Obesity prevalence has grown alarmingly, and it is now a serious global health problem. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome, which includes obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia, makes obesity a serious life-threatening condition today. Obesity is brought on by an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure and is characterized by the excessive storage of triglycerides in adipose tissue.
Excess dietary energy intake is one of the main causes of obesity, according to numerous research. Western diets with excessive fat and sugar content and sedentary lifestyles are further contributors to this metabolic imbalance. Adipose tissue as well as ectopic tissues like liver and kidney experience excessive cellular lipid buildup when energy intake exceeds energy expenditure.
Plants are rich sources of a variety of nutrients including vitamins, trace minerals, dietary fiber and many other classes of biologically active compounds. These phytochemicals can have complementary and overlapping mechanisms of action such as modulation of detoxification enzymes, stimulation of the immune system, reduction of platelet aggregation, modulation of cholesterol synthesis, hormones metabolism and antioxidant effects.
Typically, spices are added to meals to enhance flavor. However, spices may also be effective as drugs that boost our bodies’ natural defenses against infection and lower the risk of contracting a number of fatal illnesses. In instance, spices may lower the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, metabolic syndrome, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes.
Let’s investigate how these spices aid in weight control.
Ginger
Ginger is widely used as a seasoning, herbal cure, condiment, and flavoring in food all over the world. Ginger, a culinary spice and a member of the Zingiberaceae family of plants, has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for many years.
Component of ginger
Ginger is thought to contain more than 60 active ingredients, which can be roughly categorized as volatile and non-volatile components. The volatile part of ginger is made up of hydrocarbons, primarily monoterpenoid hydrocarbons and sesquiterpene, which give ginger its distinctive flavor and scent. The nonvolatile substances include zingerone, paradols, shogaols, and gingerols. Ginger’s active compounds, such as gingerols, shogaols, zingerone, and others, have antioxidant properties which help in weight loss.
Benefit of taking ginger
Ginger is known to have a number of medicinal benefits, including anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic, cholesterol-lowering, blood pressure-lowering, anti-microbial, antioxidant, anti-tumor, and hypoglycemic effects. Consuming ginger can help prevent heart disease, cancer, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, osteoarthritis, and bacterial infections, among other conditions.
How does ginger help in weight loss?
Ginger can aid with weight loss. According to the research, some convincing evidence supports the efficacy of ginger in obesity management. Ginger has an impact on how your body uses insulin, digests carbohydrates, and burns fat (thermogenesis). According to scientists, ginger also reduces the amount of fat your gut absorbs and regulates hunger.
According to research, When rats were given ginger root water extract (2 ml) orally once daily before meals, their body weight decreased by 15.92% less than that of the control rats. Consuming ginger root extract may be helpful in preventing the development of atherosclerosis since it is linked to decreased LDL( low density lipoprotein) oxidation by macrophages and decreased LDL absorption.
It has been seen that ginger controls release of insulin. Ginger encourages the clearance of glucose in peripheral tissues that are sensitive to insulin, which is essential for preserving blood glucose homeostasis. Additionally, 6-gingerol is said to promote the absorption of glucose by insulin-responsive adipocytes. According to a reliable source, gingerols may help to control your blood sugar levels. A key to losing weight may be maintaining steady blood sugar levels.
According to a reliable source, ginger helped overweight people feel fuller for longer because of its fiber content. So, it helps to avoid food craving. Studies on ginger’s weight reduction advantages, ginger has a considerable impact on body weight and belly fat (waist-to-hip ratio). Gingerols promote a number of biological processes in your body. They help food digest more quickly and stimulate the body to move digested food through the colon more quickly, which has an anti-obesity.
How can we include ginger in our diet?
1.Ginger Tea
Tea is one of the most popular methods to ingest ginger. You infuse water with pieces of ginger that have been chopped or sliced to make ginger tea.
Include ingredients like honey or lemon to offer more taste. Although some manufacturers of prepared tea bags offer ginger flavors, they might not be as healthy as fresh ginger.
2. Make Your Foods Spicy
For added flavor and health advantages, add minced ginger to your meals. Ginger tastes great in curries, soups, and stir-fries. Even smoothies and sweets can contain ginger.
