Thermogenics

[DarthAvarous]

You may have heard this term before, and contrary to what Sweetie Belle says, it is indeed a word. But there is a great deal of misconception of what it actually means, so I'll do my best to explain it. Thermogenesis is the process by which the body generates heat, or energy, by increasing the metabolic rate above normal. Thermogenesis can be activated by a variety of mechanisms including supplements, nutrition, exercise, and exposure to cold (Anderson, 2003, p. 172). When you eat a thermogenic food, your metabolism speeds up. And a faster metabolism means more calories burned.

This is by no means a comprehensive list of thermogenic compounds, but these are some of the most common. Several naturally occurring substances increase your energy expenditure, including caffeine, polyphenolic compounds (Found in green tea), piperine (Found in black pepper), capsaicin (Found in all hot peppers), mustard, ginger, and cinnamon. Other substances with a thermic effect include selenium, chromium, alpha-lipoic acid, L-carnitine, L-tyrosine, and calcium carbonate (Anderson, 2003, p. 176). Drinking ice water also has a thermogenic effect on the body.

Incorporating some of these additions into your life is an easy way to get extra mileage out of a healthy diet, as well as a tasty way to flavor your food.

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References

Anderson, W.S. (2008). Dr. A's habits of health: the path to permanent weight control and optimal health. Annapolis, MD: Habits of Health Press.

[Austin Yun]

In terms of thermogenic effect, you have caffeine, ephedrine, clenbuterol, geranamine, etc, and then those that are minor enough to probably not worry about.

You'll notice they're pretty much all stimulants. And they tend to have an appetite suppressant effect. A lot of them are also banned or controlled substances in various countries.

Caffeine, in general, is probably good for you though. <3 caffeine.

[rainpony]

About caffeine, just wanted to add that contrary to popular belief, caffeine and theine are the very same molecule. The thing is, in tea it is inhibited by the tannins, which take longer to infuse, so if you want caffeine from tea, take a variety with less tannins or brew it for a shorter time :-)
Green tea is especially good for you, rich in vitamins and all kind of stuff (wikipedia will bo more precise than me ^^)

I believe you might already know this, but it does no harm to write it down ^^