Herbs And Spices Are Not The Answer To Weight Loss, But They Can Make Healthy Eating Easier

The best diet to try in 2023

Following

Losing weight is (and should be) a personal experience. If you're looking for ways to make your journey easier, you might want to check out this article on using spices and herbs for weight loss.

Let's face it, you won't magically lose weight by adding certain nutrients to your diet. "While spices can increase fat burning, they should not be used as the only answer to weight loss," says Fatima Cody Stanford, MD, MPH, obesity physician and clinical researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Certain spices "are known to improve metabolism, fat loss and reduce appetite, but must be combined with other lifestyle measures, including good nutrition and exercise, for optimal results," he says. This means you start sprinkling more cayenne pepper (a popular spice for weight loss) on your favorite chicken dish, but that alone won't make a difference.

Spices can indirectly help you lose weight by making healthy foods taste better, says Kerry Gans, RD, New York-based nutritionist and author of The Little Change Diet . "Spices are a great way to add flavor without adding extra calories, which makes desserts tastier," she says.

Meet the experts. Fatima Cody Stanford, MD, MPH, is an obesity physician and clinical researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital. Kerry Gans, RD, is a New York-based nutritionist and author of The Small Change Diet .

There is research linking certain herbs to weight loss, but it is not solid. However, if you want to add more spices to your diet and wonder how it will affect your weight loss, you obviously have some questions. These are the spices and herbs associated with weight loss, and what the research actually says.

1. Red pepper

Early research suggests that capsaicin, found in chili peppers, may help burn body fat and reduce hunger by regulating hormones in the digestive tract. But long-term studies and clinical trials are needed to confirm these benefits.

Also, like most research on herbs and spices for weight loss, research in this area is sparse. A 2009 study of 30 people found that those who ate capsaicin had lower levels of ghrelin, which is associated with hunger. It is unclear whether research with larger populations would yield the same results. However, it should be noted. Researchers found that people who took capsaicin did not feel full compared to controls.

2. Turmeric

Dr. Borrie is a spice known for its beautiful, velvety flower color, Stanford says, and it's been linked to burning fat and improving metabolism. Much of this has to do with a chemical in turmeric that has been extensively studied, but again, these are small studies.

In a 2015 study published in the European Journal of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 44 overweight people took curcumin twice a day for a month. Participants lost about 5% of their body fat, their waist circumference decreased by about 4% and their hip circumference by 2.5%.

Similar results were seen in a study in older animals, which showed that rats supplemented with curcumin for three months lost body weight and fat. (But hey, we're not mice!)

3. Ginger

You know the experience. there are a few studies that support this, but nothing major. A 2019 meta-analysis of 14 overweight and obesity studies (a total of 473 subjects) found that those who took ginger supplements lost weight and body fat. Ginger has even been found to reduce fasting blood sugar and insulin resistance, which causes the body to store more blood sugar than fat, making it harder to lose weight.

Another analysis of 27 human and animal studies found that these benefits are attributed to ginger's ability to generate heat and burn body fat, increase fat breakdown and control appetite.

4. Cinnamon

Cinnamon can help you lose weight in many ways, and many of them depend on how it affects your blood sugar.

According to recent research published in The Journal of the American College of Nutrition , a compound in cinnamon called hydroxylase can mimic insulin and transport sugar into cells that use it as fuel. A 2009 review of eight studies found that cinnamon helps stabilize blood sugar, which can reduce appetite. However, the researchers concluded that more research is needed to confirm these benefits.

5. Mushroom

Fenugreek is a type of seed often found in products such as lactation support bars to increase milk supply for nursing mothers. There is evidence that it can help reduce appetite and aid in weight loss.

A 2009 study of 19 people found that people who took eight grams of chives a day lost weight compared to a placebo group. In another study, people who took high doses of fenugreek seed extract ate 17% less fat overall, but there were no significant changes in their weight or other health indicators.

6. Oregano

Oregano contains an active compound called carbarol, which is associated with weight loss. A 2012 study found that caravarol can inhibit the growth and accumulation of fat cells in the body. Indeed, giving carvarol to rats fed a high-fat diet seemed to help them gain weight and fat compared to a control group in another study. Note that the same may not be true for humans.

7. Ginseng

Ginseng is widely used in Eastern medicine and small studies have linked it to weight loss. A study of 10 obese women who took Korean ginseng twice a day for eight weeks found that they lost weight. The cause is unclear, but the researchers believe the findings are linked to changes in the gut microbiota.

Another animal study in obese mice found that white ginseng extract inhibited fat formation and helped slow fat absorption in the gut. Again, we need human research to see if this applies to humans.

8. Caralluma fimbriata

Herbs for weight loss, caralluma fimbriata

If you don't know, Caralluma fimbriata is an edible cactus native to Asia. It reduces appetite and helps in weight loss. A 12-week study among 33 overweight and obese people showed that those who took Caralluma fimbriata lost more abdominal fat and overall weight than those who took a placebo.

An older study of 50 adult men and women found that those who took one gram of Caralluma fimbriata daily for two months lost weight and were less hungry than a placebo group.

9. Black pepper

The weight loss benefits of black pepper are due to piperine, an active compound found in this common household spice. It should be noted that these effects have so far only been observed in animal and cell studies. A study published in the Indian Journal of Pharmacology found that mice given pepper lost weight on a high-fat diet compared to those without the spice. Older laboratory research also linked piperine to the formation of fat cells.

10. Cumin

Some (small) studies show that cumin is associated with better fat burning. A 2014 study of 88 obese women found that those who ate yogurt containing three grams of cumin powder daily lost weight and had lower cholesterol levels than those who did not eat yogurt. Another study of overweight adults found that those who took cumin supplements three times a day lost 2.2 pounds more than those in the placebo group after eight weeks.

11. Cardamom

Cardamom has been linked to weight loss, but so far only in animals. A study in rats found that those fed a high-fat, cardamom diet had less belly fat and total belly fat after 16 weeks. In another study, 28 rats given cardamom powder as part of a high-fat, high-carbohydrate diet lost more abdominal fat than those not given the powder.

12. Sylvester Gymnasium

Herbs for weight loss, exercise sylvester

Gymnema sylvestre contains a compound called gymnemic acid, which has been shown to reduce sweet cravings in obese people. An older study from 1983 found that people taking Gymnema Sylvester were hungrier and ate less food than the placebo group. The herb has been linked to weight loss in rats fed a high-fat diet.

13. Green coffee extract

It continues to appear in weight loss supplements lately, and there is scientific data to support its use. A study of 20 healthy people found that those who consumed green coffee beans reduced their BMI and abdominal fat within two weeks, despite no changes in their diet. A 2011 study also found that this substance reduced a person's body weight by 5.5 pounds, but even the researchers noted that the quality of the data was not very good.

Finally, the science behind almost all of these claims about herbs and spices causing significant weight loss is weak. That's why it's best to really focus on herbs and spices to flavor your food. Dr. “I encourage people to think about experimenting with spices to spice up food and make it taste better,” Stanford said. "It's a great way to increase vegetable intake and improve overall health."

Try over 200 home workout videos in 14 days for men's health, women's health, prevention and more.