Submit your Article

Before we analyze the foods that boost metabolism, let’s first understand what metabolism signifies and how it functions in our bodies. Simply put, the chemical chain reaction in your body cells, which converts the food you eat into energy, is called metabolism. Also, metabolism is your body’s internal process, enabling you to expend energy and burn calories.

Your body requires this energy to perform every action in daily life, whether walking, sitting, playing, or even putting on your thinking cap. A score of proteins in your body regulate the chemical reactions of metabolism for the body to function and survive. It’s fascinating to know that your metabolism, tirelessly expending energy and burning calories, operates day and night, even while resting or sleeping. This continuous process is a reassuring testament to your body’s natural efficiency, providing comfort and confidence in your body’s capabilities.

Your body’s metabolism can be affected by various factors, including stress, lack of exercise, gender, age, genetics, prescribed drugs, sleep disorders, and hormonal imbalances, which can slow your metabolism. Still, you can enhance it by retaining a regular exercise regimen and eating foods that boost your metabolism. Workout, particularly strength training, can increase muscle mass, promoting metabolism. If you keep your body healthy, your metabolism works better. Regular physical activity, such as walking, running, cycling, or other cardio or resistance training, also plays a pivotal role in maintaining optimal metabolic health.

Understanding the crucial role of a balanced diet, regular exercise, plenty of sleep, and a well-hydrated body in promoting full-scale metabolism can empower you to make informed food choices and keep your energy levels up day and night. It's all about taking control of your health and instilling a sense of empowerment and control in your health voyage.

A myriad of foods loaded with nutrients help bolster metabolic health and the rate at which your body burns calories. The higher your metabolic rate, the more calories you burn, allowing you to shed unwanted excess weight. In turn, these foods may help you keep obesity at bay and reduce the risks of related health issues.

Apart from food, maintaining ideal metabolic health, drinking enough water, getting adequate sleep, and engaging in regular workouts (such as walking, running, cycling, or other cardio or resistance training) play a dominant role.

According to the experts, a miscellany of foods and nutrients helps maintain and elevate metabolic robustness. Let’s zero in on the five best foods that help bolster your metabolism. All you have to do is incorporate such foods into your balanced meal plan.

Protein-rich food

Understanding that protein serves as the building block of our body and retains a key position in stimulating metabolism can empower you to make confident dietary decisions. Protein-packed foods include:

• Fish, such as salmon, tuna, sardines, mackerel, or other fatty fish. They are rich in protein and Omega-3 fatty acids. Protein intake burns more calories, day and night, even during sleep.
• Other protein-dense foods include chicken, lean meat like pork tenderloin, seafood, eggs, dairy products, nuts, and seeds. High protein also helps to enhance your muscle mass and aids in cutting down on body fat. Besides, these protein-rich foods contain Vitamin B, influencing energy levels, brain function, and cell metabolism.

Legumes and beans

Learning that legumes, such as kidney beans, peanuts, lima beans, green peas, and garbanzo beans, are protein-rich, nutrient-dense foods that can beef up your metabolic health can reassure you and boost your confidence in your food choices.

Another benefit of a high protein intake is that it helps curb your sweet tooth, keeping you fuller for extended periods and preventing unnecessary snacking or overeating.

Spinach

It’s an open secret that besides cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts, or cabbage, fresh leafy greens pack a lot of nutrients to maintain an overall healthy life. Loaded with multiple minerals, Spinach also provides an abundant serving of iron.

Spinach is a source of nonheme, non-animal iron protein. Nonheme iron is found in plant-based foods and is not as easily absorbed by the body as heme iron derived from animal products. However, a regular diet of Spinach can still provide a significant amount of iron, which is essential for muscle function and metabolism.

Chili peppers/spices

You must understand that no single food can hike up your metabolic rate. Research suggests that the intake of chili peppers may foster your metabolism when paired with a healthy, balanced diet. An active phytonutrient called capsaicin in chili peppers, such as Aji Amarillo, Jalapeno peppers, serrano peppers, cayenne pepper, and habanero, among others, hikes up the thermogenesis level in the body.

