When it comes to losing weight...
Some claim it’s not how much you eat, but what you eat. So, what about using spices for weight loss? Researchers recently looked at the effectiveness of using everything from pepper to cinnamon to keep the pounds off and found some surprising results. For instance, black pepper is known to play a role in body heat, energy control, insulin sensitivity and other things. In animals, researchers believe, black pepper helps prevent obesity. In human studies, a blend of black pepper, capsaicin, fiber, and carnitine has shown promise in helping people feel fuller and reducing appetite. Black pepper has antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Capsaicin is, of course, the active ingredient in hot chili peppers that makes them so hot.
Pure capsaicin sits at the very top of Scoville Scale and everything else ranks somewhere lower on the scale. Capsaicin is thought to have a number of health benefits itself, including its antimicrobial and anti-cancer properties, as well as its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Studies suggest capsaicin may help prevent obesity because it increases the secretion of a hormone that makes people feel fuller and it reduces their appetite. Along with decreasing your caloric intake, capsaicin can also increase your energy expenditure. In this way, eating hot peppers may help you better balance your calories and potentially maintain your weight.
Cinnamon has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, too.
It’s possible the consumption of cinnamon may additionally have ties to weight loss and a decrease in body volume. Finally, curcumin is used to treat chronic diseases, as it is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant spice. In animal studies, it appears curcumin may result in lower fat mass and body weight, although weight loss hasn’t been shown in humans. However, it could possibly play a role in proper weight management, or at the very least, help add some extra flavor and spice at mealtime.
