Nutrition Diet: Which foods increase heat in the body? Understanding thermogenesis

October 8, 2025 •

4 min read

Did you know that your body burns calories and produces heat just by digesting food, a process known as thermogenesis? Understanding which foods increase heat in the body can help you strategically use your diet to feel warmer, especially during cold weather.

Quick Summary

Different foods can raise internal body temperature by requiring more energy to metabolize. Learn how high-protein foods, spicy ingredients, complex carbohydrates, and certain spices trigger thermogenesis, helping you feel warmer from the inside out.

Key Points

High-Protein Foods Have the Highest Thermic Effect: Protein requires more energy to digest than fats or carbs, leading to greater heat production.
Spicy Foods Trigger a Warming Sensation: Compounds like capsaicin in chili peppers stimulate nerve receptors, creating a perception of heat and temporarily increasing circulation.
Complex Carbohydrates Provide Sustained Warmth: Whole grains and root vegetables take longer to digest, resulting in a more sustained, moderate rise in body heat.
Warming Spices Boost Thermogenesis: Ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric are known for their thermogenic properties, which can help stimulate metabolism.
Hot Beverages Offer Immediate Comfort: A warm cup of tea or coffee can provide an immediate feeling of warmth, with caffeine giving a slight metabolic boost.
Iron is Important for Temperature Regulation: Iron deficiency can cause cold hands and feet, so consuming iron-rich foods helps with blood circulation.
Hydration is Key for Regulation: Dehydration can impair your body's ability to regulate temperature, making it harder to stay warm or cool.

The Science of Thermogenesis: How Digestion Creates Heat

Thermogenesis is the process by which your body produces heat, and it is a key factor in regulating your core temperature. The 'thermic effect of food' (TEF) is the energy expenditure above your basal metabolic rate that occurs after a meal, fueled by the energy required for digestion, absorption, and nutrient storage. The magnitude of this effect varies significantly depending on the macronutrient composition of your meal. By consuming certain foods that have a higher TEF, you can naturally increase your body heat.

Foods with a High Thermic Effect

Protein-Rich Foods

Protein has the highest thermic effect of all macronutrients, meaning your body burns more calories breaking down and utilizing protein than it does for carbohydrates or fats. This is because protein molecules are complex and require more energy to be digested and metabolized. Incorporating lean protein sources into your diet is an effective way to boost internal heat production.

Lean Meats: Chicken breast, turkey, and lean cuts of beef require significant energy for digestion.
Fish: Fatty fish like salmon and mackerel are rich in protein and healthy fats, providing long-lasting energy that can help warm the body.
Eggs: A whole egg contains both protein and fat, contributing to a substantial thermic effect.
Legumes and Pulses: Plant-based protein sources like lentils, chickpeas, and beans are also effective at increasing metabolic heat.
Dairy: Greek yogurt and cottage cheese have a high protein content and are known for their thermogenic properties.

Spicy Foods

Adding a little heat to your meals can literally turn up the heat inside your body. The compound responsible for the heat in chili peppers is capsaicin. When you eat spicy food, capsaicin stimulates nerve receptors in your mouth that send signals to the brain, tricking it into thinking your body is overheating. This triggers a cooling response, like sweating, but also increases blood circulation, which contributes to a temporary feeling of warmth.

Chili Peppers: All types of chili peppers contain capsaicin and can give your metabolism a slight, temporary boost.
Ginger: This common root has long been used in traditional medicine to warm the body. Ginger is a diaphoretic, meaning it helps you warm up from the inside out by stimulating thermogenesis and improving blood flow to extremities.
Cinnamon: This aromatic spice has warming properties and can be sprinkled into drinks, oatmeal, or baked goods.
Turmeric: Often used in curries, turmeric is another spice with thermogenic effects.

Complex Carbohydrates and Whole Grains

Complex carbohydrates and whole grains require more energy for your body to break down compared to simple sugars. This longer, more demanding digestive process means a more sustained thermogenic effect and a longer-lasting feeling of warmth.

