If you feel like your metabolism is “slow” or your body just doesn’t respond like it used to, you’re not imagining it. Your metabolism is real — and it matters.
In this day and age, ultra-processed foods are destroying our metabolism. Artificial ingredients disrupt the balance of bacteria in the gut, which plays a major role in how efficiently your body digests, absorbs, and stores nutrients. Artificial sweeteners like sucralose, aspartame, and saccharin can change your gut in ways that lead to glucose intolerance, which can slow metabolism and increase fat storage (1).†
Below are some real foods that can give your metabolism the boost it needs to work better and burn energy more efficiently†.
🥚 1. Eggs
Eggs are packed with protein, which takes more energy for your body to digest — and that helps temporarily boost your metabolic rate†. Protein also helps build muscle, and muscle burns more calories at rest.
🥩 2. Grass-Fed Beef
Beef from grass-fed cows is rich in protein and nutrients like iron and B12, which your body needs to make energy and maintain a healthy thyroid†.
Before the rise of industrial farming, all cattle were naturally grass-fed. It’s only in the last 70–100 years that grain-fed, feedlot-raised beef became the norm — and with it came a drop in the nutritional quality of the meat.
🌶️ 3. Chili Peppers
Spicy peppers contain capsaicin, a compound that may temporarily increase calorie burning and reduce appetite†. Plus, they add big flavor with almost no calories.
Peppers have been used in traditional Mexican, Indian, and Southeast Asian cuisines for centuries — not just for heat, but for their healing and energizing effects.
🍵 4. Green Tea
Green tea has compounds called catechins and a small amount of caffeine, both of which have been shown to increase fat burning (2)†. It’s also packed with antioxidants to support overall health.
In China and Japan, green tea has been a wellness staple for over 4,000 years. Samurai warriors used it for alertness and focus, while Buddhist monks drank it during meditation.
🧂 5. Mineral-Rich Salt (Not Table Salt)
Your metabolism depends on key minerals — especially iodine, magnesium, and sodium — to support thyroid function and hydration†. Refined salt strips these out, but sea salt or mineral salt keeps them in.
Historically, salt was so valuable it was used as currency. But today’s white table salt is heavily processed — stripped of minerals your body needs.
Use mineral salt (like Celtic or Himalayan) in place of regular salt for seasoning.
🥥 6. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) — a unique type of fat that’s quickly used for energy and can help slightly increase calorie burning (3)†.
In tropical cultures, coconuts have been a daily source of fat, fuel, and flavor for generations. Islanders used it to cook, moisturize their skin, and even protect wounds.
Try cooking your food in a teaspoon of coconut oil (works especially well if you’re making an Indian or Thai dish).
🫐 7. Berries
Berries like blueberries and raspberries are rich in antioxidants and polyphenols, which can help lower inflammation and improve blood sugar balance — both of which support a healthier metabolism (4)†.
Native peoples around the world have used wild berries as food and medicine. In North America, indigenous groups gathered blueberries and cranberries not just for flavor, but for their healing properties.
🥬 8. Leafy Greens
Spinach, arugula, and kale are high in magnesium, folate, and other nutrients your body needs to produce energy and regulate hormones†. They’re also low in calories but high in fiber — a win-win.
Greens like kale and dandelion were staples in ancient diets long before modern agriculture. They were foraged and valued as spring tonics — used to “wake up” the body after a long winter.
Add a handful of greens to your scrambled eggs, smoothies, or soups.
🌾 9. Ashwagandha
Not a food, but this adaptogenic herb deserves a mention. Ashwagandha has been used for over 3,000 years in Ayurvedic medicine to restore balance and vitality.
Chronic stress can tank your metabolism — and ashwagandha has been shown to help your body manage stress more effectively (5)†.
Bonus: it pairs well with green tea for a double boost. Both of these are key ingredients in Ignite.
By opting for real, proven foods, you’re giving your body the raw materials it needs to function at its best every day. Over time, you’ll build a foundation that supports steady energy, better digestion, and a metabolism that works with you — not against you.
† We are required to say these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Products are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease.
Relevant Studies
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Nettleton, J., Reimer, R., & Shearer, J. (2016). Reshaping the gut microbiota: Impact of low calorie sweeteners and the link to insulin resistance?. Physiology & Behavior, 164, 488-493. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.04.029.
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Dulloo, A., Duret, C., Rohrer, D., Girardier, L., Mensi, N., Fathi, M., Chantre, P., & Vandermander, J. (1999). Efficacy of a green tea extract rich in catechin polyphenols and caffeine in increasing 24-h energy expenditure and fat oxidation in humans.. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 70 6, 1040-5 . https://doi.org/10.1093/AJCN/70.6.1040.
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Tsujino, S., Nosaka, N., Sadamitsu, S., & Kato, K. (2022). Effect of Continuous Ingestion of 2 g of Medium-Chain Triglycerides on Substrate Metabolism during Low-Intensity Physical Activity. Nutrients, 14. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu14030536.
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Gasmi, A., Mujawdiya, P., Noor, S., Lysiuk, R., Darmohray, R., Piscopo, S., Lenchyk, L., Antonyak, H., Dehtiarova, K., Shanaida, M., Polishchuk, A., Shanaida, V., Peana, M., & Bjørklund, G. (2022). Polyphenols in Metabolic Diseases. Molecules, 27. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27196280.
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Speers, A., Cabey, K., Soumyanath, A., & Wright, K. (2021). Effects of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) on Stress and the Stress-Related Neuropsychiatric Disorders Anxiety, Depression, and Insomnia. Current Neuropharmacology, 19, 1468 - 1495. https://doi.org/10.2174/1570159X19666210712151556.
