The Glycemic Index Diet for Dummies (41 page)
Table 8-2 runs through some low-glycemic foods that are also high in resistant starches, as well as ways to enjoy them.
Spicy food lovers can get an extra metabolic boost
Are you one of those people who can't get your Thai food hot enough? Well, you may be getting a little extra metabolic boost thanks to your extraspicy food preferences. Various studies have shown that compounds in certain spicy foods, such as jalapeño peppers, can create a small increase in metabolism by raising body temperature, but it's unclear how long this effect lasts.
Capsaicin,
the compound that gives red chili peppers their fiery kick, is shown to provide the biggest metabolism boost (followed by black pepper and ginger). It can temporarily increase metabolism by 8 percent over a person's normal rate. This increase certainly isn't significant, but if you love spicy foods and can tolerate them, you may get a little extra metabolism boost for that meal.
To get the fat-burning benefits of resistant starches, you must eat them at either cool or room temperature. And keep in mind that although low-glycemic resistant starches will surely help you burn more calories, manage your blood sugar, and help you feel fuller, they aren't a miracle cure.
Avoiding Behaviors That Lower Your Metabolic Rate
Bad eating habits, particularly skipping meals and eating too few calories, can seriously set back your efforts to boost your metabolic rate. But they don't have to. You have control over these metabolism-affecting factors. In the following sections, I explain what makes these behaviors so bad for you and give you some tricks for avoiding them.
Skipping meals
Do you ever get caught in the cycle of skipping meals? If so, you're not alone. Everyone these days seems to be on the run, filling their days with work, kids, projects, volunteering, and friends. No wonder many people let regular meals fall to the wayside!
The problem with continuously skipping meals is that your body begins to naturally compensate for this bad behavior. Without you even realizing it, your body is decreasing your overall metabolic rate to match these down times. (Ever wonder why you sometimes feel less hungry when you skip breakfast? Now you know.) You're also losing out on the little peaks in metabolism that come with digestion.
Making time for meals is an important aspect of keeping your metabolic rate strong. Yet if you're a notorious meal-skipper, you may need more than that knowledge to motivate you to eat regular meals. Following are the benefits of not skipping meals — keep 'em in mind to stay motivated:
Increased metabolic rate
Improved energy levels
Decreased fatigue
Easier weight loss
A better mood
Improved concentration
If you're having difficulty making time for meals, follow these few steps to find more balance in your day: