| Does
your diet need spicing up? Spices are herbs are often viewed as
unnecessary additions to an already complete food. But most of
them are considered foods unto themselves, so don't overlook them
when you're cooking up something new in the kitchen. Add colorful,
zesty spices and herbs to your foods and help stave off those
unwanted pounds. Green
tea is gaining popularity with health food lovers and dieters
alike. It contains caffeine and antioxidants. Drinking a cup
after every meal promotes thermogenesis, which is how your body
turns fat into energy.
You can boost your
metabolic rate with spices such as ginger, horseradish, cayenne
pepper and even cinnamon. Of course, cinnamon cookies, though
they taste great, aren't going to do your diet much good. Try
sprinkling cinnamon onto a bowl of steel cut oats in the morning,
along with raisins and a chopped apple. You'll be filling up
at the best time of the day for your body to start burning off
that energy, you won't feel like snacking before lunch, and
you'll also be raising your metabolism, which nutritionists
say is one of the keys to weight loss.
Ginger root can be
bought whole, and grated or chopped into soups and other dishes
to add a special flavor. You can also buy it in powdered form
for convenience. Try it in Asian dishes or a coconut milk-based
soup. Ginger and curry is a wonderful combination of flavors
frequently used in Thai dishes.
Cayenne is a wonderful
spice for quickly adding warmth to your body. It's also very
helpful fighting off a common cold or the flu. Next time you
feel a cold or flu trying to drag you down, mix a small amount
of cayenne into a cup of freshly squeezed orange juice and drink
it down.
A teaspoon of mustard
can raise your metabolic rate for about three hours, according
to Linda Page, nutritionist. Try adding a teaspoon of dried
mustard to your favorite vegetable soup recipe, toss in a couple
of spoons-full of chopped sea vegetables, and sprinkle liberally
with ginger. Spices and herbs will help you turn any meal into
a delicious fat-burning, energizing meal that you'll enjoy preparing
and sharing with your family. |
