Eat Spices to Lose Weight

Did you know that in addition to being very healthy, certain spices can actually help you lose weight? Some spices work as an appetite suppressant and some aid in fat digestion. 

Here is a list of seven of the top spices that will help you with your weight loss efforts:

1. Black pepper - This well-known and frequently-used spice will boost your metabolism. The peppery taste of black pepper comes from piperine and this substance is said to stimulate the central nervous system. It is believed that this stimulation of the nervous system is actually what gives pepper its metabolism-boosting characteristics. Fresh ground pepper is the best to use because it contains the most piperine.

2. Mangosteen - This spice is also known as vrikshaka or garcinia mangostana. Mangosteen is very popular in India. This spice suppresses the appetite and also helps to stop your body from storing fat.

3. Cayenne or Chili pepper - There was a study done in England that showed when the volunteers ate a teaspoon of red or cayenne pepper with every meal, they had a 25% increase in their metabolism. It is believed that if you eat hot and spicy food, you will drink more liquid to cool your mouth and because of the additional liquid you are drinking, you will feel fuller faster. However, because the participants had a 25% increase in their metabolism by eating the red pepper, it shows that the pepper is actually working in the body to assist the calorie-burning process.

4. Ginger - Ginger is believed to boost a person's metabolism and it also aids in digestion. To effectively lose weight, your digestive system must be working properly. All you need is a teaspoon of fresh ginger or less if you use dried ginger to achieve the benefits.

5. Turmeric - Turmeric in food gives the food a yellow coloring and it helps to reduce the body's absorption of fat. The active substance in turmeric is curcumin. When curcumin was given to mice, it reduced the growth of their fat tissue.

6. Cinnamon - Eating cinnamon will regulate your blood sugar and help your body to digest carbohydrates. The cinnamon also increases the body's production of insulin, which, in turn, accounts for its role in carbohydrate digestion. It will also help lower your cholesterol.

7. Mustard - In the study mentioned above with the cayenne pepper, the participants also ate a teaspoon of mustard with every meal. The whole-grain or Asian varieties of mustard will help to burn fat. Mustard also contains selenium which helps to regular blood sugar. Selenium is also used to aid in weight loss.

In addition to eating these spices to lose weight, they are also very flavorful. So, if you are eating low-fat and low-calorie foods to lose weight, eating them will add a lot of flavor to otherwise bland food.

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