Low Carb Spice-Up: 8 Must-Have Weight Loss Flavors

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There’s growing evidence that certain herbs and spices tip the scales in your favor.

Spices and Herbs for Weight Loss?

Spices are the new saviors for Atkins dieters and anyone wanting to eat healthy food without compromising taste. There’s hot news: Eat the top performing spices on this low carb food list for faster results. Discover exotic weight loss herbs and bring big health benefits to your low carb table.

Which spices are HOT for weight loss?

Must-Have Weight Loss Spices

Some weight loss success tools are already on your spice rack! Whether you are starting a diet and stocking a low carb kitchen or an experienced spice enthusiast, here are the top eight ingredients that not only add flavor to your favorite dishes, but seriously help in your battle against the bulge.

Cayenne Pepper

Capsaicin is a natural compound that gives hot peppers their fiery heat. Eating capsaicin found in cayenne peppers leads to short increases in metabolism. Peppers are rich in vitamins, work as effective appetite controllers, benefit heart health and smooth digestion.

Studies Prove Cayenne Burns Fat

Capsaicin has long been studied for its fat-burning abilities and thermogenic properties (the stimulating of the central nervous system to produce heat in the body, leading to an increase in calorie burning).

Nicholas Perricone, M.D., cites several of these studies in his wildly popular The Perricone Weight-Loss Diet and concludes that capsaicin acts as an appetite suppressant:

Studies by the Journal of Obesity also found that the spice increases fat oxidation, “ramps up energy expenditure, and stimulates activity by the sympathetic nervous system,” helping the body to shed excess weight.

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that supplementing men and women with capsaicin resulted in increased fat breakdown as well as a loss of abdominal fat.

Although the capsaicin found in cayenne pepper increases the rate of thermogenesis, it also appears to promote a sense of fullness so you’ll consume fewer calories overall.

A recent study showed that capsaicin was more effective at increasing fat loss when eaten with green tea. It’s thought that the combination helps to promote satiety, so we eat fewer calories.

Not a fan of fiery cuisine?

Research has found that cayenne’s ability to reduce appetite is equally effective whether ingested as food or in capsule form.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is an Indian spice loved by low carbers that reduces blood sugar and LDL levels.

Add ground cinnamon in your tea or coffee to get the most out of this wonderful spice, and become healthier every day.

Cinnamon changes how your body uses glucose. It encourages your body to produce insulin, making cells increase their metabolism. Instead of storing excess glucose, your body burns it.

Cinnamon is proven to prevent the metabolic syndrome commonly seen in pre-diabetics. A 2003 study published in Diabetes Care showed as little as one teaspoon of cinnamon a day can boost the body’s weight loss ability by reducing blood sugar and promoting healthier processing of carbs.

Cinnamon lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol 7-27%, and total cholesterol by 12-26%.

Cinnamon promotes better blood circulation, helping your body get fitter, faster.

Cinnamon is a natural sweetener with its own brilliant nutty flavor. Known for fighting carb cravings, it works wonders for a sweet tooth, while keeping you at a safe distance from fatty sugars and desserts.

But before you pile it on by the spoonful, note that cinnamon has a chemical called coumarin, which can lead to liver damage if consumed in very large amounts.

Mustard Seed

Like the other hot ingredients on this list, spicy mustard helps boost metabolism and allows you to burn fat more quickly, thanks in part to its thermogenic properties.

Scientists at England’s Oxford Polytechnic Institute recently found that eating just one teaspoon of hot mustard can “boost metabolism 20 to 25% for several hours after eating, resulting in a burn of about 45 more calories after eating a 700-calorie meal.”

TIP: Substitute mayo with mustard. Why? Because for the same creamy texture, you will only get 1/10th of the calories.

Turmeric

Turmeric is frequently used in Indian cooking and is one of the many spices that gives curry its distinctive flavor. Its deep yellow-orange color is from a pigment named curcumin, a compound that helps control weight.

Turmeric Minimizes Fat

A study published in the Journal of Nutrition showed when curcumin supplements were given to mice on a high fat diet, they lost both fat and body weight, despite taking in the same amount of food. Human research needs to confirm these results, but turmeric offers a variety of other health benefits.

Turmeric and Cholesterol

Curcumin also lowers levels of “bad” cholesterol in your body. Curcumin instructs your liver to produce mRNA, which flushes bad cholesterol (LDL) from your body, keeping your weight down.

Turmeric has lowered LDL in animals, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The U.S. National Institute of Health backs this up, although it warns more extensive human studies are necessary.

Because it is a reasonably mild spice, you can use it many dishes, mixing it into curry, meat and poultry, or sprinkling it on to salads, meats and vegetables.

Garlic

Across Asia and Europe, garlic is a much-loved flavor-giver. I add garlic to almost everything. It’s the new “salt and pepper” on my low carb food list. But garlic is also good for losing weight and blood sugar.

Allicin, present in garlic, is effective for fighting high cholesterol, high insulin and unhealthy blood sugar levels.

Garlic is a great appetite controller– perfect for healthy weight loss.

Ginger

Where there is garlic, ginger can’t be far behind. Ginger is known for its bad cholesterol-fighting properties and is even considered a mobility and metabolism booster.