3.Ginger Juice
One of the easiest ways to consume ginger as a ginger juice daily. Using a juicer, you may make them at home.
Garlic
One such food that can assist you in losing weight is garlic. Garlic, (Allium sativum) is a perennial plant of the amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae), grown for its flavourful bulbs. The plant is native to central Asia and is a classic ingredient in many national cuisines.Yes, this pungent herb has a variety of health advantages that have been recognized since ancient times. This medicinal herb, which is bulb-shaped, has numerous strategies to reduce fat buildup.
Component of garlic
Garlic has a rich source of phytochemicals which provides many health benefits. The beneficial properties of garlic has high content of organosulfur compounds including allicin, alliin, thiosulfates and water-soluble S-allylmercaptocysteine (SAMC) & S-allylcysteine (SAC).
Benefit of eating garlic
Since ancient times, people have consumed garlic, a nutraceutical spice rich in polyphenols and organosulfur. The secondary metabolites of garlic have demonstrated excellent health-promoting and disease-preventing benefits on a wide range of common human ailments, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, and metabolic diseases can all be reduced by the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and lipid-reducing qualities.
How garlic helps in weight loss
Garlic works as an appetite suppressant, which stops you from binge eating. According to the study published in the Journal of Nutrition. It says that garlic is beneficial for burning fat. It also has detoxifying properties, which helps in flushing out the toxins from the body, which hinder digestion and thus help in weight loss.
Commonly used forms of garlic include raw garlic, garlic powder, cooked garlic, aged garlic, and garlic supplements. Whole raw garlic containsγ-glutamyl-S-allyl-L-cysteines: this compound, when hydrolyzed and oxidized, yields alliin, an organosulfur compound.Upon chewing or crushing whole raw garlic, alliinase, an enzyme found in the cell wall, is activated, and converts alliin into allicin. When set aside garlic for 10 min, allicin in garlic quickly decomposes into sulfur compounds, including diallyl disulfide, diallyl sulfide and diallyl trisulfide. When we cook or heat garlic, it may reduce some of the bioactive compounds present in garlic. These compounds have potent antioxidant activity and contribute to reduced oxidation by radical scavenging activity and to enhanced antioxidant enzymes’ activity. so it helps to prevent obesity & also fights metabolic disorders by activating brown fat.
According to a research, when you consume raw crushed garlic of 100 mg two times per day for four weeks, it may significantly decreased several risk factors of metabolic syndrome, including fasting blood glucose, blood pressure, triglyceride levels. It may also improved serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
How can we include garlic in our diet?
• Add minced garlic to salad dressings
• Sprinkle minced garlic on baked veggies
• Add minced garlic on egg scramble or omelet if you are non-vegetarian.
• Toss some garlic in a pan with whatever veggies.
• Add a few cloves to your guacamole to cut through the creaminess.
• Brew up some garlic lemon tea
• Toast up a slice of bread, butter it, and sprinkle raw minced garlic on top.
Fennel Seeds
Fennel seed is a well-known and aromatic herbaceous plant that grows as an annual, biennial, or perennial. It is a member of the Apiaceae family. It can grow in warm climates with good soil, depending on the cultivar (Gori et al., 2012). This plant was originally native to the Mediterranean and Southern Europe, but it is now extensively distributed and commonly grown in temperate and tropical regions of the world. It is also a very profitable and well-liked medicinal plant in China. It is a herb with a variety of culinary and conventional medical use.
Component of fennel
Fennel contains 1–3% of a volatile oil composed of approximately 50–60% anethole and 20% de-fenchone. Other compounds present in fennel are d-α-pinene, d-α-phellandrene, dipentene, methyl chavicol, foeniculum, anisaldehyde, and anisic acid. Fennel is used in Ayurvedic & domestic medicines. The volatile oil of fennel is used in favoring medicines, perfumes & to scent soaps, flavor beverages, condiments, baked foods, ice creams and sausages.
Benefit of taking fennel
Fennel seeds are widely used in cuisine as a spice and flavoring, as well as in herbal medicine. These seeds work as potent diuretics to lower blood pressure. Dried fennel seeds used in an infusion or decoction are said to aid in the digestion of fatty foods. Fennel seeds also aid in weight loss by boosting metabolism, soothe sore throats, and help to loosen/expel mucus from the respiratory tract.