Thermogenesis is the process of heat production in the body, which pushes the internal body cells and tissues to generate heat that speeds up lipid metabolism and burns body fat more efficiently—the gateway to losing body weight. In simpler terms, eating chili peppers can make your body produce more heat, which in turn burns more calories and fat. This process is critical in understanding how certain foods can increase calorie burning and facilitate metabolism.

Research studies suggest that a dose of capsaicin as low as six to ten mg daily, equivalent to one jalapeno pepper, is enough to burn body fat substantially. However, the said dose might not work for those used to eating highly spicy food.

Green tea

Good news for green tea lovers! Our body is constantly burning calories. Scientific studies suggest that drinking green tea regularly may reduce the risk of several diseases, including obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, due to its health-promoting compounds, such as catechins and EGCG, which work as potential metabolism boosters.

These compounds, found in high concentrations in green tea, are antioxidants that may reinforce metabolism and help burn fat. A regular intake of green tea (approximately three to five cups a day) may be a fat-burning tool to support your metabolism.

Furthermore, green tea contains caffeine. This natural chemical stimulant can increase alertness, enhance exercise performance, and also aid in revving up your metabolism.

Summary

Aside from the five recommended foods mentioned above, numerous other food items purportedly boost your metabolism, making the list quite extensive. This variety can make your journey to a healthier metabolism exciting and full of discoveries, sparking curiosity and engagement in your health voyage.

Some of these items include certain fruits, vegetables, and spices. However, I’d like to emphasize that, in addition to food, regular exercise, a balanced diet paired with metabolism-enhancing food, keeping yourself well-hydrated, and getting ample sleep are all crucial to retaining a healthy, functional metabolism.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the above text are solely research-based, not medical advice; the author solicits readers to exercise their discretion and cross-reference. Each individual’s dietary needs are unique, so it’s essential to consult your healthcare provider for personalized advice.

[email protected]

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and China. Over these seven decades, the two neighbors have forged a relationship grounded in mutual respect, non-interference, and shared aspirations for development, peace, and prosperity. This is a unique model of partnership rooted in trust and mutual respect

On 1 Aug 1955, Nepal and  China formally established diplomatic relations. Seventy years later, this historic milestone provides a timely moment to reflect on a multifaceted partnership that has evolved from ancient civilizational exchanges into a dynamic 21st-century cooperation model. Built on the core principles of sovereign equality, mutual respect, and non-interference, Nepal-China relations continue to hold significant relevance for Nepal’s foreign policy trajectory and development ambitions.

A relationship rooted in geography, shaped by history

Nepal and China are more than just neighbors; they share more than seventeen centuries-old ties through trade, religion, culture, and kinship across the Himalayas. The exchanges between Lumbini and Lhasa, between artists and monks, are testimonies to a relationship that predates formal diplomacy. The 1956 Nepal-China Boundary Agreement and subsequent treaties not only delineated borders but also laid the foundation for long-term cooperation.

In modern diplomatic history, China has consistently respected Nepal’s territorial integrity and political independence, while Nepal has firmly adhered to the One-China Policy. This diplomatic symmetry has helped both countries build a resilient and trust-based relationship, despite changing geopolitical dynamics in South Asia and beyond.

Development, connectivity, and the promise of the BRI

China has played a critical role in Nepal’s development efforts through grants, soft loans, and infrastructure projects. From the construction of the Araniko Highway in the 1960s to ongoing efforts in energy, hydropower, airport expansion, and digital connectivity, Chinese cooperation has left visible footprints in Nepal’s development landscape. 

The signing of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) framework agreement in 2017 marked a new phase in economic diplomacy. While its implementation has been slow and requires better clarity and transparency, the Trans-Himalayan Multi-Dimensional Connectivity Network—envisioned under the BRI—holds transformative potential for Nepal, particularly in trade facilitation, energy transit, and cross-border infrastructure.

Nevertheless, Nepal must approach such initiatives with strategic foresight—ensuring debt sustainability, environmental safeguards, and equitable benefits for local communities.

