4 fat-burning foods to help speed up your metabolism

These 4 fat-burning foods have been proven to speed up the metabolism, which ultimately helps accelerate the weight-loss process. While their effects may not be dramatic, their potency lies in their ability to alter how your body burns calories in small increments.

Calories are considered the enemy when you're trying to diet and lose weight, but in reality, some foods can actually help speed up your metabolism. If you're trying to lose a little weight, but still want to enjoy delicious food, check out the list below.

Peppers are a popular food choice because they add natural flavour and spice to your food. However, peppers have an added benefit: they're known to speed up metabolism because they contain an ingredient called capsaicin.

• If you consume capsaicin, you'll experience an increase in blood circulation, pain sensitivity and metabolic rate.
• Some experts believe that spicy peppers can boost the metabolism nearly 25 per cent, and note that the effect can last three hours after consumption.

Eating whole grains and cereals has two benefits when it comes to diet and weight loss.

• First, these choices are more satiating than refined grains, and when you feel full faster you'll eat less at meals.
• Second, whole grains are also chewy, which means that you have to use more energy to eat and digest them. When you consume chewy foods, your metabolism kicks in while you're still chewing and swallowing, which means that you burn calories faster than if you would if you ate a food that required less effort to eat.

Caffeine, one of the main ingredients in dark chocolate, is great for your metabolism.

• Consuming caffeine has been shown to speed up your metabolism by 5 to 8 per cent, which can help you burn an extra 80 to 100 calories.
• Eating dark chocolate is a good way to enjoy a sweet treat and can actually help — not sabotage — your diet.

Tuna and other meaty, fatty fishes are good for your metabolism because they contain omega-3 fatty acids.

• Omega-3 fatty acids help your body make leptin, a hormone that helps create the feeling of fullness.
• Omega-3 fatty acids also play a part in increasing your metabolism, which means you'll eat less and burn calories more quickly when you make tuna a part of your meal.

Other fish high in omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, sardines and mackerel.

While eaten on their own these four foods may not seem to add up to much, in combination with a healthy diet every little bit you do helps. So don't underestimate the potency of food to power up your metabolism in small increments.