Low in calories, high in fiber, and brimming with macro and micronutrients are dried fennel seeds. They are abundant in minerals like calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium, selenium, and iron as well as vitamins C, E, and K. They naturally include a ton of antioxidants, which lower inflammatory indicators in your body and fight the underlying causes of many of our chronic ailments.
In addition to preventing water retention, fennel seeds can also help you lose weight. These seeds are said to lessen cravings and keep you satisfied for a longer period of time. Additionally, saunf aids in accelerating metabolism, the rate at which our cells consume energy. Additionally, if you have a habit of binge eating, then routinely consume fennel seeds to control your hunger because it has fiber which helps to prevent obesity.
How can we include fennel seed in our diet?
Powder
Take a few fennel seeds and properly ground them into a powder. For flavor and goodness, add this powder to the batter for baked items. Fenugreek seeds, black salt, asafoetida, and mishri can all be combined to powdered fennel seed to make a “churan” that has greater digestive characteristics and flavor. which aid in the secretion of digestive enzymes, eating this regularly will improve digestion.
Water
It’s a well-known habit to take fennel seeds with water to help with digestion and relieve cramping in the stomach. Take a handful of fennel seeds in a glass of water and Drink it in the morning. It improves the body’s ability to absorb vitamins and minerals, which aids in weight loss. A wonderful way to lose weight is to drink two glasses of fennel water, one in the morning and one in the evening.
Tea
Make fennel seed tea, it takes less time to prepare which can be sipped daily for the better results. For your evening tea, you can heat or simply stir in a tablespoon of fennel seeds with the water. You can enjoy your evening tea with extra benefits by adding a half-teaspoon of jaggery with this fennel seeds tea.
Roasted fennel seeds
Heat gently the Fennel seeds while being roasted in a tablespoon. A pleasant aroma will emanate from these fennel seeds in this form., Consume this after every meal to promote good digestion. You can add some mishri for flavor. Because roasted fennel seeds go well with mishri’s sweet flavor, this combination also curbs appetites for sweet treats. Fennel seeds that have been roasted can also be ground into a powder and taken daily.
Cinnamon
Cinnamon is a spice which derived from the inner bark of trees which belongs to the genus Cinnamomum & to Lauraceae family. From long time it has been used all over the world. Cinnamon has been used as a spice and as traditional herbal medicine for centuries. The However, there are only very few well-controlled clinical studies, a fact that limits the conclusions that can be made about the potential health benefits of cinnamon for free-living humans
Component of cinnamon
Cinnamon is known as a functional food, with major components such as cinnamaldehyde, cinnamic acid, eugenol and coumarin. Cinnamon contains flavonoids & phytochemicals that may help in endothelium relaxing ability, improve the blood circulation and increase vascular smooth-muscle relaxation. It has antibacterial properties, to glutathione and polyphenols that exert antioxidant properties, together with an insulin-sensitizing and secretagogue effect.
Benefits of taking Cinnamon
According to the research by the scientists, it has been found that cinnamon extract help in increasing brown fat in subcutaneous (fat layer under the skin) fat cells. Brown fat is good for people with belly fat. In the waist region, white fat is present. Consuming cinnamon may help in converting belly fat (white fat) into brown. This can be used up to maintain body temperature and as energy.
Interestingly, it has been shown that cinnamon regulates the expression of genes involved in both lipid and carbohydrate metabolism & induces the browning of subcutaneous adipose tissue. therefore it increases energy expenditure and improving weight loss. A recent systematic review showed that cinnamon supplementation is able to induce significant body weight loss.
According to Dr. Mercola, Cinnamon keeps you feeling full by slows down the emptying of your stomach, mostly to reduce the blood sugar spikes. And if you feel fuller, then chances are you will eat less.
Cinnamon is a natural digestive which helps to digest your food properly. That means you probably will extract more nutrients for your body from a given amount of food and don’t have to eat excessively to do so.
Cinnamon helps to store less fatty acid. If body gets excess sugar, the liver converts this sugar into fatty acids or fat. Cinnamon seems to increase blood sugar metabolism that is breaks down sugar for absorption into the body as energy. So, less fatty acids are produced for your body to store.