Beyond infrastructure: People, culture, and soft power

Nepal-China relations are increasingly shaped by people-to-people engagement. Thousands of Nepali students pursue higher education in China, supported by scholarships. Cultural exchange programs, tourism, and media collaboration have helped build a more nuanced understanding between the two societies.

China established the Confucius Institute in Nepal to promote Chinese language and culture. Regular cultural delegations, exhibitions and performances are organized to strengthen people-to-people relations. There is a growing dissemination of Chinese narratives in Nepali media, especially around regional geopolitics and BRI. Chinese media outlets such as Xinhua News Agency and China Radio international have partnership with Nepali media.

China promotes Nepal as a tourism destination among Chinese citizens and has included Nepal in approved travel destinations. Joint branding of heritage sites such as  Lumbini is  part of soft tourism diplomacy. In times of crisis, such as the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake and the Covid-19 pandemic, China provided critical humanitarian support to Nepal, reinforcing a spirit of solidarity. Such gestures are not merely symbolic but serve as catalysts for strengthening trust among the general public.

The strategic imperative for Nepal

As Nepal seeks to graduate from Least Developed Country (LDC) status and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), strategic partnerships with neighbors like China become indispensable. However, Nepal must adopt a clear, consistent, and country-owned foreign policy, grounded in national interest and inclusive development priorities.

The trade imbalance between Nepal and China remains a persistent challenge. Addressing it requires improved access to the Chinese market, support for Nepali agricultural and handmade exports, and the upgrading of border infrastructure at key points like Rasuwagadhi, Tatopani and Mustang. Furthermore, as climate change disproportionately affects the fragile Himalayan ecosystem, Nepal and China should deepen cooperation on climate resilience, biodiversity conservation, and green technology transfer.

Looking ahead: Rethinking the next chapter

As Nepal and China commemorate 70 years of friendship, both countries must reimagine their cooperation in light of emerging global challenges—climate change, poverty, digital transformation, and regional security. Future collaboration must focus not only on infrastructure, but also on green development, youth exchange, public health, and social inclusion.

Diplomatic anniversaries are more than ceremonial milestones—they are opportunities to reflect, renew, and re-energize relationships as well as to reimagine the future. The 70th anniversary offers both Kathmandu and Beijing the chance to reaffirm their strategic trust, expand areas of cooperation, and ensure that their partnership contributes meaningfully to regional harmony and Nepal’s long-term national interest. Nepal must seek cooperation for changing from landlocked to land linked.

The 70th anniversary of Nepal-China relations should catalyze a broader conversation among policymakers, academics, and civil society about what an equitable, future-oriented partnership looks like in a rapidly changing global order.

In this next phase, cooperation must move beyond state-to-state interactions and become more inclusive of youth, local governments, academic institutions, and marginalized communities—ensuring that the benefits of diplomacy and development reach the grassroots.

As a small but strategically located nation, Nepal must continue to walk a balanced diplomatic path—maintaining friendly ties with both its neighbors while protecting its autonomy and advancing a just, inclusive development agenda.

The Nepal-China partnership, built over seven decades, can continue to be a model of asymmetric yet respectful diplomacy—one that champions sovereignty, mutual benefit, and the shared dreams of two peoples.

As we look ahead, the friendship between Nepal and China must continue to be guided by the principles of equality, mutual benefit, and peaceful coexistence. A true celebration of this historic milestone would be not only in looking back with pride—but also looking forward with purpose.

The author is former Nepali ambassador to China

Over the past few months, Nepal and India have stepped up engagement on multiple fronts, including long-overdue meetings of bilateral mechanisms. While the exact date of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s visit to New Delhi is yet to be finalized, Indian officials confirm that preparations are underway, and the visit is likely to take place before Dashain. India has also been engaging with a wide cross-section of Nepali society in the lead-up.

Nepal-India relations faced significant turbulence, especially after 2015, which strained bilateral ties. However, in recent months, both sides appear to be moving toward a reset. Kathmandu and New Delhi have now prioritized economic and development partnerships over longstanding contentious issues.

