Can The Way You Spice Your Food Help You Lose Weight?
With the holidays upon us we are all probably thinking way too much about what we ate, when and how much. But hopefully you can worry less and take a more empowered role with your food this holiday season with using quality foods and beneficial spices and seasonings.
I suggest meal planning to help you on your journey to empowerment with food. As you do this also think about how you season your dishes. Herbs and spices don’t just add flavor, but can actually help you to burn more fat. Here are some that you definitely want to include.
Ginseng
While not typically thought of as a flavorful spice, is a great herb for your metabolism. Ginseng is one of the best herbs that can help you burn more fat. It burns fat by naturally speeding up your metabolism and helping to boost your energy levels. When your metabolism gets a nice boost, you are able to burn fat and calories at a more rapid pace. Plus, the extra energy makes you more motivated to exercise, which also will lead more caloric burn. You can get ginseng extract or supplements, so this one you won’t actually be adding to meals as a seasoning spice.
Cinnamon
Who doesn’t love a little cinnamon? Luckily, not only is it delicious, cinnamon is good for you! It contains a lot more nutrients than you might imagine and can also help to boost your metabolism. Cinnamon helps with lowering blood sugar and can even help with your cholesterol levels.
Cinnamon is also loaded with powerful antioxidants, such as polyphenols. Antioxidants protect your body from oxidative damage caused by free radicals, and also act as a natural anti-inflammatory agent. So when you want to add some flavor to your coffee, sprinkle a little cinnamon on top. You can also make a delicious smoothie that tastes like dessert by combining your favorite nut milk with apples and cinnamon on top.
Mustard
Yes, mustard is good for you! (not Frenches, the yellow stuff) This condiment is often used on fattening foods like hot dogs, but it doesn’t have to be. The mustard powder is finely grounded mustard seeds which is made from three types of plants, yellow, brown and black mustard plants. You can add mustard spice or mustard seeds to a lot of different foods and side dishes. Mustard is said to contain high mineral content like iron, zinc, phosphorus and calcium. By daily consumption of this powder we can prevent any type of mineral deficiency within our body. Mustard also contains anti-oxidants and neutralizes the effect of oxygen and the damages incurred by oxidative stress in the body. You can also use mustard oil to reduce the serum glucose and stimulate metabolism leading to control of glucose in the body.
Turmeric
Turmeric is becoming popular as a spice because it tastes great and is extremely healthy. Turmeric is the spice that gives curry its yellow color. It has been used in India for thousands of years as a spice and medicinal herb. Curcumin is the main active ingredient in turmeric. As a superfood, turmeric provides loads of nutrients that help you to be healthier overall, but also to burn fat and improve your weight loss efforts. Curcumin is strongly anti-inflammatory. In fact, it’s so powerful that it matches the effectiveness of some anti-inflammatory drugs. Tumeric/curcumin has been studied for its effects in treating cancer, heart disease, high cholesterol, Alzheimer’s, and many more chronic and acute illnesses. It tastes similar to curry, so if you like a little kick to your veggie or rice dishes, sprinkle some turmeric in there. There are many different easy and healthy ways to use turmeric in your cooking.
I encourage you to get creative and have fun with your food and spices this holiday season. There is no reason to stay in your same old rut. You have the power to choose and to change!
If you enjoyed this post and are wanting to THRIVE, not just survive, consider working with me as your personal health coach. Together we will make an actionable plan based on where you are and where you want to be. All of my plans include a comprehensive health history, food plan, recipes, shopping lists and a plethora of support materials, not to mention all the mindfulness tools & techniques I teach you to put those gremlins to rest for good!
I invite you to join me on my Facebook page,facebook.com/drlaramay, where I’ll be sharing more information, tips and recipes to help you live a happier, healthier life. Be sure to check out my podcast on your favorite platform, iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Podbean or Anchor.Fm @Light Body Radio.
To your wellness,
- Dr. Lara
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