The research is in and those of us that have looked into it have found that it is very clear. Activating the AMPK enzyme has incredible health benefits from regulating blood pressure, preventing heart disease and reaching a healthy body fat percentage. There is a lot of research into the use of supplements, diet, and exercise to naturally activate AMPK. But in this article, I wanted to list a few AMPK activator foods that you can include in your diet.

Foods Rich In Anthocyanins

Anthocyanins are a flavonoid class that have become massively popular for their antioxidant effects. They are found naturally abundant in many foods and the research is in. Anthocyanins are novel AMPK activators, so try adding some of these purple foods to your diet.

1. Blueberries
2. Black Currants
3. Blackberries
4. Pomegranate
5. Purple Sweet Potatos
6. Beet Roots

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Talk about a buzzword, this class of fats has been all the rage for its numerous health benefits. I am sure you have had a friend tell you that you should be taking Omega-3 but here is another reason. A recent study that explored the effect of Omega-3 fatty acids, obesity and AMPK activators. The study found not only that Omega-3s are AMPK activators but also that over an 8 week period there was a significant decrease in obesity in the AMPK activated group vs. the control. So try adding some of these Omega-3 rich foods in your diet.

1. Flax Seeds
2. Chia Seeds
3. Walnuts
4. Mackerel
5. Salmon

Teas That Are AMPK Activators

So you still want to activate AMPK but maybe have too many supplements you are taking already (sometimes, food really is the best medicine). The last suggestion that I can give you in your diet that could potentially be the best is to switch out your daily cup to one of these proven AMPK activating teas.

Rooibus

It’s a popular tea from Africa and is often used in caffeine free Chai teas. It is also packed with health benefits from being a potent antioxidant to being one of the best known AMPK activators.

Studies showed that drinking Rooibus increased glucose uptake, mitochondrial activity, reduce cholesterol, and increase ATP production. These Metabolic improvements were credited as the result of activated AMPK pathways and showed a marked improvement over a control group’s diet.

Green Tea

Another classic green tea (especially Matcha) has high levels of EGCG. Although the exact mechanism for this compound as an AMPK activator has yet to be established, the results show that it does activate AMPK. It is thought that it is through the suppression of gluconeogenesis (say that three times fast).

Conclusion

Although the best methods to Activate AMPK is strong supplements, intermittent fasting, and exercise that does not exclude some basic dietary changes. Introducing a few of these foods and teas into your life could easily increase AMPK activity in your body and have a profoundly positive effect on your health.