6 Best Spices To Boost Your Metabolism, According to a Dietitian

Metabolism is a term used to describe the reactions that occur within your cells to provide your body with the energy needed for vital processes such as development, movement, and growth.

Your metabolic rate is the energy your body uses throughout the day to function and perform tasks like exercising and digesting and processing the food you eat. Several factors determine metabolic rate, including your age, gender, activity levels, underlying medical conditions, and more.

Following a balanced diet high in healthy foods and staying active can help you maintain a healthy metabolic rate, which can help you have a healthy weight and reduce your risk of developing conditions like diabetes.

While no one food can significantly boost your metabolism, studies show that some foods, including some spices, may slightly increase it and help you burn more calories during the day.

1. Chili Pepper

Hot peppers, like chili peppers, are high in powerful phytochemicals. These chemicals are found in plants and can protect cells and prevent inflammation.

Capsaicin is a compound found in chili peppers and chili powder that’s responsible for the pepper’s spicy flavor. Capsaicin protects against inflammation, and may also affect metabolism. For example, studies show capsaicin may increase how much energy your body spends and how much fat it burns.

One study found that participants who took 4 milligrams of capsaicin daily for 12 weeks lost 5.91% more body fat than participants taking a placebo. Researchers suggest capsaicin may increase the amount of fat your body burns, the amount of energy it uses, and the reduction of appetite.

Studies investigating the effect of spicy food on body weight and metabolism haven’t found that same benefit. One study of over 6,000 people found that people who ate more chili peppers had higher body mass indexes (BMIs) and a greater likelihood of obesity compared to people who didn’t eat chili peppers.

That said, more research is needed to understand how chili peppers, chili powder, and capsaicin affect metabolism and body weight. 

2. Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a popular spice made from the bark of several species of cinnamon trees, including Cinnamomum aromaticum (cassia cinnamon) and Cinnamomum verum (Ceylon cinnamon). It contains compounds that are good for your health, including cinnamaldehyde, an essential oil that may affect metabolism. 

Cinnamaldehyde has been shown to increase how your body burns calories, and thermogenesis, a process in which glucose (blood sugar) and fatty acids are broken down to maintain body temperature.

One review of 12 studies found that taking cinnamon supplements in doses of 2 grams or more daily for at least 12 weeks significantly lowered fat mass, waist circumference, BMI, and body weight.

Cinnamon supplements have also been shown to lower blood lipid levels and promote healthy blood sugar regulation, which can help protect against conditions like diabetes and heart disease.

3. Ginger

Ginger root has a warm and spicy flavor and is a popular ingredient in sweet and savory dishes, such as baked goods and curries.

Eating ginger regularly may improve metabolic health by reducing appetite, enhancing thermogenesis, and inhibiting how your body absorbs fat. Research suggests certain compounds found in ginger, including 6-gingerol, act on the body to boost thermogenesis, supporting fat loss.

One review found that ginger supplements significantly decreased body weight and waist-to-hip ratio in people with overweight or obesity. Your waist-to-hip ratio compares your waist and hip circumferences. A lower ratio indicates lower belly fat. Higher belly fat is associated with metabolic syndrome, a group of symptoms like high blood sugar and high cholesterol that increase your risk for conditions like heart disease and stroke.

Although these findings are encouraging, not all studies have found ginger effective for boosting weight loss or fat burning. More research is needed to understand how ginger influences metabolism.

4. Turmeric

Turmeric is a brightly-colored spice that contains a pigment called curcumin. Curcumin is the main active component of turmeric and has been shown to increase the way your body spends energy and inhibit the creation of fat cells.

Curcumin also stimulates fat burning and decreases fat accumulation. Supplementing with curcumin may improve metabolic health by enhancing weight loss and decreasing body fat levels.

One review of 14 systematic reviews and meta-analyses found that supplementing with curcumin significantly reduced BMI, body weight, and waist circumference.

