Here are some herbs and spices you should think about adding liberally to your food to help you achieve your weight loss goal: certain herbs and spices can help you maintain a healthy body weight by boosting your metabolism, decreasing fat tissue, and suppressing your appetite.
1. Cayenne Pepper
The ingredient in peppers that gives them their fiery flavor, capsaicin, can also help prevent obesity by reducing blood fat levels, fat tissue shrinkage, and calorie intake. It can also prevent fat accumulation by causing your body to undergo advantageous protein alterations.Because capsaicin has a high heat potential, it can temporarily increase thermogenesis—the process by which your body produces heat by burning fuel like fat—which will improve your metabolism and reduce the amount of fat stored in your body.
For an added kick, try adding a pinch of ground cayenne to roasted nuts, soups, scrambled eggs, and homemade dressings or dips.
2. Cinnamon
This spice can help to boost your metabolism; it also has impressive benefits for blood sugar regulation, making it an ideal seasoning if you’re diabetic or pre-diabetic.
Cinnamon has been found to significantly reduce blood sugar levels, triglycerides, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and total cholesterol levels in people with type 2 diabetes, as well as increase glucose metabolism by about 20 times, which would significantly improve your ability to regulate your blood sugar.
You can sprinkle some cinnamon in oatmeal or increase your daily intake by mixing the spice in cottage cheese, plain yogurt, or your favorite brew to make a more fragrant tea. Cinnamon also makes a great addition to savory spice rubs and marinades for meat.
3. Black Pepper
Black pepper contains a substance called piperine, which not only gives it its pungent flavor, but also blocks the formation of new fat cells.
Studies have shown that black pepper when combined with capsaicin and other substances can help you burn as many calories as taking a 20-minute walk .
4. Dandelions
Every part of the dandelion is edible and full of nutrition, and because they help slow your digestion, they can make you feel full longer, helping you maintain a healthy weight.
Dandelions have antioxidant properties and contain bitter crystalline compounds called Taraxacin and Taracerin, along with inulin and levulin, compounds which explains some of its therapeutic properties.
Along with being full of dietary fiber, dandelions also contain beta carotene, vitamin K1, vitamins and minerals, and are known for being beneficial for normalizing blood sugar and cholesterol, as well as cleansing your liver.
5. Mustard
The mustard plant is actually in the cruciferous family of vegetables along with broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts.
Mustard seeds have been shown to boost metabolic rate by 25%. Thus you’ll burn calories more efficiently- in fact, just 3/5 teaspoon of mustard seeds daily can significantly help you burn an extra 45 calories an hour.
6. Turmeric
This yellow-orange spice makes the foundation of many curry dishes. Curcumin, one of turmeric’s most thoroughly studied active ingredients, reduces the formation of fat tissue by suppressing the blood vessels needed to form it. Thus, it can contribute to lower your body fat .
Curcumin can also be useful for the treatment and prevention of obesity-related chronic diseases, as the interactions of curcumin with several key signal transduction pathways in the body result in improvements in insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and other inflammatory symptoms associated with obesity and metabolic disorders.
Try adding turmeric to soups or stews or sprinkle over roasted veggies or nuts.
7. Ginger
Ginger is another warming spice that has anti-inflammatory properties and is known to help soothe and relax your intestinal tract.
Ginger also has thermogenic properties that help boost your metabolism, as well as have an appetite-suppressant effect when consumed.
Grate fresh ginger into stir-fries, over baked fish or into fruit salad or tea.
