Many people who have Hypothyroidism not only struggle to maintain a healthy life, they struggle to maintain a healthy weight. Those with Hypothyroidism should set a course of action in place. One, change diet, two, work on finding a healthy weight. One natural way to do this is to incorporate spices and herbs into recipes.
The way to good health is paved with good food. Cooking good food can include the five metabolism-boosting spices below.
It’s time to fire up your engine with the heat of these hot spices:
1. Chili powder:
Chili pepper is loaded with capsaicin, which is the compound that gives cayenne, jalapenos, and other peppers their heat. Adding Chili powder to your recipes is a sure-fire way to boost your metabolism.
But that’s not all capsaicin does. It’s known to enhance the expression of adiponectin–a hormone tasked with regulating appetite, fat storage, insulin release, and inflammation. The higher the level of adiponectin, the less hungry you are—and the better you’re able to burn both carbs and stored fat.
2. Turmeric:
Turmeric is one of my favorite spices. In 2013 I had back surgery. Before my surgery, I did some research on pain and the effect of turmeric on pain and inflammation. I started taking turmeric as a supplement, and my pain level quickly diminished. Now I rarely feel the pain of inflammation associated with my back injury. Since then, I’ve learned another little secret about turmeric. It boosts brain health. Boosting brain health is important to those who have Hypothyroidism or Hashimoto’s. We all know about brain fog.
In addition to brain health, and inflammation reduction, the heat of turmeric is another way to manage weight. Chili powder has some competition when it comes to boosting adiponectin. Turmeric is another way to manage weight.
3. Cinnamon:
People with hypothyroidism are prone to blood sugar issues – even if they don’t have diabetes. Cinnamon is a tasty natural way to help keep your blood sugar in line. Cinnamon can reduce fasting glucose levels in diabetics and prediabetics.
One of the symptoms of Hypothyroidism is weight gain. Incorporating cinnamon in your diet is a sure-fire way to help slim down while spicing up your meals. It is believed that cinnamaldehyde (the chemical that gives cinnamon its flavor) could be the compound that drives fat cells to burn energy.
4. Ginger:
For centuries ginger has been used to calm the stomach. What you may not realize is that ginger is another gut warming spice that aids in weight reduction. Ginger tea boosts energy levels and reduces hunger pangs, which means eating less between meals and eating smaller portions at mealtime.
5. Mustard seed:
Mustard seed is another one of those spices that aid in burning metabolism. It is also another spice that contains capsaicin, which boosts metabolism, helping those looking to lose weight. Ask scientists at Oxford University, England, where a study performed found a teaspoon of mustard could boost metabolism by 25 percent for a couple of hours after eating. These experts isothiocyanates for its metabolism-boosting benefits.
Having Hypothyroidism with Hashimoto’s is difficult enough to manage without having to worry about weight gain, which can affect your health in other ways. By incorporating spices into your diet, you may be able to aid in weight reduction without losing the flavor of life. The spices mentioned in this article are a few that can spice up your diet without causing you to burn out.
Resources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3957721
Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd edition.