Boost Your Metabolism Drinking It Up (part 2)

9. Limit the Amount of Alcohol You Drink

Alcohol, just like soda, is full of empty calories because it contains no nutrients that can be stored for fuel. Plus, while the body is processing alcohol through the stomach and liver, it is unable to convert elements— glucose, fatty acids, amino acids—into energy, which means more food ends up stored as fat.

10. Try Concord Grape Juice

If you’re looking for an alternative to red wine, with similar health benefits, try Concord grape juice. It is high in polyphenols, which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that help to increase your metabolic rate. A Tufts University study found that Concord grape juice helps increase memory and improve cognitive and motor function as we age. Other studies have shown that the juice helps maintain immune function, and lowers total cholesterol and blood pressure. Remember to keep portions reasonable (4 ounces) to avoid going overboard on calories.

11. Avoid Soda

The normal bloodstream contains a total of 4 teaspoons of blood sugar. When you drink a can of soda, roughly 10 teaspoons of table sugar are absorbed into your bloodstream, causing your blood-sugar level to rocket to an excessive level, setting off alarms in the pancreas, and causing a large amount of insulin to come out to deal with the excess blood sugar. Some sugar is quickly ushered into the cells, including brain cells, and the rest is stored in your fat cells. When all this is done, maybe in about an hour, your blood sugar may fall dramatically and low blood sugar occurs. A drop in blood sugar causes your body to crave sweets, which are definite metabolism busters. Just say no to soda to avoid rapid swings in blood sugar and consumption of excess empty calories.

12. Have a Cup of Coffee or Tea Before Workouts

Even though energy drink companies tout the benefits of energy drinks before, during, or after exercise, many contain sugar, and you don’t need sugar or electrolytes to boost energy for a workout of an hour or less. Many athletes have found that drinking a cup of coffee or tea, with additional water, stimulates their metabolic rate. Try enjoying a cup of coffee or tea (about 200 mg of caffeine) prior to your exercise, and avoid high-potency caffeinated “turbo” drinks or pills. Check with your doctor if you are sensitive to caffeine. By the way, this does not mean drinking a latte or mocha containing milk and sugar. We’re talking about black coffee and tea here. And embrace water as your beverage of choice before, during, and after workouts.

13. Drink Kombucha

Since the Chinese Tsin Dynasty in 221 b.c., kombucha tea has been used as a health elixir. Fans claim that it is packed with organic acids that build healthy tissues and normalize blood alkalinity, probiotics that benefit your digestive system, and live enzymes that help fuel the body’s cells. It combats free radicals and has been used as a remedy for arthritis, constipation, obesity, arteriosclerosis, impotence, kidney stones, rheumatism, gout, and cancer. You can find kombucha at most health food stores.

If you choose to try kombucha, be sure to limit your intake to 4 ounces daily. If you have pre-existing health problems or drink excessive amounts of the tea, health problems may arise.

14. Drink Maté Tea

Maté tea is an herbal tea native to South America that is perfect for a midday energy boost. Maté tea has many of the same metabolism-boosting properties of coffee, but contains less caffeine so it won’t make you nervous or jittery. Instead, you’ll feel healthy, energetic, and ready to face the rest of your day.

However, be sure to drink maté tea in moderation only because, according to the Mayo Clinic, some studies indicate that prolonged use of maté tea may increase the risk of various types of cancer, including cancer of the mouth, esophagus, and lungs. Smoking in combination with maté tea seems to greatly increase the cancer risk.

15. Know How Many Calories You’re Drinking

Beverages can add lots of calories, and you may not realize how many you’re actually drinking. Being aware of the number of calories found in common beverages can help you make healthy choices and keep your metabolism running at full speed. Here’s a list of drinks that may wake you up to the amount of calories you’re taking in from beverages alone.

All drinks are labeled for 8-ounce servings unless otherwise noted. Rather than listing all alcoholic beverages separately, please note that most mixed drinks range from 400 to 600 calories for 8 ounces, while dessert liquors can jump up to the 800–900 range. Most sodas are around 100 calories for 8 ounces, but most cans contain 12 ounces, or 150 calories.

16. Drink Out of Tall Glasses

We all know that our eyes can trick our minds, so be sure to pour your beverages into tall glasses (and fill them up with ice cubes for an extra metabolism boost) to make it look as though you’re drinking more than you are. Don’t fill glasses to the rim, and you’ll be more likely to view the consumption as a treat rather than a chore. Also, invest in attractive glasses that you love, and even ice-cube trays in fancy shapes. Buy fresh lemon to perch on the edge of water glasses—the citrus will help kick your metabolism up a notch as well. Do whatever it takes to make drinking healthy, zero-or low-calorie beverages a lot more fun.