3 Metabolism-Boosting Tonic Recipes

We’ve concocted three organic elixirs that may help support a healthy metabolism—who doesn’t want that? As an added bonus, they taste pretty delicious, too!

Spicy Apple Lemon Tonic

As if you needed another reason to love apple cider vinegar, add its probiotic powers to the list. That’s right, ACV  helps support healthy gut bacteria, which can help you digest food quickly and efficiently.

A dash of cayenne can boost the metabolism  due to capsaicin, the compound that gives the spice its fiery flavor. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, capsaicin can cause a slight increase in total body temp, which in turn increases the body’s metabolic rate.

24 oz of water
1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of raw honey
juice of half a lemon

Mix all ingredients together with a spoon, or in a shaker cup.

Ginger Citrus Revitalizing Iced Tea

Good news for coffee lovers—your daily shot of caffeine has been proven to increase the amount of calories the body burns. Not a fan of the stuff? Brew up some guayusa tea, which has as much caffeine as coffee, plus polyphenols, antioxidants, and chlorogenic agents to boot.

Kick your tea up a notch by adding a scoop of magnesium powder. Up to 80 percent of Americans are deficient in this compound, which supports metabolism naturally and is integral to more than 300 enzymatic processes in the body.

1 bag of Runa Guayusa Ginger Citrus Tea
1 heaping scoop of Orange Natural Calm Magnesium Supplement
Mineral water, to taste

Brew one tea bag of guayusa tea in boiling water. Allow to steep for 10 minutes, then remove tea bag and cool in the fridge.

Add ice and the scoop of Natural Calm and stir. Top off with a splash of mineral water for bubbles!

Chai Maté Latte

Yerba maté, almond milk, cinnamon, and ginger come together for this lighter version of a decadent chai latte. Green tea has been studied extensively for its metabolism-boosting effects; ECGC is the compound inside that’s responsible for the extra calorie burn you get from guzzling down a cuppa, but it could also be critical to helping keep weight off. A Netherlands-based study found that dieters who lost weight and then drank green tea daily for three months were less likely to put weight back on than those who lost the same amount of weight and skipped the green tea.

Swapping dairy milk for almond milk could also help wake up your metabolism in the morning. Almonds and almond milk are protein-rich, and eating more protein encourages the body to burn more calories according to a 2009 study published in the Journal of Nutrition. Plus, the fall flavors in this drink are delightful!

4 cups of brewed maté tea
1 cup of almond milk
1 packet of mulling spices

Bring all ingredients together in a heavy-bottomed pot and simmer for 10 minutes. Enjoy!

Photo credit: Alicia Cho