Your metabolic rate can be a measure of how healthy you are. It refers to all the chemical reactions that take place in the body to keep you alive, from digestion, to burning sugars to give you energy. There are many advantages to boosting your metabolism rate which include weight loss, better cardiovascular health and improved stamina. But there are some foods that you may be eating that may be slow your metabolism down. Here are three of them:
1. Butter
Butter contains omega-6 fatty acids (not to be confused with omega-3 fatty acids) which have been proven to slow down the metabolism. It has also been associated with causing metabolic syndrome, which is a cluster of conditions that includes high blood pressure, obesity, excessive fats stored around the waist, etcetera, all of which slows the metabolic rate.
2. Wonder bread
Wonder bread and many like it (Brownberry breads, Thomas English Muffins, etcetera), are made from white flour which is processed wheat with most of its nutrients removed. Consequently, it passes through the digestive system very quickly and easily, so very little calories are burnt digesting it. This has virtually no effect on the metabolic rate, neither increasing it nor reducing it.
High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) is also added to white flour of these breads to make them sweeter. This is detrimental for the metabolic rate because fructose is a simple sugar that can only be metabolized by the liver. The rest of it in the blood causes the body to store it as fats in the body, increasing weight as well.
3. Pesticide treated foods
Research has shown that some of the commonly used pesticides contain chemicals that may slow down metabolism. Some of these chemicals have been found inside and on the surface of fruits and vegetables harvested from farms that use them. Some of these chemicals have even been shown to increase weight gain even on foods that are supposed to reduce weight.
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