Best Spices for Weight Loss

The Spice Route to Shedding Pounds

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Metabolism is the body’s way of extracting energy from the food you consume; this process occurs at different rates for different people and can be affected by nutrition. Thermogenic foods help increase the rate of metabolism by promoting thermogenesis, a process during which the body burns the calories from the food you just ate by converting those calories to heat and facilitating weight loss. 

Many different spices are considered thermogenic and can help support better weight loss. Here are a few:

Cayenne Pepper:

We have known about the weight loss properties of cayenne for centuries. Cayenne contains capsaicin, a molecule that promotes thermogenesis and increases the body’s energy usage. Capsaicin binds to heat receptors and promotes abdominal fat loss and fat oxidation. Cayenne pepper can also encourage weight loss by suppressing appetite.

Cinnamon

This spice helps balance blood sugar, as well as help with cravings and improve feelings of satiety. You can add it to your coffee and tea, sprinkle on yogurt or oatmeal, or mix in some cottage cheese. It’s also great for adding to different marinades, curries, and smoothies.

Turmeric

Turmeric contains an active ingredient called curcumin which might benefit weight loss because it increases body heat to boost metabolism. Turmeric is anti-inflammatory, and inflammation is one of the causes of weight gain. 

Turmeric has detoxifying properties and can aid the liver in flushing out any built-up toxins, which aids in weight loss. Additionally, the liver plays a crucial role in metabolizing fats, so when you remove toxin build-up, the liver it’s better able to help get rid of fats and potentially aid in weight loss. Turmeric also helps digestion and stimulates liver functions. It helps boost liver function and especially bile production, which ensures a cleansing function by accelerating the elimination of toxins and other waste that build up in our body. Add turmeric to your diet in soups, stews, smoothies, curries, teas, or stir-fry. You will find a lot of recipes with turmeric in my THRIVING HORMONES DETOX.  

Make sure you use black pepper with turmeric because piperine helps with the bioavailability of turmeric.

Cumin

Cumin seeds boost the functioning of metabolic processes and enhance digestion. It stimulates the activity of digestive and gastric enzymes to metabolize carbohydrates, fat, and glucose. Cumin seeds encourage thermogenesis which increases the breakdown of stored fats. It helps burn calories during activity or at rest by increasing the BMR of the body. It detoxifies and cleanses the body by flushing out toxins.

Cumin contains magnesium, calcium, iron, selenium, phosphorus, and vitamins E, K, A, C, and B6, which show antioxidant properties. It contains a chemical compound named thymoquinone, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These antioxidants fight against free radicals, reduce oxidative stress, and prevent cellular damage. In addition, healthy habits and regular exercise helps in decreasing stored fat and reducing inflammation. 

Cumin adds excellent flavor to food and may help burn body fat when it’s added to your daily meals. You can add cumin to soups, curries, beans, salsa, marinades, rice, rubs, and savory baked good.

You can also soak two tablespoons of cumin seeds in water to soak overnight. Then, boil the seeds in the morning, strain it, and drink is as tea. Add lemon juice and drink it on an empty stomach for two weeks.

Black Pepper

Black pepper has been shown to increase fat-burning properties while blocking the formation of new fat cells and helping to prevent weight gain. Black pepper contains piperine, a compound that helps to enhance metabolic performance and increases the concentration of good cholesterol.

This wonderful spice is thermogenic, which helps to speed up the metabolic process and burn calories more quickly.

Eating spicy food increase satiety and make you feel fuller, even after eating less. It’s a common spice that can be added to almost anything.

Cardamom

Cardamom is a thermogenic spice that helps increase metabolic rate and body temperature and promote weight loss. Cardamom is a diuretic that prevents excessive water retention. Therefore, it helps your body to flush out toxins that lead to healthy gut flora and improved metabolic rates. Cardamom may not burn your belly fat overnight, but frequent use of cardamom boosts your energy and metabolism, which can help with weight loss. Add it to homemade curries, coffee, and teas or baked goods to give them an excellent citrusy taste.

Weight loss is the product of healthy activity and healthy eating. Adding healthy, thermogenic spices can make your weight loss more accessible and delicious. These are my absolute favorite, and I add them to as many meals as possible!

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