Spices and Metabolism

Have you heard that eating spicy foods can help you burn fat? Although the extent to which spices can actually help you burn off a meal is unclear, studies show that adding certain spices to food (or eating more naturally spicy foods, such as peppers) can help you lose weight.?

How does it work? Eating spicy foods may actually help you lose weight in a couple of ways:
1) Increasing thermogenesis (heat production) in the body, which uses up Calories
2) Increasing satiety, or making you feel fuller, sooner; and most directly
3) Increasing fat oxidation (fat burning)?

They also add tons of flavour without adding extra Calories from things like sauces, which may contribute to a lower energy intake at the end of the day.?
Some examples of such function ingredients are: capsaicin (hot peppers), black pepper, mixed spices, green tea, and black tea. Black pepper, in addition to being used as a seasoning and stimulating metabolism, may also help increase absorption of some nutrients.?

So load up that spice rack and get cooking! Just be sure to watch out for spicy ethnic dishes that are heavy on fat (such as oil or cream), that will negate the benefit of the spices.

~ Compliments of Kalev Personal Training

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