Spice Diet Tips – A Boost to Your Weight Loss Program!

Life in the 21st century has become sedentary for many people. Modern entertainment, fast food, lack of time, etc. contributes to only about 4 out of every 10 people exercising on a regular basis. As a result many people find it very hard to lose weight and keep it off.

There is some good news though; recent studies have showed that spicy foods can curb appetite and speed up metabolism and thus fat burning ability. How you might ask? Hot spices especially chilies may inhibit overeating because they contribute to satiety, the feeling of fullness after eating. Not to mention it may be more difficult to overindulge in a hot, spicy food due to the fact that you may become uncomfortable before you can overeat.

In addition to making people feel full faster, chili powder and many other spices have a thermogenic effect.  This results in the body heating itself from within, which revs up the metabolism. The term metabolism describes the sum of all chemical processes that take place in the body. It manages the movement of nutrients in the blood after digestion which results in growth, energy and other body functions. Certain spices cause our bodies to burn extra calories by boosting the metabolic rate and thus stimulating weight loss. Some studies have found that adding thermogenic spices at a meal can increase the number of calories burned by 25% for up to an hour after the meal. Hey every little bit helps! The following spices have been shown to have this effect to some degree:

Black Pepper- Has been shown to raise the body temperature and increase metabolism. Pepper also has been shown to aid is digestion as well as have antioxidant and antibacterial properties.

Chili Powder- Chili powder contains capsaicin, which is a powerful stimulant that raises the body temperature and fat burning ability by up to 25% and has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels and improve circulation.

Cayenne Pepper and Tabasco Sauce- Also cause metabolic rate and fat burning ability to increase by up to 25%.

Cumin- According to a study at the University of Chicago, cumin also increases metabolism, especially when used in curry spice blends.

Mustard- In a British study, adding ordinary mustard to a meal caused the average metabolic rate of participants to increase by 25% and the effects lasted up to 3 hours.

Turmeric- Also boosts metabolism

Ginger- Has been shown to increase metabolic rate and inhibit nausea sometimes caused by car sickness.

Cinnamon- Researchers have found that using just ¼ to 1 teaspoon of cinnamon can increase your metabolism and improve your body’s ability to handle sugar by stimulating insulin activity.

No one can promise weight loss, but it can’t hurt to rev up your metabolism by adding some of these spices for a little extra burn effect. As always, the best way to lose weight is to consume fewer calories than you burn and exercise regularly, but you never have to eat bland diet food!