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In this era, where technology overtakes the daily healthy lifestyle of many people. You need to find some ideas that help you in weight loss.
Is Chili Pepper A Weight Loss Food?
A while back, my wife wanted to try out this new Korean restaurant, so we decided to have our “date night” on a weeknight. We were looking forward to it since both of us enjoy Korean food. We ordered the recommended dishes and waited in anticipation. I was ready to chow down! The entrees came, the food had a nice aroma, but it was fiery h-o-t! My wife loves hot and spicy, but it was a bit too hot and spicy for her. She could tolerate it, but I struggled, drinking lots of water, sweating profusely, then eating again. I got through it all right, but it was a struggle! After that ordeal, we found out we could request “mild” or “spicy.” Oh well
In a previous post titled “Is Coffee A Weight Loss Food?“I had discussed the potential benefit of coffee as an agent of weight loss. Today’s post discusses the power of red hot chili pepper.
The Capsaicin In Chili Pepper
The Korean food I had previously was pretty much doused in red hot chili pepper, and thus, the hot and spicy taste and the cause of my beads of sweat. But it’s the capsaicin in the chili pepper responsible for it. According to the Doctor Oz website, this ingredient not only gives it the sharp tinge of a taste but also induces thermogenesis. It causes an increase in your body’s temperature, boosting your metabolism and the calorie-burning process. I can vouch for that since I experienced it firsthand! Moreover, thermogenesis promotes fat and weight loss.
An added benefit of capsaicin is that it helps curb your appetite. This positive effect on “meal satiety” will aid in minimizing overeating and, thus, help with your weight loss efforts.
Benefits of capsaicin were confirm in a study listed on the Purdue University website, titled “Study: Reasonable quantities of red pepper may help curb appetite. “
Exercise And Chili Pepper
So you might be thinking, if capsaicin is a fat-burning agent, can it enhance my exercise routine and promote weight loss? Well, maybe.
On the LiveStrong.com site, a study was listed in the article, “Hot Peppers & Metabolism,” where researchers from the University of Memphis find that capsaicin, if consume before moderate exercise, may increase “lipolysis” (i.e., the burning of body fat) and promote weight loss.
First, let me clarify that the subjects in the study consume 2mg of capsaicinoids, of which capsaicin is consider the primary capsaicinoid.
The article did not specify what type of “moderate exercise” was involve in the study. Still, if a low-intensity exercise (e.g., on a stationary bike) can result in increased fat-burning with the addition of capsaicin, then it might be a viable option for weight loss.
The sound and sight of red hot chili pepper can get you going, huh? However, you should do your due diligence and make sure you can incorporate them safely into your workouts without any negative effects on your health. For example, consuming too much may irritate your stomach, and avoid getting them in your eyes. Ouch!
If you have the green light and if you’re game, how about a dash of chili sauce on your next morning meal, say on an omelet, to start the day with a blast?
You can find Obesity and Weight Management Nutrition Registered Dietitian via NPI Number
Is Coffee A Weight Loss Food?
The other week, someone contacted me about some coffee that, when consumed, helps you burn fat and ultimately lose fat and weight. I thought it was a brilliant idea to have a beverage consumed by millions of people to help you lose weight! But after some thought, I thought, Nah, I’ll pass, not sure if some modified coffee or coffee bean is something I want to consume. But, it may be something to think about in the future once more definitive research is done on “engineer” weight loss coffee.
The Caffeine In Coffee
I’m not a heavy coffee drinker, probably one cup a day (or less) type of drinker. And I sure love the smell of coffee, especially in the morning. But coffee has get some bad raps regarding its negative effects on our health. However, recently, there’s been an increasing interest in coffee’s health benefits.
It is know that the caffeine in coffee enhances your performance and alertness. Moreover, it has this rapid calorie-burning, thermogenic effect on our bodies. In that sense, it’s a fat burner that potentially can result in fat and weight loss. An article titled “Giving Coffee a Break” on the WebMD site supports the fact that coffee increases the resting metabolic rate by 10%. And that’s the number of calories burn while quietly sitting. And so, coffee has the calorie-burning property and, thus, may help with weight loss. Okay, sounds good, but don’t go overboard with the coffee. I’d say coffee in moderation is the way to go. There is additional information in that WebMD article regarding coffee’s effect on learning and memory, so if you’re interest, check out “Giving Coffee a Break. “
Drinking Coffee, The Healthy Way
Of the Truth About Abs fame and a renowned nutrition specialist and personal trainer, Mike Geary, mentions the antioxidant benefits of coffee. In addition, he lists four ways to serve up a healthy cup of joe.
- Use organic maple syrup or natural stevia to sweeten your coffee
- Use organic coconut milk in place of the regular creamer for your coffee
- Add cinnamon to your coffee
- Make mocha coffee by adding a teaspoon of organic cocoa powder
Using a real sugar substitute (e.g., stevia) in coffee helps you avoid refined sugars and those artificial sweeteners but still gives your coffee a mildly sweet taste. The addition of coconut milk and cinnamon in your coffee gives it more of a healthy punch, helping boost your immune system and metabolism, and controlling your blood sugar.
Adding cocoa provides additional antioxidants to your coffee, and this natural mocha coffee can help lower your blood pressure.
For those coffee drinkers out there, coffee consumption is not that bad. There are healthy ways of drinking it and enjoying its fat-burning benefits. But again, moderation is key, especially since the caffeine in coffee can be addicting.
So enjoy a cup of coffee but don’t go overboard with it, okay?
