Herbs and spices may help you lose weight by boosting your metabolism, enhancing fat burning, and reducing hunger.
What you eat significantly impacts how much weight you lose or gain, but you may not know that many herbs and spices may help with your weight loss journey.
Research reports that certain herbsand spices are the best way to add flavor to food for no extra calories, sugar, sodium, or other junk. This is critical when you are trying to lose weight.
How are herbs and spices used?
Herbs and spices can deliver a surge of health benefits with minimal risk of adverse effects when used as a seasoning or flavoring agent for foods. However, do not overdo it.
Limit yourself to one tablespoon (14 grams) per day and consume by mixing them with nutrient-dense whole foods to help you lose a substantial amount of weight.
If you are taking herbs as a supplement, adhere to the recommended dosages to avoid any unnecessary effects.
Speak to a health professional before taking any supplement if you have any underlying health concerns, including pregnancy and lactation, or are on any medications.
In addition, if you have any unpleasant side effects or signs of a food allergy, stop using it immediately and consult a trusted healthcare professional.
15 herbs to help you lose weight
The following herbs and spices may help you lose weight by boosting your metabolism, enhancing fat burning, and reducing hunger:
- Turmeric
- Contains curcumin that may help the body burn fat by increasing heat, which, in turn, can help boost metabolism.
- Has a host ofother health benefits, from helping fight Alzheimer's disease to keeping hormones in check during menses.
- Add turmeric to soups or stews or sprinkle it over roasted veggies or nuts.
- Cinnamon
- Made from the inner bark of cinnamon trees.
- Is loaded with antioxidants, has a range of health benefits, and balances blood sugar, helping to curb cravings and keeping you feeling full for longer.
- Contains a compound that mimics the effects of insulin,assistingin the transfer of sugar from the bloodstream to the cells.
- Mayslow the breakdown of carbs by reducing the amount of certain digestive enzymes.
- Sprinkle somecinnamonin oatmeal, cottage cheese, plain yogurt, or your favorite brew to make a more fragrant tea.
- Fenugreek
- Made from Trigonella foenum-graecum, a legume plant.
- Several studies have reported that fenugreek can help control appetite and reduce food consumption, resulting in weight loss.
- Cayenne pepper
- Contains a compound called capsaicin, which gives cayenne pepper its spiciness and provides various health benefits.
- Works by raising body temperature, helping to boost metabolism, and burning more calories.
- A study reported that eating a meal containing capsaicin decreased ghrelin levels, the hormone that promotes hunger.
- Try sprinkling cayenne onroasted nutsor in soups, scrambled eggs, or homemade dressings or dips.
- Cumin
- Made from the seeds of the flowering plant Cuminum cyminum, which is part of the parsley family.
- Has a nutty flavor and several health benefits, including speeding up weight loss and fat burning.
- According to arecent studyconducted on overweight women, one teaspoon added to one of the meals per day helped burn up to three times more body fat.
- Try it in soups, stews, dressings, dips, stir-fries, rubs, marinades, and flatbreads, and other savory baked goods.
- Ginger
- Is the rhizome (the main stem) of the blooming ginger plant, Zingiber officinale, which is commonly used in traditional medicine as a natural cure for various ailments.
- Helps control blood sugar and prevent a spike in glucose levels after a sugar or carb-rich meal.
- Have the same fat-burning or thermogenic properties as turmeric and cayenne.
- Grate fresh ginger into stir-fries, baked fish, fruit salad, or tea.
- Oregano
- Is a perennial herb related to mint, thyme, sage, basil, and rosemary.
- Contains carvacrol, a potent substance that may aid weight loss by directly affecting some proteins and genes that regulate fat synthesis in the body.
- Ginseng
- Used in traditional Chinese medicine for its health-promoting properties and classified into Chinese, Korean, and American; all are members of the same genus of ginseng plants.
- An animal study reported that ginseng helped lose weight by changing fat production and slowing fat absorption. However, more high-quality, large-scale studies on ginseng’s effect on weight reduction in humans are needed.
- Garlic
- Is usually added as a flavor-inducing ingredient in most dishes, causes bad breath, and has fat-burning properties.
- The pungent flavor of garlic makes food tastier, helps the body burn fat,increases immunity, and boosts metabolism.
- Black pepper
- Made from the dried fruit of Piper nigrum, an Indian flowering vine.
- Contains piperine, a potent compound that gives it its intense flavor and potential weight-loss and fat-burning properties.
- Blocks the formation of new fat cells, which can help prevent weight gain.
- Add black pepper to just about everything you eat, such as yogurt, cottage cheese, and oatmeal.
- Cardamom
- Is a highly valued spice derived from the seeds of a ginger-related plant.
- Possesses thermogenic properties that help boost body temperature and metabolism.
- Can be mixed with nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and ginger for a homemade curry blend or tea. Add some of this citrusy spice to baked goods, coffee, or game meats, such as lamb.
- Caralluma fimbriata
- Is a common ingredient in diet pills and can work byraisingserotonin levels, a neurotransmitter thatimpacts appetite.
- Reduces appetite and thus, aids in weight loss.
- Gymnema sylvestre
- Is a slightly bitter herb and is often used as a natural blood-sugar-lowering treatment.
- Contains a compound calledgymnemic acid,which can help lessen the perceived sweetness of foods, reducing sugar cravings.
- Green coffee bean extract
- Produced from unroasted coffee beans and has a lot of chlorogenic acids, which help lose weight.
- Dandelions
- Could be considered an unwanted weed while gardening, but the plant keeps you from bloating while increasing your intake of vitamins A, C, and E and iron and potassium.
Medically Reviewed on 8/24/2022
References
Image Source: iStock image
13 Herbs And Spices Scientifically Proven To Help You Lose Weight. https://www.prevention.com/weight-loss/a20493821/herbs-and-spices-for-weight-loss/
Using Herbal Remedies to Maintain Optimal Weight. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2927017/