Another review of 60 studies found that supplementing with curcumin or turmeric significantly reduced body weight, BMI, waist circumference, and body fat. It also found that curcumin and turmeric increased levels of adiponectin, a protein that regulates processes like fatty acid breakdown. Low levels of adiponectin are associated with metabolic conditions like obesity and diabetes.

5. Cumin

Cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) is a spice commonly used in Indian, African, Mexican, and other cuisines. Though research on how it works is limited, some studies suggest that cumin may increase fat burning and reduce appetite.

• One review found that cumin supplements were effective for reducing body mass index and waist circumference in doses ranging from 25 to 2,000 milligrams per day for 8 to 24 weeks. Cumin also helps reduce blood lipid levels (fatty substances in the blood), including LDL cholesterol.
• One study of 72 overweight people found that participants who consumed 75 milligrams of cumin and lime two times a day for eight weeks lost significantly more body weight and had significantly lower blood sugar and blood lipid levels. This study used cumin powder and lime in combination, so it’s unclear if cumin would have had the same effect if used alone.
• An older study found that women who were overweight or obese who consumed 3 grams of powdered cumin with yogurt two times a day for three months saw more reductions in body weight, BMI, and waist circumference compared to women who only consumed plain yogurt.

Though cumin may positively affect metabolic health, including body weight, research in this area is limited, and it's currently unclear how an average dietary intake of cumin impacts metabolism.

6. Saffron

Saffron is a spice from the saffron crocus flower (Crocus sativus L.). Supplementing with saffron may help regulate body weight and blood sugar.

A small study of 32 women with obesity and type 2 diabetes had one group of women take 400 milligrams of saffron powder per day and participate in three weekly aerobic training sessions for eight weeks. Another group took a placebo supplement and also participated in aerobic training.

• The saffron plus aerobic training group lost more body weight and body fat and had significantly lower blood sugar and LDL levels than the placebo and aerobic training group.
• The women who combined aerobic training and saffron supplements also saw greater increases in a hormone called irisin, which helps regulate the way your body spends energy, blood sugar, and insulin levels.

These findings indicate that adding saffron to your diet may support a healthy metabolism. However, more research is needed to confirm if a diet rich in saffron would have a real impact on body weight and other markers of metabolic health. 

Do Other Spices Affect Metabolism?

Though other spices may impact metabolism by increasing fat burning and boosting how your body spends energy, human evidence is limited.

Findings from research studies done in animals and test tubes suggest that spices such as fenugreek, cardamom, and black pepper may increase metabolism, but human evidence is lacking.

Also, many studies investigating the effects of spices on metabolism focus on the individual components of spices, such as piperine found in black pepper and curcumin found in turmeric, rather than the whole spice.

Many spices offer other benefits, such as reducing inflammation and reducing the risk of heart disease. Incorporating a wide variety of spices in your diet is a simple way to help improve and protect overall health.

Other Ways To Boost Metabolism

While adding certain foods to your diet, like spices, may positively affect metabolic health, changing your overall diet and lifestyle is more effective for improving metabolism, body weight, and disease risk. Here are some recommendations:

• Diets high in protein and composed of healthy, whole foods are more likely to help you burn calories than diets low in protein and high in ultra-processed foods. Proteins require more energy to break down than carbs or fats.
• Exercise, including resistance training, can increase muscle mass, improve fat burning, and significantly reduce metabolic disease risk.
• Getting the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep per night and managing stress can support metabolic health.
• Addressing underlying health conditions that may affect metabolism and body weight, such as thyroid conditions, is also critical.

Whether you’re trying to lose weight or improve your overall metabolic health, it’s always best to use evidence-based methods, such as following a healthy dietary pattern, increasing physical activity levels, and prioritizing sleep and mental health to support a healthy metabolism. 

A Quick Review

Though many factors, such as age and gender, affect metabolic rate, dietary choices can also impact it.

While research is generally limited, some study findings show that incorporating certain spices into your diet, such as chili pepper, turmeric, and cinnamon, may positively affect metabolism. 

However, the most important factors in maintaining a healthy metabolism include following a healthy diet, getting enough physical activity, managing stress, getting proper sleep, and addressing underlying health disorders.