What you eat everyday will undoubtedly have an impact on your weight, and if you’re consuming way more calories than you’re able to burn off, you may always struggle with your waistband. However, did you know that there are certain herbs which, when consumed as part of a healthy and balanced diet (or taken in the form of a herbal slim tablet), might help you with the weight loss battle?
Here are some herbs and spices that have been proven to help fight food cravings, increase fat burning and support healthy weight loss:
Fenugreek
This commonly used spice comes from a plant that actually belongs to the family of legumes, and studies have shown it to be helpful in controlling appetite and cravings, and reducing the intake of food to aid weight loss.
Cayenne pepper
A type of chili pepper, cayenne is a popular spice added to a variety of dishes, and in it, is contained a compound known as capsaicin. It’s this that gives the element of heat to cayenne pepper, and aside from spicing up a dish, it can also provide us with a number of health benefits. Known to increase metabolism, help reduce hunger, and hence, reduce calorie intake, this spicy store cupboard essential could become your new favorite ingredient!
Ginger
Made from the underground stem of the flowering ginger plant, ginger has been used in folk medicine for centuries to help cure a range of ailments. Interestingly, research has been carried out that shows ginger could be a helpful solution for aiding weight loss, too, as it has been proven to increase both metabolism and the ability to burn fat, along with decreasing the absorption of fat and decreasing appetite.
Oregano
Belonging to the same family of plants as basil, thyme, mint, sage and rosemary, this perennial herb contains a strong compound known as carvacrol, which research has shown might aid weight loss.
Ginseng
A staple of traditional forms of medicine in China, ginseng has many properties that lend it to weight loss, the modification of fat formation and the delay of fat absorption.
Turmeric
Vibrant in color and renowned for its distinct flavor profile, turmeric has several medicinal properties that can largely be attributed to a chemical called curcumin, which is present within it. Curcumin has been the subject of many scientific and medicinal studies, and has been shown to have an impact on weight and fat loss, and inflammation.
Black pepper
Derived from a flowering vine with its roots (pun intended!) in India, black pepper is a common household spice known, loved, and used by many throughout the world. Containing a compound with powerful qualities known as piperine, it has the potential to lower body weight and is thought to inhibit the formation of fat cells.
Cinnamon
Made from the bark of trees, this aromatic spice contains many antioxidants, and offers us a number of health benefits, from increasing weight loss to stabilizing blood sugar and reducing appetite.
Cumin
Loved for its uniquely nutty flavor, and loaded with health benefits, this spice that’s made from the seeds of a flowering plant from the parsley family, has the potential to aid both weight loss and the burning of fat.
Cardamom
The seeds of a plant belonging to the ginger family are responsible for the making of cardamom, and while it’s a popular ingredient in dishes and baked goods all over the world, it has also been proven to help reduce belly fat, although it should be noted that these studies took place in animals, not humans. Not a fan of any of the above herbs and spices? Simply talk to your healthcare practitioner about the various herbal nutrition weight loss supplements available today, and see which one you could easily incorporate into your daily diet to help you lose weight.