10 Foods That Slow Down Your Metabolism

Having a fast metabolism is the dream of everyone with weight loss goals. A fast metabolism means your body burns energy from food at a faster rate than normal which will help you achieve your weight loss goals faster and more effectively. There are, however, many things in life that can prevent your metabolism from working efficiently and one of those major factors is your diet.

Here is a list of all the main food culprits that can cause your metabolism to hit the brakes and possibly even go in reverse, undoing all of your hard work!

1. REFINED GRAINS

These shouldn’t be in your diet plan when trying to lose belly fat. When you eat refined grains, your metabolism revs up as your body works harder to break these nutrients down. When choosing whole grains instead of refined ones, your body will have an increased calorie loss because there are fewer calories saved during digestion and your metabolism becomes more active. Plus, these simple carbs from refined grains end up spiking your blood sugar leading to extra fat storage.

2. ALCOHOL

Drinking a lot of alcohol can take a major toll on your metabolic rate. The reason alcohol is linked to weight gain is not just about the calories. According to research, drinking alcohol decreases the body’s fat-burning ability by 73%. When drinking at an excessive rate, the chemical acetaldehyde is formed. Instead of your metabolism burning the calories you consume, your body has to work to detoxify this chemical.

3. CONVENTIONAL PRODUCE

The majority of fresh produce that we buy from our supermarkets tend to be covered with pesticides. These pesticides can lead to a slower metabolism and the more of these foods you have in your diet, the worse off you are. A study in Obesity Review discovered that people whose bodies show high levels of organochlorines, a type of pesticide, tend to have a slower metabolism and have a more difficult time losing weight.

4. TRADITIONAL YOGHURTS

A lot of yoghurts available from the supermarkets are packed full of sugar and chemicals. Opting for more natural yoghurts like Greek yogurt or Skyr, offers many metabolism-boosting benefits thanks to its high protein concentration and probiotics. Always opt for a natural yoghurt with a high protein content as that will aid muscle gain because less muscle mass means a slower metabolism, which over time, can cause weight gain.

5. FRUIT JUICE

You may have thought that fruit juice was good for you but just one glass of your regular orange juice in the morning contains a whopping 22g of sugar. Consuming such high quantities of sugar will cause your blood glucose levels to skyrocket. This tells your metabolism to slow down, meaning you’ll burn fewer calories and add to your fat stores.

6. SODAS

It’s well publicised that drinking soda isn’t doing your body any favours, but it can also actually be slowing down your metabolism. Many sodas are sweetened with high fructose corn syrup: a sweetener that contains high levels of a sugar called fructose. Your metabolism is your body’s ability to turn food into energy but because fructose isn’t metabolized into direct energy like glucose is, consuming high levels of this sweetener can slow down your metabolism.

7. RESTAURANT FRIED FOOD / FAST FOOD

Fried foods from restaurants or fast food might be something you enjoy, but you should be aware of the dangers of eating a lot of it. These fatty foods can be fried in partially hydrogenated oils, or trans fats, which can gum up your metabolism until it’s hit a virtual standstill. Plus, research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has positively linked the consumption of fried foods with an increased risk of abdominal obesity and weight gain in adults, putting your health at risk with every bite.

8. FARMED BEEF

Indulging in a burger from time to time may not seem like a big deal, but if you’re eating farmed beef, you could be setting yourself up for a serious metabolic slowdown. Non-organically farmed cattle are often treated with antibiotics, which can have a profoundly damaging effect on our gut bacteria. Researchers at Harvard found that long-term consumption of diets high in animal proteins can also irreparably alter the balance of bacteria in the gut, slowing your metabolism along the way.

9. FROZEN MEALS

What those frozen dinners lack in calories and fat, they more than make up for in metabolism-slowing ingredients. To make up for their lack of flavour, many frozen meals load their recipes with sugar, sodium, and trans-fat in the form of hydrogenated oils. The packaging of these foods is just as suspect: many frozen food trays are loaded with BPA, a chemical used in the production of plastic that has been linked to metabolic disturbances and weight gain.

10. GRANOLA BARS

You might think those granola bars at the supermarkets and coffee shops look like a quick and easy breakfast option on the go, but think again. Often thought of as a health food, granola and granola bars are one of the sneakiest causes of metabolic meltdowns out there. While their oat base can help lower your blood pressure and cholesterol, the shocking amount of sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and preservatives in most recipes can make even the most efficient metabolisms slow to a snail’s pace.