Spices have been, well, spicing up peoples lives for hundreds if not thousands of years.
In the kitchen, spices are used to add color and heighten the taste and aroma of food.
But spices also have therapeutic properties, protecting and possibly alleviating symptoms from acute and chronic ailments.
One of the not so obvious health benefits of spices?
Their effect on weight loss.
All of course while making your meals more flavorful.
Cayenne pepper.
The sweat you work up after eating a lot of this spice is bound to burn calories right?
The hotter a pepper is, the more capsaicin it will have.
This study did find that 0.9 grams of red pepper consumption enhanced thermogenesis in participants.
This indicates that the body was producing more heat, and therefore burning more calories.
So if you dont eat spicy foods now, consider this is your cue to start.
How much of this spice should you add to your diet?
The 0.9 grams of pepper used in both of these studies equates to about 14 teaspoon.
How can you use it?
A recent analysis of over 21 studies assessed curcumins influence on weight loss for 1,604 people with metabolic syndrome.
Curcumin intake was associated with asignificant reduction in BMI, weight, and waist circumference5.
Incorporating 12 to 1 teaspoon of turmeric in the diet per day can help you reach that goal.
Sprinkle this spice on curry dishes,golden milk, scrambled eggs, and quinoa.
Along with gingers playful zing, this spice has manyhealth benefits.
Although it is most known for nausea and digestion issues, ginger is also friendly to the waistline.
Ginger is great to add to hot tea, stir fry, smoothies, soup, and baked fish.
In traditional medicine, cumin has been used totreat chronic diseases9.
Bonus: the cumin group has had improved cholesterol and triglyceride levels!
Cumin is generally considered safe to eat, especially in amounts that you would typically use to season food.
Mustard seeds.
One older, but highly cited study from theHuman Nutrition.
Incorporate mustard seed into your sandwiches, salad dressings, and sauces.
Rather than boosting your metabolism, cinnamon can help you drop some pounds in a less direct way.
More research is needed on both ends before we can be sure.
Cinnamon in moderationis great, and a little sprinkle can go a long way for flavoring purposes.
Search out Ceylon cinnamon to be on the safe side.
So fenugreek is technically an herb, but its also part of the spice blend garam masala.
Fenugreek isnot recommendedfor pregnant women, and may not be recommended for women with hormone related cancers.
Black pepper.
Lab and animal studies also indicate that piperine maypositively influence body weight and other markers of health16.
There is currently no recommended dose or safety dose for black pepper.
Patients in the saffron group hadsignificantly decreases in BMI, waist circumference and fat mass20compared to the crocin group.
Saffron is generally safe to include in the diet with few side effects, if any.
And you only need as little as 30 milligrams a day to see some health benefits!
So if you decide to purchase this pricy spice, you wont be using all of it at once.
Fromantioxidant to neuroprotective properties21, rosemary can be a healthy addition to a meal.
But can it also help with weight loss?
However, more research is needed before we can make that same conclusion in humans.
Rosemary is great on chicken, eggs, lentils, roasted winter squash, and roasted eggplant.
The bottom line on spices for weight loss?
There is no limit to the number of spices you might include in your diet in a given day.
And of course, be aware of any potential interactions with spices and medication.
And remember: With spices, a little goes a long way!
