( Health.com ) -- Get excited : You can burn calories and combat fat by eating yummy food . `` If you choose the right picks , studies show you can torch up to 300 extra calories a day , '' says Dr. Pamela Peeke , author of `` The Hunger Fix . '' Whole , unrefined foods are your heroes . Your metabolism has to work harder to break them down than processed ones , so you 're zapping more calories — and storing less as fat . These recipes double up ( even triple up ) on foods with serious metabolism-boosting power . Take that , dastardly fat ! Salmon . What a catch ! Research suggests the omega-3s in salmon and other fatty fish help build muscle — and the more muscle you have , the more calories you burn . Omega-3s may also help reduce fat storage by lowering cortisol levels ( scientists have yet to confirm how ) . Go for : Two 3-oz servings of fatty fish per week . Health.com : New ways to boost your metabolism . Yogurt . Calcium-rich foods have slimming superpowers . Get too little of this mineral and your body 's more likely to pack away calories as fat , according to a review of studies . With up to 50 % more calcium per ounce than milk , yogurt is a potent source . Better yet , its probiotics may help keep belly fat under control . Go for : At least two servings a day . Avocado . For a speedy metabolism , you need to keep inflammation in check and blood vessels clear and supple . Avocado 's unique combo of essential fatty acids , monounsaturated fats , and antioxidants helps you do just that . Plus , one avocado 's 14 grams of fiber kicks up your calorie burn . Go for : One to two daily servings of foods high in healthy fats . Health.com : Best superfoods for weight loss . Beans . High in resistant starch and fiber , beans force your system to use extra energy ( as in calories ) to break them down . Research from the University of Colorado suggests that if you choose foods high in resistant starch — it 's also found in whole grains and not-quite-ripe bananas — you can increase your calorie-burning power by up to 24 % over the course of the day . Go for : One serving of a resistant-starch food per meal . Chili peppers . Feel the burn ? It 's more than mere sensation : chilies ' heat signals the presence of capsaicin , a compound that , along with capsiate , can propel the body to scorch an extra 50 to 100 calories following a spicy meal . Go for : Chilies as hot as you can stand . ( But watch out ! The hottest ones — habanero , Scotch bonnet , and Thai or Indian peppers — are too fiery for many people . ) Health.com : The best and worst foods for digestion . Green tea . This packs caffeine and antioxidants called catechins , a dynamic duo believed to stimulate your nervous system and increase fat-burning . Studies suggest that drinking green tea can help you drop pounds and trim your waist . Go for : Several cups a day ( keeping in mind how caffeine affects you ) . Coffee . You use it to wake up — and your metabolism will , too . The caffeine in one cup of joe temporarily perks up your metabolism by as much as 15 percent . Caffeine also helps mobilize the forces that burn stored fat . Go for : One to two cups a day , especially before exercise . Health.com : Big perks : coffee 's health benefits . Copyright Health Magazine 2011 .
Eating certain foods can help you burn calories , experts say . Unrefined and whole foods are best : they require more energy to break down . Salmon , yogurt and coffee are among the better foods .