Two key unresolved matters, the map row and the report prepared by the Eminent Persons’ Group (EPG), remain sensitive. While political parties such as the Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist Centre), and various Madhes-based parties have largely shelved the EPG issue, some CPN-UML leaders continue to raise it, albeit with less intensity.

India’s renewed outreach to Kathmandu comes amid a shifting regional context: Donald Trump’s inauguration and subsequent US aid cuts to Nepal, political developments in Bangladesh, and a brief but deadly India-Pakistan conflict. In late July, New Delhi hosted an all-party delegation of Nepali members of parliament. According to the Indian readout, the discussions centered on expanding the multifaceted bilateral partnership.

On July 28 and 29, the seventh meeting of the India-Nepal Boundary Working Group (BWG) was held in New Delhi. The BWG had been inactive since 2019 due to the map dispute. Although this meeting did not address contentious territorial issues, both sides adopted updated modalities for inspecting, repairing, and maintaining boundary pillars, and agreed to expedite work in these areas. They also finalized a three-year work plan and committed to using advanced technologies for boundary-related tasks.

In the third week of July, the home secretary-level meeting between the two countries covered the full spectrum of bilateral security cooperation and border management. The two sides finalized the text of an agreement on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters. They also agreed to work toward the early conclusion of a revised extradition treaty, another longstanding and sensitive issue.

India also launched a collaborative initiative in partnership with the UN World Food Programme to support rice fortification and supply chain management in Nepal. The project aims to address gaps in Nepal’s fortified rice supply chain, particularly in procurement, data collection, and human resource capacity, through knowledge exchange with India’s successful public distribution system. It offers Nepali stakeholders the chance to learn from India’s experience in applying digital technologies to food logistics.

Speaking at a public event this week, foreign affairs expert Mohan Lohani, as quoted by the Press Trust of India, said that India is advancing rapidly in economic growth, development, and technological innovation. “Nepal should try to benefit from the progress made by our southern neighbor,” he said.

Another foreign policy expert, Nischal Nath Pandey, advised Prime Minister Oli to travel overland for his New Delhi visit, arguing that it would allow him to observe India’s significant progress in infrastructure, especially road transport.” During the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has made remarkable progress in development and road connectivity, and Nepal should learn from the experiences gained by India,” Pandey said.

As preparations for Prime Minister Oli’s India visit continue, both sides are working to finalize a major project or agreement to be announced during his meeting with Prime Minister Modi. Government officials suggest that resolving issues related to the long-pending Pancheshwar Multipurpose Project could be one such announcement. According to sources, the Indian side has conveyed that when the two prime ministers meet, a substantial breakthrough should be unveiled.

“The Gaad has turned reckless; it has now become a curse to us,” laments 70-year-old Jharana Regmi, a lifelong resident of Daiya, a small village nestled along the riverbank in Budhinanda Municipality-6 of Bajura district. Gaad refers to a river in the local dialect of Bajura and the broader Sudurpashchim region. In this context, she is speaking about the Baadigaad River, which flows along the village’s northern edge before draining into the Karnali River.

Over the past few years, the river has begun to change its course during the monsoon, triggering floods that have severely damaged the riverbanks and canal systems that once reliably irrigated Daiya’s household farms. “This year, the Gaad swept away our two main canals that were crucial for irrigation. Without sufficient water, our fields have turned barren, and all the rice we planted failed,” Regmi adds. The sudden loss of irrigation has led to a complete crop failure, and the village barely harvested any rice this year, leaving families struggling to secure food for the coming winter.

“Earlier, we were self-sufficient in rice. We used to grow several indigenous varieties like Himali and Jawaro (a red rice variety) for both consumption and trade. But now, with the repeated flooding of the riverbanks and canal systems, we can’t even grow enough for ourselves,” says Regmi, her voice heavy with despair.

