Most herbs and spices offer a multitude of health benefits as a result of the nutrients they contain. Though one of the most sought after benefits doesn’t focus on what you gain, instead it focuses on what you lose. Yes, certain herbs and spices can help you lose weight. The mechanism of weight loss can differ from spice to spice, but all of the herbs and spices below have proven to be good choices for helping you shed those extra pounds.
Cumin
Cumin can help to improve your health in numerous ways that range from blood sugar management to cholesterol reduction. The ability to enhance weight loss can now be listed among those benefits. Studies have shown cumin to enhance weight loss efforts significantly. Researchers speculate that the effects are due to the spice’s ability to speed up the metabolism.
Chili peppers
Capsaicin is the compound in chili peppers that delivers the heat. The theory about capsaicin is that it can make body fat easier to convert to energy. It does this by changing body fat from difficult-to-burn white fat to brown fat, which your body readily uses as fuel. It also stimulates the process by which the fat is burned, known as thermogenesis. Other studies have shown that people who consume chili pepper have greater feelings of fullness and reduced appetite, which is another way that you can lose weight.
Ginger
Cortisol is often referred to as the stress hormone since it is secreted in higher amounts during times of stress. While cortisol is important for some of the body’s functions, it can have some major negative health effects. Normally, cortisol is secreted in higher amounts in the morning and lower amounts at night. The health effects can be especially severe disruptions to this schedule. Any change in that schedule can result in fat being deposited around the midsection. Ginger has the effect of reducing cortisol levels, which means that it may be beneficial for counteracting cortisol-influenced weight gain.
Fennel seeds
The seeds of the fennel plant have long had a reputation for enhancing weight loss. Fans of this licorice-flavored spice’s fat-fighting abilities claim that it acts as an appetite suppressant. Other claims made about it are that it is able to decrease fat storage. None of these claims are supported by research; however, fennel seeds are known to have a diuretic effect. As a diuretic, they can help you to lose water weight.
Rosemary
Mint relative rosemary is one of the few herbs that are believed to be beneficial for weight loss. Rosemary can help you to lose weight by suppressing your appetite. You eat fewer calories and thus lose weight. It can also fight fat directly. It owes some of its anti-fat effects to a compound called carnosic acid that has the effect of preventing the formation of fat cells.
Seaweed
Edible seaweeds have only relatively recently been accepted as food in the West despite the fact that it has been revered in Japan for centuries. While some seaweed is known for being a good source of dietary iodine, the fact that you can also get both soluble and insoluble fiber along with amino acids from most is often overlooked. Important seaweed varieties include kombu and nori.