If there’s ever a certain time of year where my friends (and I) want to drop a few pounds, it’s about this time of year. We’ve gone through all the holidays eating a bit more than usual and cold weather typically means more comfort food eating….and you know summer is around the corner. If you’re looking to slim down, look no further than your spice rack for a fat-burning boost!
CINNAMON
(Blasts Belly Fat!) – Just 1 teaspoon of cinnamon per day dramatically lowers blood sugar and the amount of insulin produced after a meal. That’s a big plus for weight loss “because high insulin results in storage of excess fat, especially around the abdomen,” says Shane Ellison, M.S., author of Over-the-Counter Natural Cures. Cinnamon also halts cravings, boosts metabolism, lowers “bad” LDL cholesterol up to 27% and even reduces the amount of fats floating in your bloodstream. Need further proof? In British studies, folks who took cinnamon before a meal wound up losing a whopping 500% more weight than folks who didn’t!
Tip… Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of cinnamon on cereal, oatmeal, toast or coffee for a morning metabolism boost-or add it to hot chocolate, tea or warm milk at bedtime. You can also find cinnamon capsules at health-food stores and online; take up to 2,000 mg. daily.
HOT SAUCE
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(Quashes Hunger!) – When your mouth tastes something spicy, your body automatically ups its levels of GLP-1, a hunger-reducing hormone, while at the same time lowering levels of ghrelin, an appetite stimulant! The credit belongs to capsaicin, the fiery compound that gives hot sauce and hot chilies their heat. Capsaicin is so powerful, in fact, studies show folks who take it before a meal consume 16% fewer calories without even realizing it. (No wonder capsaicin is the main ingredient in so many over-the-counter weight loss pills!)
Tip… Simply add Tabasco sauce to your scrambled eggs, chilis to your chili or hot peppers to your sandwich. Can’t take the heat? Look for capsaicin ca
psules at health-food stores and online.
BLACK PEPPER
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(Revs Metabolism!) – As soon as this sharp spice hits your taste buds, it signals your body to release special digestive enzymes that coat the stomach, helping break down proteins and carbohydrates so they don’t turn into fat, says Johnny Bowden, author of The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth. That’s not all: Pepper’s main component, piperine-which delivers its pungent punch-boosts metabolism as much as 8%, a fat-burning benefit that lasts for hours!
Tip… Use freshly ground pepper, which has the most concentrated amounts of piperine.
GINGER
(Beats Bloat!) – This sweet and tangy spice is a powerful fat burner. One study reveals adding ground ginger to a meal, or sipping a cup of ginger tea, burns 43 calories-that’s comparable to a 10-minute workout! Ginger is also a diuretic and speeds toxins and fats through and out of the body, preventing them from being stored in tissues. And since ginger is a proven cure for bloating, you’ll instantly see a slimmer belly!
Tip… The study-proven amount is 1 teaspoon of dried ground ginger or 1 cup of ginger tea daily- which is also a time-tested cure for upset stomach and nausea!
TURMERIC
(Stops Fat In Its Tracks!) – This zesty curry ingredient’s active component, curcumin, suppresses the growth of new fat tissue-no exercise required! “Turmeric also boosts metabolism and helps the liver flush out fats and toxins,” says Ellison. “Not only can it reduce body fat, it also lowers cholesterol!”
Tip… The proven amount for weight loss is 1 teaspoon daily; use it to add zest to stir-fries, rice dishes and chicken. Or try a daily 400-mg. turmeric supplement.
I got this information from Woman’s World 2/25/13 from Shannon Hunt. And as always, if you have any medical problems, ALWAYS check with your doctor before starting anything new!
And as we all know, there’s no “miracle” weight-loss pill or food that’s going to instantly make you lose weight! These are suggestions on how to help…..less calories, more healthy foods and exercise are the best ways to lose weight and maintain.