Oats: A hot bowl of oatmeal is a classic winter warmer, providing a great source of whole grains and fiber.
Root Vegetables: Vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots, and butternut squash are dense in nutrients and fiber, taking more energy to digest.
Lentils and Beans: These are a double-win, as they offer both complex carbs and protein, maximizing their thermic effect.
Brown Rice and Quinoa: These whole grains require more energy to digest than their refined counterparts.

Hot Beverages

Drinking a warm beverage provides an immediate, subjective feeling of warmth. Moreover, certain components can stimulate your metabolism for a longer-lasting effect.

Tea: Hot herbal teas, especially ginger or green tea, can provide a sustained warming effect due to their thermogenic properties.
Coffee: The caffeine in coffee can increase your metabolic rate, which can lead to a slight rise in body temperature.

Comparison of Thermic Effects


Macronutrient	Thermic Effect (% of calories burned)	Overall Impact on Body Heat
Protein	20–30%	Highest thermogenic effect, significant and sustained warming.
Carbohydrates	5–10%	Moderate thermogenic effect, especially complex carbs.
Fats	0–3%	Lowest thermogenic effect, minimal impact on immediate body heat.
Spices (Capsaicin)	Temporary, variable	Causes a warming sensation and increases blood flow.
Hot Beverages	Immediate + temporary metabolism boost	Initial subjective warmth, with caffeine/ginger providing a slight metabolic lift.

The Role of Minerals and Hydration

Beyond the thermic effect, certain minerals are crucial for maintaining proper body temperature. Iron, for instance, helps transport oxygen throughout the body. An iron deficiency or anemia can lead to a feeling of being constantly cold. Therefore, including iron-rich foods like red meat, spinach, and beans can help. Staying hydrated is also vital, as dehydration can impair your body's ability to regulate its own temperature.

Conclusion

By focusing on specific dietary choices, you can effectively use the principle of thermogenesis to increase your body's internal heat. Prioritizing foods with a high thermic effect—namely protein-rich items, complex carbohydrates, and warming spices—can help you feel cozier and more comfortable, especially in colder conditions. While spicy foods provide a quick sensation of warmth, other choices like lean meats and whole grains offer a more sustained metabolic boost. Incorporating these foods into a balanced diet, alongside staying adequately hydrated, can be a simple yet powerful strategy for regulating your body temperature from the inside out.

For more information on the metabolic effects of diet, see the Aging journal study on long-term calorie restriction.

Frequently Asked Questions

While spicy foods like chili peppers can create a temporary feeling of warmth and trigger sweating by stimulating nerve endings, they do not significantly raise your core body temperature. Sweating is actually your body's cooling mechanism in response to the capsaicin.

Proteins have the highest thermic effect because their molecular structure is more complex and requires significantly more energy for your body to digest, absorb, and metabolize them compared to carbohydrates and especially fats.

Yes, drinking hot beverages like tea or coffee provides an immediate, subjective feeling of warmth. Beyond the direct warmth, caffeine can slightly increase your metabolic rate, providing a minor thermogenic effect as well.

Many fruits and vegetables, especially those with high water content like watermelon and cucumber, have a cooling effect. However, some complex carbohydrate-rich vegetables, like root vegetables and fibrous greens, require more energy to digest and can increase body heat.

Yes, red meat, which is high in protein and iron, can increase metabolic heat production during digestion. It is also often associated with feeling sluggish and warmer due to the digestive effort required.

No. While alcohol can initially make you feel warm by causing blood vessels near the skin to dilate, it actually lowers your core body temperature. It can also impair your body's natural shivering response, which is a key way to generate heat.

Iron is crucial for producing red blood cells that transport oxygen throughout your body. An iron deficiency or anemia can lead to poor circulation, which can cause you to feel cold, especially in your hands and feet.