There might actually be some science behind a few of those things. For example, a slight thermogenic effect from capsaicin in hot pepper and a slight boost in 24-hour metabolic rate from the EGCG in green tea. However, focusing on tiny details (especially before you’ve mastered the nutrition fundamentals) is putting the cart before the horse.
That's like getting excited by the theory that drinking enough ice cold water is going to get you ripped because the body has to "warm it up" (which expends energy). Believe it or not, the research on cold water thermogenesis shows that it actually exists! BUT... water-induced thermogenesis only amounts to an extra ONE-TENTH of a pound a week in weight loss!
Such is the case with most so-called "thermogenic foods" and spices. The effect is real, but tiny.
Remember the 80-20 Rule (Pareto's Principle) in Weight Loss
Details are important and little things can make a difference, so it doesn't hurt to eat spicy foods, drink green tea and drink ice cold water.
However, when you put too much attention on the small stuff (and "weird exotic stuff"), you're not only being horribly inefficient, you're also putting yourself at risk of falling for the latest fad diet.
In any endeavor, including weight loss, a small handful of critical factors (the 20%) will produce the vast majority of your results. The rest (80%) is minutia. Only after you have the critical factors (the fundamentals) in place first, should you "sweat the small stuff" that might help your results an extra percentage point here and a percentage point there.
That's the 80-20 rule and if you remember this rule, it will change your life.
Dietary Thermogenesis and the Thermic Effect Of Food
In reality, ALL foods are "thermogenic" because the body must use energy to digest them. This is known as the "thermic effect of food" (TEF) or "specific dynamic action of food."
However, not all foods have the same thermic effect. Dietary fat has the lowest thermic effect. The most thermogenic food (my "favorite") is lean protein from solid foods, especially the following:
- chicken breast
- turkey breast
- game meats (venison, elk, etc)
- bison, buffalo
- very lean red meat such as top round and lean sirloin (grass fed is especially nutritious)
- almost all types of fish
- shellfish and other seafood
- egg whites (whole eggs in moderation)
Protein drinks could also be added to this list. They can be quite helpful for boosting overall protein intake or as a convenient meal replacement. However, I have always had a theory that the thermogenic effect of solid, whole food proteins is higher than most people think and that solid whole food proteins have a higher thermic effect than liquids.
That's why I recommend focusing primarily on whole foods for the majority of your calories. This is a good idea anyway because liquid calories have been proven less effective at activating the appetite and satiety mechanisms in your brain and gastrointestinal tract and it's easier to overconsume liquid calories than solid calories.
In any case, research has proven that the thermic effect of protein is the highest of all the macronutrients, requiring about 30% of the calories it contains, just for digestion and processing.
This is one of the reasons that a bodybuilder's diet is high in lean protein and bodybuilders are the leanest muscular athletes on earth. My entire fat loss program is based on these bodybuilding diet methods (although my diet is not just for bodybuilders).
When you combine thermogenic lean protein foods with the right amounts and types of essential fats, add in plenty of green vegetables and just the right amount of natural starchy carbs and whole grains (at the right times - see below for the trick), your body will literally turn into a turb-charged fat burning machine - without drugs, supplements or weird diet gimmicks.
A Simple 3-Step Formula To Put Together A Fat-Burning Meal:
STEP 1: Select a green vegetable or fibrous vegetable such as asparagus, green beans, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, salad vegetables, etc., and then
STEP 2: Combine that with one of the lean proteins (previously mentioned above).
STEP 3: The lean protein and fibrous carb forms the foundation of your fat burning meal. From there, add natural starchy carbs or grains such as brown rice, oats, or sweet potatoes - in the amount your calorie needs dictate and to the degree your body can tolerate them (some people are carb-sensitive). Fruit is also ok, but focus even more on the green and fibrous vegetebles
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