12 Herbs And Spices That Can Help You Lose Weight

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Let’s face it, there is always a new diet plan or magic pill that promises to help you lose weight fast and easy. Most of the weight loss products do not fulfill their promises and you are probably upset with yourself for wasting your hard-earned money on another product that didn’t deliver.

The good news is that there is a place where you can easily get your hands on products that will help you lose weight. They are easily accessible and won’t cost you any extra money. Check out some of the herbs and spices in your kitchen and you may be surprised to find you are actually shedding a few pounds with no extra effort.

1. Black pepper

Piperine is a compound that is found in black pepper that helps “up regulate” your resting metabolism rate which increases weight loss. It has also been shown to be effective in raising sensitivity to leptin as well as insulin sensitivity, both tools in losing weight.

How to add it to your diet: You can add black pepper – 1/2 to 1 teaspoon – to hot green tea with ginger, lemon, and cinnamon.

2. Cayenne pepper

One of the main compounds found in cayenne pepper is capsaicin. It can help address obesity issues by reducing the fat tissues, lowers your calorie intake and bringing down the blood fat levels. The fat-burning tendencies of cayenne pepper can help your metabolism increase by around 5 percent and your ability to burn fat can rise to 16 percent.

How to add it to your diet: Add cayenne pepper to your scrambled eggs, egg salad, and even a pinch in your hot chocolate.

3. Rosemary

This herb is extremely tasty and fragrant when added to foods. Rosemary consists of carnosic acid which helps to lower overall body weight when given to those who ate a high fat diet. It is able to reduce the triglycerides in the liver, the weight of the liver, as well as the free fatty levels of acid in the body.

How to add it to your diet: Rosemary is delicious chopped and added to roasted potatoes and grilled steaks.

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4. Turmeric

Turmeric is a powerful spice in so many areas it is no wonder it is helpful in helping with weight loss goals. It plays a big part in improving the sensitivity of insulin and the amount of fat that can accumulate in the liver. Too much fat circulating in your system can impede your chances of shedding weight as it increases the resistance of insulin in your body. Turmeric has also been shown to lower the bodies resistance to leptin which is the hormone that tells us that we are full.

How to add it to your diet: Use a curcumin supplement that is 400-600mg three times a day. In foods, you can add it to scrambled eggs, mix it in soups, or sprinkle it over your roasted vegetables. It’s also great if you love curry.

5. Cinnamon

Cinnamon has always been recommended for those with diabetes or those who are prediabetic. Cinnamon can bring your blood sugar levels down as well as lower your bad cholesterol (LDL) levels and raise your glucose metabolism up as much as 20 times.

How to add it to your diet: Add it to hot tea, oatmeal, and sprinkle it over candied yams.

6. Mustard

Even though mustard is part of the cruciferous family – cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts – it is able to raise the rate of your metabolism up to 25 %. All it takes is just under a teaspoon of mustard seeds to help your body burn off up to 45 more calories every hour.

How to add it to your diet: Add mustard to your deli sandwich instead of mayonnaise and you can even add it to your egg salad to spice things up.

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7. Garlic

Garlic is a little hard to deal with as it has such a potent odor. When you find out that those who used garlic over a 7-week period lost more weight than those who did not use it, you will start adding it to your foods right away.

How do you add it to your diet: Bake up some fresh garlic bread, add it to your sauces and soups, and use it in your salad and dressings.

8. Cumin

Cumin may be a small spice but only one teaspoon can help your body burn more than three times the body fat it normally does.

How to add it to your diet: It can be added to salad dressings, soups, stews, dips, and stir-fries.

9. Parsley

Studies have found that animals who had parsley in their bodies were able to see a reduction in the amount of glucose that was in their blood. Having a lower glucose level helps to lose weight and it produces a higher level of energy.

How to add it to your diet: Parsley has long been a garnish for food but you can increase your intake by adding fresh chopped parsley to stuffed or roasted vegetables, dips, salad dressings, and tomato sauce.

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10. Green Tea

Adding green tea to your diet will help your body in dealing with cancer, as well as diabetes. Green tea is also able to help you lose weight by revving up your metabolism.

How to add it to your diet: Replace one or two of your regular glasses of water each day with a cup of green tea.

11. Cloves

This fragrant item has a spicy flavor and has been used to give a unique flavor and aroma to baked hams. Cloves have also been known to assist in weight loss by increasing your metabolism causing you to burn off more calories.

How to add it to your diet: Cloves can be added to smoothies, spiced roasted carrots, and many soups and stews.

12. Peppermint

Peppermint not only has a refreshing aroma, a 2009 study showed that those who smelled peppermint before eating were shown to take in 1,800 less calories than those who did not take in the scent of peppermint.

READ ALSO: 7 Herbs For Stress Infographic

How to add it to your diet: Smell the extract of this herb or make yourself a warm cup of peppermint tea to sip on.

References:

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

www.cdc.gov

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