burn more fat. Oleic acid, found in foods such as olive oil, also helps you lose weight because it disintegrates excess fat in the body.
- Low-Calorie, Nutritious Foods. When trying to lose weight, you want to enrich your body with nutrient-rich foods that don’t contain many calories. Green vegetables such as kale and spinach are low in calorie count while being high in fibre and minerals, so they’re a valuable addition to your diet.
If you want to feel like a superhero at the gym, make sure you eat the super foods below for a leaner and muscular body.
