It is always useful to get a helping hand from Mother Nature when it comes to staying active and healthy. Here are some of the best herbs and spices to try to boost your metabolism and help you to reach your health and fitness goals faster.
Oregano
A delicious herb that grows all year round, oregano has some surprising properties that make it great to boost your metabolism. This is down to the compound carvacrol, which is found in oregano and which helps to aid in weight loss. Studies have shown that this little magic herb can stop the body from absorbing unnecessary excess fat by adding even a sprinkle of oregano to your diet. This is, as a result, again of the clever carvacrol, which interacts with the body’s ability to control fat synthesis and helps to slow this down naturally.
Ginger
Ginger is dearived from the flowering plant known by its more complex name of Zingiber Officinale. Indeed, the ‘zing!’ sensation we feel when we taste ginger is all down to its strong and spicy taste, which has several metabolism-boosting effects. Ginger has been used for centuries to aid with weight loss and is a natural remedy that can also protect against cold and flu, perfect for keeping your metabolism running at a steady pace. Not only can spicy ginger make you feel less hungry, but studies have also shown it may help the body burn off fat as well, making it the perfect spice to try to give your metabolism a helping hand.
Cardamon
Related to the ginger family of plants, cardamon can be used in a wide variety of sweet and savory recipes and is also great as a natural remedy for boosting your metabolism. Studies have shown that it does help the body with slowing down the fat absorption rate, which in turn can have a positive effect on your weight loss goals.
Ginseng
One of the most well-known herbs in Chinese medicine, ginseng is another excellent herbal remedy that can help you stay on track with your health and fitness goals by giving your metabolism a natural boost. Even just taking a ginseng supplement twice a day with breakfast and dinner could reduce your body weight. This is all thanks to how ginseng interrupts the body’s gut microbiota and slows the fat absorption rate in the small intestines.
Cinnamon
This sweet and delicious spice is high in antioxidants and is great for those who struggle with stabilizing their blood sugar levels. Not only can cinnamon behave like an appetite suppressant and keep hunger pangs at bay for longer, but it can also directly help with weight loss. This is all thanks to the way cinnamon decreases some of the digestive enzymes present in the body, which can then mean it takes longer for carbohydrates to be broken down and absorbed into the gut.
Cayenne Pepper
You may be more familiar with cayenne pepper when adding it to spice up a dish in the kitchen, but this ingredient can also be great for giving your metabolism a boost. As cayenne pepper contains naturally occurring compound capsaicin, we feel this heat when we taste this delicious pepper. The spicy taste the capsaicin creates can not only fire up your metabolism to work overtime, but it also can have the added side effect of making you feel less hungry for longer. If you are looking to lose weight, cayenne pepper is also available in capsule form, which may be useful as a supplement.
Turmeric
One of the most colorful of all the herbs and spices, turmeric is another wonderful way to help your metabolic rate increase naturally. The compound of curcumin found in turmeric aids the body in ridding fat, especially around the belly area. Still, it can also be great to take as a supplement for its anti-inflammatory properties.
Cumin
Cuminum cyminum’s seeds are what cumin is. This herb is not only delicious to eat but can be great for fat burning too. During a recent survey, studies concluded that adding cumin to your diet could see you lose weight faster than those who only took the placebo. Cumin, much like turmeric, is especially useful for helping you to say goodbye to unwanted belly fat that can be hard to shift.
Black Pepper
Chances are, even if your kitchen or pantry is relatively sparse when it comes to herbs and spices, you will probably have some black pepper lurking at the back of a cupboard somewhere. This spice is traditionally used in Indian cooking. Its distinctive taste can help to lower weight gain and be a great natural supplement for days when your metabolism is feeling sluggish. One of the reasons why black pepper is so useful when it comes to inhibiting weight gain is that the piperine contained in black pepper has a positive effect on the body to slow down the rate of gaining weight actively.
When it comes to choosing the best herbs and spices to boost your metabolism, make sure to introduce them into your diet slowly. While it can be tempting to try all these different herbs and spices at once, it is better for your body to add just a few at a time.