Your metabolic rate is the number of calories your body needs to accomplish its most basic (basal) life-sustaining functions, according to Scott Frothingham of Healthline. “Even when resting,” he writes, “your body burns calories by performing basic functions to sustain life, such as breathing, circulation, nutrient processing and cell production.”
With this in mind, we reached out to health experts to help determine high-protein food types that can help increase your metabolic rate. Read on for 2 helpful tips from registered dietitians Dana Ellis Hunnes, PhD, MPH, RD and Trista Best, MPH, RD, and to learn more about metabolic rate and protein for aging bodies.
Tip 1: Eat Lots of Plant Proteins
Fortunately, metabolic rate is something we have control over to some degree, Hunnes explains. Much of it is determined, she says, but the parts we can control include: physical activity, (which can keep metabolism elevated for several hours after completion), muscle amounts, (by strength training as well as cardiovascular exercise, we increase muscle mass which burns 10x as many calories, pound for pound, as fat mass) and diet choices.
“The Thermic effect of food is the heat our bodies generate when digesting foods,” she adds. “It is greater for protein foods. I advocate for plant proteins, because you’ll have a higher metabolic rate digesting those because of the protein and the fiber.” They are better for your overall health, she says, since they are “anti-inflammatory and environmentally-friendly.”
Hunnes recommends super-firm tofu, edamame, seitan, beans, lentils, seeds (chia, flax, sunflower) for high protein and fiber. “Enough sleep and hydration are also key to keeping a stoked metabolism,” she says, but the most important things really are “muscle mass and activity.”
Tip 2: Look For Foods With A High TEF
Foods that increase the thermic effect of food (TEF) will increase your metabolism as well, Best says. When these foods are digested, they raise the body's internal temperature which increases the amount of calories burned during that time. “This means you are burning calories while eating,” Best continues, adding that foods with a high TEF are often “primarily protein and nutrient dense.”
The most common of these foods include dairy, fish, meat, eggs, nuts, seeds, and legumes. “Adding one or two of these foods to each meal or snack can increase your metabolic rate because the body burns more calories as it digests protein and it digests protein quite slowly,” Best concludes. As a side effect, she stresses that you will feel full for longer and therefore not eat as much throughout the day. Sounds like a win-win!
