One of the most important factors in how quickly you’re able to shed pounds and reach your goal weight is your metabolism. While your metabolic rate is determined by a number of things, from genetics to physical activity to age, your diet also plays a major role. Many foods out there are great for keeping you energized, boosting your metabolism, and burning fat—and others will have the opposite effect.
To learn about some of the worst foods you should avoid if you’re trying to keep your metabolism as fast as possible, we spoke to health experts Registered Nutritionist Jay Cowin, NNCP, RNT, RNC, CHN, CSNA, of ASYSTEM; Health Coach Heather Rayle, Ph.D., The Paleo Diet Coach; and Dietitian Dana Ellis Hunnes, PhD, MPH, RD, author of Recipe for Survival. They pointed out three high-calorie, low-nutrient foods that can take a toll on your overall health, especially when it comes to your weight: breakfast cereal, sweetened muffins, and potato chips.
Sugary Breakfast Cereals
While there's no denying that a big bowl of sweet cereal is a tasty treat at any time of day, health experts warn that it's one of the worst ways to start your morning, especially if you want to lose weight and keep your metabolism up. "Although convenient and easy-to-make, processed cereal is loaded with sugar, calories, and other unhealthy additives that can slow down your metabolism and sabotage your weight loss goals if eaten regularly," Cowin warns. That's because most of the breakfast cereals you'll find at the store are highly processed, which means they lack practically any nutritional value. "When you eat many processed foods, your body can't burn off the energy as
quickly, so the food is stored as fat. Processing also removes many of the natural nutrients that would normally be found in whole grains," he explains.
All in all, it's good to avoid too much sugar in general. "Too much sugar consumption can lead to obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic health conditions that become harder to reverse as we get older. So instead of sugary cereals, try opting for unprocessed, protein-packed carbs like oats or quinoa for a quick and healthy breakfast that will help jump-start your metabolism for the day. If you're looking for something sweet, go for fruit or a drizzle of honey for a healthy and satisfying treat," Cowin concludes.
Sweetened Muffins
Speaking of sugary breakfasts, there's another one health experts say you should steer clear of. It's best to avoid sweetened muffins, which may also slow your metabolism. Dr. Rayle says this is "due to the combination of refined wheat and sugar" they contain. "Foods like this require a fraction of the calories ingested to digest, known as the thermic effect of food (TEF)," she explains.
All that sugar can also lead to more cravings later in the day because they spike your blood sugar: "Foods like this cause us to be hungry again within a few hours due to the blood sugar (glucose) swings that occur when the body processes the carbs and sugar," Dr. Rayle notes. "Over time high carbohydrate diets can lead to obesity and diabetes as our bodies stop responding to the insulin the body generates to keep blood sugar stable after eating these foods." Yikes! Guess we'll stick with natural, homemade muffins, instead.
Processed Snacks Like Potato Chips
We probably don't have to tell you twice that potato chips aren't great for your overall health, but it's important to remember the toll these processed snacks can take on your body. Believe it or not, it's not necessarily because of their salt content, but rather because they don't fill you up or offer any real nutritional value. Your favorite salty snack is probably loaded with calories, while lacking any fiber or protein. "If we are eating foods that are mostly devoid of nutrients and fiber, it doesn't take much energy to digest and absorb them," which may lower your metabolism "in the sense of the amount of energy it takes to process our food," Hunnes tells us.
While you should feel free to indulge in a crunchy snack every now and then, just remember that eating too much on a regular basis can seriously slow your weight loss journey because "they have a lot of calories for their volume, and don't satiate us in the same way that low-calorie but nutrient-dense foods that are high in fiber and water do," as Hunnes explains. Noted!
Overall, of course, most foods are fine in moderation. But if you want to reach your weight loss goals as quickly as possible, cutting these foods out (as well as any food that packs in calories while skimping out on the nutritional value) as much as you can is your best bet.