With both main canal systems damaged at the point where they diverted water from the Baadigaad River, the village now relies on water discharged from a local micro-hydropower plant. This plant, housed within the village, releases water into a canal that provides irrigation only during the night, when the plant operates to generate electricity. Meanwhile, another village, Kaalshila, located uphill and south of Daiya, uses the same water source for irrigation during the day.

“Because the water is only available at night, it’s very inconvenient for us to use it effectively for farming,” Regmi explains. The hydropower plant’s water is sourced from the Baadigaad at a distant point in Kaalshila, further complicating equitable access for Daiya villagers.

Beyond damaging canals, the river has also devastated riparian farmland. Erosion, sand, and debris deposited during floods have rendered many plots uncultivable. The resulting loss of fertile land has severely impacted local livelihoods and food security. With their primary croplands gone, villagers now depend on small vegetable gardens and remote drylands. Some have tried to grow wheat using makeshift canals, but such efforts have done little to ease food insecurity.

Despite repeated damage assessments by the municipality, meaningful relief has yet to reach the village. “We’ve appealed to the municipality several times. Now we just have to wait and see what the government plans for us,” says Regmi.

The global phenomenon behind a local crisis

Intense rainfall over the past two years appears to be the main culprit behind the river’s erratic course changes and frequent flooding. These heavy rains have increased river discharge to record levels and triggered landslides along riverbank slopes, raising the riverbed with deposited debris. As the riverbed aggrades, it causes the river to carve new channels, resulting in unpredictable course shifts and devastating floods.

“Nowadays, we experience heavy rainfall and flooding between June and October, but they can begin as early as April or May,” shares Regmi.

Compounding this natural crisis is weak governance of local natural resources. For instance, the stewardship of the Tushar Community Forest (Tushar Samudaik Baan) in Daiya has deteriorated significantly. “Even though there’s an executive committee for forest management, no serious efforts have been made to protect it,” says Regmi.

The absence of forest guards for the past three years has led to unregulated and illegal extraction of forest products. The lack of enforcement has encouraged excessive harvesting of biomass and even organized timber theft. As a result, many indigenous species, such as Aiselu (Rubus ellipticus) and Tilkhuri (Thysanolaena latifolia), have disappeared. These species once played a vital role in maintaining soil integrity and supporting crop-livestock agriculture.

This ecological degradation has also made the forest slopes more vulnerable to landslides, especially during heavy rains. The cascading impacts are ultimately felt in the geomorphology of the Baadigaad River as it cuts through the weakened forest terrain.

Building a climate-resilient village

Regmi cannot recall any significant community-led efforts to build resilience or minimize the risks facing Daiya. She laments the lack of a dedicated water management committee to maintain and repair damaged canal infrastructure. “We can’t always wait for the government to rehabilitate the canals. We need a local mechanism to organize resources and take responsibility,” she insists.

This, she believes, is where the long-term solution lies.

What Daiya needs is the establishment and strengthening of self-governing institutions dedicated to managing critical local resources, especially water and forests, on which agriculture and livelihoods depend. This could include revitalizing the existing Community Forest User Group (CFUG) to improve forest stewardship and forming a Water Users Group (WUG) tasked with maintaining and rehabilitating irrigation infrastructure.

Theoretical models such as the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD) framework and Design Principles, developed by Nobel laureate Elinor Ostrom, emphasize the importance of well-crafted self-governing institutions for the sustainability of common-pool resources. Ostrom's design principles highlight the need for clear operational rules, monitoring systems, rule enforcement, and exclusivity of access for resource users.

Such self-governing bodies should also coordinate with external stakeholders—including donor agencies, grassroots organizations, and government extension services—to foster adaptive co-management. A collaborative, systemic approach is essential, given the strong interdependence between water, forests, and agriculture.

In mountain communities like Daiya, where both climatic and human-induced shocks are intensifying, empowering local institutions to govern shared resources offers a promising pathway to resilience. Lessons from other parts of Nepal and beyond demonstrate that community-led governance can significantly improve preparedness, recovery, and sustainability. With the right structures in place, even a troubled river like the Baadigaad can become a source of strength, rather than sorrow, for the people who live by its banks.