Thermogenic prebiotics for metabolism

As with many rituals my morning coffee is something I truly look forward to. I wake up to the pleasant smell of coffee which is my way of starting the day. Not everyone likes coffee and I am coming across more and more people who actually don’t. They either don’t like the taste or they get coffee jitters. Unfortunately, I am one of those, I love the taste, but I get affected pretty easily by caffeine which forces me to stop at one cup in the morning only.

Thermogenic prebiotics accelerate metabolism without the jitters of coffee.

Coffee, along with green tea and capsicum, has thermogenic properties, in other words, it helps the body burn calories.  However, that may come with some unwanted effects like accelerated heart rate (and anxiety), headaches, increased blood pressure and maybe even constipation. For that reason thermogenic prebiotics, which have the same effect on the metabolism and none of the negatives, are on the rise. 

What are thermogenic prebiotics?

They are a strain of  “good bacteria” that aid digestion, stimulate the metabolism and help with weight loss. They can be found in kimchi, a fermented cabbage commonly found in Korean cuisine, sauerkraut, yogurt, kefir and kombucha, a fermented effervescent black or green tea drink. 

An experiment conducted at King’s College on identical twins found that the difference in gut bacteria contributed to their body fat. The skinny twin had a special type of gut bacteria that had a thermogenic effect and kept her weight low.

In order for these thermogenic bacteria to work you should incorporate foods that lower inflammation, like olive oil, salmon, turmerics, avoid saturated fats and sugar, that induce cravings and slow metabolism. Adding leafy greens to your diet will also help prebiotics grow and multiply, enhancing their benefits.

Lastly, if you have trouble sleeping, some types of prebiotic like those found in oats, bananas, onions, leeks, yams and a few other foods can lower anxiety and help you sleep better.

I personally opt to get my daily dose of thermogenic prebiotics by drinking kombucha. It’s delicious and it keeps my gut bacteria in check. I also take Semaine Pre and probiotics supplements that keep my gut flora healthy.

Try it and let us know what you think!