Cinnamon improves gut health because it is a powerful anti-bacterial that could help get rid of bad bacteria in the stomach. National Institutes of Health (NIH) article says gut microbes and diet can affect obesity. By this article it is suggested that Clostridium difficile is hugely responsible in weight gain & shows that trans-Cinnamaldehyde reduces Clostridium difficile Toxin Production and Cytotoxicity in Vitro. So it cleans up your system with Cinnamon and reintroduce some good bacteria.
Several studies strongly suggest that C. zeylanicum and C. cassia have cholesterol-lowering properties. Cinnamon also improves blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Studies suggest that cinnamon alters body composition in association with improved insulin sensitivity.
Cardamom
Cardamom is a perennial herb, indigenous to India, Pakistan, Burma and Bangladesh, locally known as “elaichi”. It is also used in culinary and traditional medicine practices. Cardamom is used as carminative, diuretic,stomachic, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and is considered useful in treatment of constipation, headache, dyspepsia, colic, diarrhea,vomiting, epilepsy and cardiovascular diseases.
Component of Cardamom
Cardamom is a good source of volatile & fixed oils, phenolic acids and sterols. Phytochemical studies revealed that cardamom has the presence of multiple chemicals, such as myrcene, α-terpineol,subinene, heptane, limonene, cineol, α-phellandrene, menthone, α-pinene, β-pinene, β-sitostenone, eugenyl acetate, γ-sitosterol, phytol.
Benefits of taking Cardamom
It has been suggested that cardamom may have antihypertensive properties that could affect cardiovascular risk factors. These substances appear to successfully lower blood pressure through the stimulation of fibrinolysis as well as cholinergic and diuretic actions.
Volatile oils in cardamom were found to exhibit analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antispasmodic properties. Moreover, cardamom fruit is used against cardiac disorders, renal and vesical calculi, dyspepsia, debility, anorexia, asthma, bronchitis, halitosis and gastrointestinal disorders.
Cardamom is a digestive stimulant & diuretic that stimulates metabolism and helps the body to burn fat. Cardamom helps in the reduction of deposition of belly fat. Most people’s fat deposits around their stomach area & increase the risk for a variety of metabolic and cardiovascular issues.
Bloating and indigestion are believed to be alleviated by elaichi. It contains a number of compounds that help combat dangerous bacteria while also restoring the balance of the gut flora to allow for healthy digestion and the return of normal function.
Cardamom helps to lessen water retention. In Ayurveda, cardamom is frequently referred to as a natural diuretic that causes the body to eliminate extra water through the urine. By removing toxins from the body, cardamom improves the functions of the body. Your metabolism will naturally increase, and your general health will get better as your body starts to work properly.
How can we include Cardamom seeds in our diet?
1.Herbal tea
When you boil water, add a few crushed cardamom pods or a teaspoon of ground cardamom and let it steep for a few minutes. Drink & enjoy this herbal tea. This can help in boosting metabolism & help in digestion.
2. Smoothies
Add a pinch of ground cardamom to smoothie recipe. Cardamom has a unique flavor that pairs well with fruits like mango, banana, pineapple etc. It can be nutritious & help in weight loss.
3. Spice blends
Incorporate cardamom into homemade spice blends or seasonings for vegetables, soups. You can Combine it with other spices like turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon or ginger because it can create a flavourful and low-calorie seasoning.
4. Baked goods
Cardamom can be used in various baked items like cookies, cakes, and bread. However, you have to consume these items in moderation because baked food is more calorie-dense.
Obesity is a significant challenge faced by many societies, often leading to metabolic syndrome. The primary risk factors contributing to obesity include unhealthy diets and a sedentary lifestyle. Conversely, adopting regular exercise, a balanced diet, and maintaining body weight control are crucial for enhancing health quality.
Integrating specific condiments or herbs into your diet can be a beneficial step towards weight loss and preventing metabolic disorders. For personalized guidance and effective strategies in managing weight, consider consulting the best dietician in Noida at the weight management center in Noida, FitandCure. Our expertise can provide tailored solutions for your dietary needs and fitness goals.
References
https://www.healthline.com/health/ginger-for-weight-loss#_noHeaderPrefixedContent