Time to spice things up! Adding herbs and spices to your meals can not only add a pleasure factor to a dish, they may also help increase your metabolic rate. That’s not to say these are wonder seeds to sprinkle on your dish and refute the need to make healthy choices.
But if you’re choosing foods that are packed with nutrition, staying within your calorie needs, and incorporating these flavors, research has shown herbs and spices can help speed up your metabolism and improve your health.
Here are the top 5 herbs and spices that you can use to torch your metabolism:
Red Chili Pepper
If you love Mexican food, then you have likely savored this extra spicy pepper! Red chili peppers add zest to flavorful dishes around the world and health to those courageous enough to endure their fiery taste.
The following health benefits are linked to red chili pepper:
- Natural pain relief
- Anti-inflammatory
- Cardiovascular improvements
- Clear congestion
- Boost immune system
- Stops spread of prostate cancer
- Prevent stomach ulcers
- Lowers risk of type-2 diabetes
Cayenne Pepper
One of the hottest and spiciest peppers, cayenne pepper also turns up the heat on your metabolism! The hotness produced by them is due to a high concentration of a substance called capsaicin. The capsaicin is responsible for the majority of health benefits that cayenne pepper has.
Here are the benefits of cayenne pepper:
- Natural pain relief
- Anti-inflammatory
- Cardiovascular improvements
- Clear congestion
- Boost immune system
- Prevents stomach ulcers
Ginger
Ginger and spice makes everything nice! This spice provides benefits for your metabolism. There are animal studies that have discovered that ginger can increase metabolism by up to 20 percent. Also, it has been used for centuries in many cultures to help ease digestion and for several other illnesses.
Here are the following benefits of adding ginger to your diet:
- Protect against colorectal cancer
- Eliminates ovarian cancer cells
- Reduces nausea during pregnancy
- Support healthy digestive system
- Boost immune system
Cinnamon
This sweet and warm tasting spice is great for elevating your metabolism. Cinnamon has a long history being used not only as a spice, but for medicinal purposes as well. Over the past couple of years, cinnamon has been researched for its ability to potential cure diabetes.
Cinnamon has been shown to help diabetics decrease their hemoglobin A1C level, a reflection of blood glucose levels over the past few months as well as reduce cholesterol and blood pressure. The possible reason this could is that cinnamon allows insulin to work more efficiently.
Here are the health benefits of cinnamon:
- Prevents blood clots
- Anti-microbial activity
- Controls blood sugar
- Cinnamon’s scent boosts brain function
- Improve colon health
- Protects against heart disease
- Relieves flu and cold symptoms
Other Metabolism-Boosting Spices: bell pepper, turmeric, cloves, rosemary, sage, thyme, cilantro, basil, oregano, and peppermint
Use these spices for your dinner tonight to ignite your metabolism!
