10 spices and herbs that can help you lose weight

Dishes with the addition of properly selected herbs gain completely new properties.

First of all, they get a completely new smell and taste. Secondly, spices give your food a higher content of antioxidants, minerals and vitamins, which has a positive effect on the body. In addition, some spices help maintain a healthy body weight.

10 herbs and spices that contribute to weight loss.

1. Ginseng

Ginseng is appreciated for increasing energy levels and accelerating metabolism. Extensive research has been conducted on ginseng, which shows that it contributes to the loss of unnecessary kilograms. Diabetic mice who received ginseng extract were not only more sensitive to insulin but also lost a lot of weight.

2. Cayenne pepper

Capsaicin is an ingredient that makes peppers spicy. Thanks to it, you can reduce the risk of obesity and reduce the amount of consumed calories. Capsaicin also reduces the thickness of body fat and lowers blood fat levels, as well as inhibiting the development of fat cells. One of the benefits of capsaicin is that it improves the body's thermogenesis. This results in faster fat burning and a gentle increase the body temperature. Research suggests that taking thermogenic foods can improve your metabolism by 5% and increase fat burning by up to 16%. By taking capsaicin, you will get rid of the metabolic problems that appear during weight loss.

3. Cinnamon

It is a spice that will speed up your metabolism and help to improve blood glucose levels. This makes it one of the best herbs for people with diabetes or pre-diabetes. Cinnamon significantly lowers the level of glucose, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol in the blood. According to some researches, it improves glucose metabolism by as much as 20 times, making it easier to achieve normal glycemia.

4. Black pepper

Black pepper contains piperine, which not only has a pungent taste, but also inhibits the appearance of new fat cells. Capsaicin burns as many calories as going for a 20-minute walk. In addition, it increases the bioavailability of macro and micronutrients available in other dishes.

5. Dandelion

Every part of the dandelion is edible and has tons of health effects. Among other things, the dandelion gives you a feeling of fullness, thanks to which you feel full for longer and you can more easily maintain a healthy weight. It also contains loads of antioxidants and an ingredient called taraxacin, which works much like insulin and other types of fiber. Dandelion contains not only dietary fiber, but also beta-carotene, vitamin K1, and other vitamins and minerals. Thanks to it, you can stabilize the blood sugar level and lower cholesterol, as well as cleanse the liver.

6. Mustard

Mustard seed belongs to the Brassicaceae family, which also includes broccoli, cabbage, and brussels sprouts. Mustard seeds improve metabolism by 25%, which means that after eating mustard, you burn calories much more efficiently. If you want to burn 45 calories, you should eat 3 to 5 tablespoons of spicy mustard.

7. Turmeric

If you are a fan of curry, you take full advantage of the healing properties of turmeric. This yellow-orange spice goes well with many dishes. Curcumin is one of the most studied ingredients in turmeric and reduces the build-up of body fat. The mechanism of its action is very interesting - turmeric negatively affects the condition of blood vessels that are connected with adipose tissue. Turmeric can also be useful in the treatment of diseases related to obesity. It increases the sensitivity of tissues to insulin, helps with hypoglycemia and hyperlipidaemia and other inflammatory diseases related to obesity and metabolic diseases.

8. Ginger

Ginger is another herb with a warming effect that has an anti-inflammatory effect and affects the digestive system. Research indicates that ginger is thermogenic and improves metabolism. It also inhibits appetite and preserves the correct weight of the body.

9. Cardamom

Cardamom has a very aromatic smell and a sweet-spicy flavor. It also has a thermogenic effect, allows you to increase the body's metabolism and increase fat burning. It is very popular in Ayurvedic medicine that comes from India.

10. Cumin

Cumin is a herb that has a positive effect on digestion and increases energy. It also  influences less glucose fluctuation in people with type II diabetes. Cumin has also been found to improve memory and reduce stress.

What other herbs are good for you?

Herbs and spices are the most important source of antioxidants in the diet. In many cases, they are more effective than tablets or even fruits. For example, clove and cinnamon contain even 30% phenol. Blueberries, which are also said to be high in antioxidants, contain only 5% phenol.

Another good example of how valuable herbs are is oregano, containing 43 times more antioxidants than apples, 30 times more than potatoes, 12 times more than oranges and 4 times more than berries. One spoon of fresh oregano has such antioxidant activity as an average apple.

Individual herbs differ in their antioxidant activity. One of the researches, published in the Journal of Medicinal Foods, found an exact link between the phenol content of spices and their ability to inhibit the production of harmful by-products that lead to heart disease and premature aging. Remember to buy herbs from good herbal stores or grow them yourself. In most cases, just adding spices to your meals will not be enough to significantly lose weight. However, if you combine with diet and exercise, reaching your goal will be much easier. If you want to lose weight quickly, you should include:

Eliminate or reduce the amount of fructose in your diet and follow a proper diet that provides all the nutrients. For this purpose, you can use a periodic diet that will allow you to burn unnecessary kilograms faster. Also start exercising, so you will burn fat and increase the amount of muscle mass. The more muscle you have, the faster you burn fat. Stop being emotional about food. Before each meal, think about whether you are eating to assuage your hunger or because you feel bad.