Ginger is an effective diuretic, increasing urine elimination.

Garlic hinders cholesterol absorption and improves gastric mobility by pushing food and waste through the digestive system.

According to the Mayo Clinic, preliminary evidence suggests this versatile spice also helps to increase metabolism.

Ginger fights bloating and promotes better waste removal from the body. It’s a great spice to indulge in, especially for women who experience weight gain from bloating and water retention.

Black Pepper

Among the dozens of health benefits of this common household ingredient is its ability to improve digestion and promote nutrient absorption in tissues all over the body.

Pepper’s main ingredient, piperine (which gives pepper its pungent taste) boosts fat metabolism by as much as 8% for several hours after ingesting it.

If you want your pepper to pack the most punch, use freshly ground pepper, which has the most concentrated amounts of piperine.

Ginseng

Although ginseng is more of a herb than a spice, it shows potential for helping with weight control.

In a recent USC study, mice were given ginseng extract for 12 days. They showed a decrease in body weight and lower blood glucose levels.

Ginseng has stimulant properties similar to caffeine that raise your metabolism, contributing to weight loss.

Although ginseng is generally considered safe, use with caution if you have high blood pressure or heart disease.

Special Health Benefits of Indian Spices

The term “Indian spices” encompasses all the herbs and spices grown and cultivated across the Indian subcontinent in South Asia, including ginger, cumin, coriander, red chili, black pepper and turmeric. They are usually cooked as part of a curry (a spicy dish of meat or vegetables in a sauce) and served with rice or bread.

The Sun of London reports Indian spices are proven weight loss ingredients, according to a Dutch study. The study found that low carb spices in Indian cooking speed up your metabolism, which makes you lose weight faster.

Indian spices offer many health benefits besides weight loss, including:

Protection against cancer and Alzheimer’s.

The high levels of potassium found in turmeric combat heart disease, heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure.

The plentiful nutrients in Indian spices keep your immune system strong and ease the flow of blood to your organs, muscles, cells and tissues.

Spices and Herbs: Carbs and Calories

Herbs and spices are merely ground up bits of plant or bark, right?

So, how many carbs could you possibly get from a 1/4 teaspoon of dried up leaves…?

Net Carbs in 1 Teaspoon:

Basil – 0.3 g
Cinnamon – 0.6 g
Dill – 0.4 g
Garlic Powder – 1.0 g
Nutmeg – 0.6 g
Oregano – 0.1 g
Paprika – 0.4 g
Pepper – 0.0 g
Rosemary – 0.2 g
Salt – 0.0 g
Thyme – 0.3 g

60 Spices and Herbs (Low Carb Atkins List)

	Spice / Herb: ( Serving Size: 100 grams )	Carbs:	Calories:
1	ALLSPICE, GROUND	72.12	263
2	ANISE SEED	50.02	337
3	BASIL, DRIED	60.96	251
4	BAY LEAF	74.97	313
5	CARAWAY SEED	49.9	333
6	CARDAMOM	68.47	311
7	CELERY SEED	41.35	392
8	CHERVIL, DRIED	49.1	237
9	CHILI POWDER	54.66	314
10	CINNAMON, GROUND	80.59	247
11	CLOVES, GROUND	61.21	323
12	CORIANDER LEAF, DRIED	52.1	279
13	CORIANDER SEED	54.99	298
14	CUMIN SEED	44.24	375
15	CURRY POWDER	58.15	325
16	DILL SEED	55.17	305
17	DILL WEED, DRIED	55.82	253
18	FENNEL SEED	52.29	345
19	FENUGREEK SEED	58.35	323
20	GARLIC POWDER	72.71	332
21	GINGER, GROUND	70.79	347
22	MACE, GROUND	50.5	475
23	MARJORAM, DRIED	60.56	271
24	MUSTARD SEED, YELLOW	34.94	469
25	NUTMEG, GROUND	49.29	525
26	ONION POWDER	80.67	347
27	SPICES, OREGANO, DRIED	64.43	306
28	PAPRIKA	55.74	289
29	PARSLEY, DRIED	51.66	276
30	PEPPER, BLACK	64.81	255
31	PEPPER, RED OR CAYENNE	56.63	318
32	PEPPER, WHITE	68.61	296
33	POPPY SEED	23.69	533
34	POULTRY SEASONING	65.59	307
35	PUMPKIN PIE SPICE	69.28	342
36	ROSEMARY, DRIED	64.06	331
37	SAFFRON	65.37	310
38	SAGE, GROUND	60.73	315
39	SAVORY, GROUND	68.73	272
40	TARRAGON, DRIED	50.22	295
41	THYME, DRIED	63.94	276
42	TURMERIC, GROUND	64.93	354
43	BASIL, FRESH	2.65	23
44	DILL WEED, FRESH	7.02	43
45	MUSTARD, PREPARED, YELLOW	5.33	67
46	SALT, TABLE	0	0
47	VINEGAR, CIDER	0.93	21
48	THYME, FRESH	24.45	101
49	VANILLA EXTRACT	12.65	288
50	VANILLA EXTRACT, ALCOHOL	2.41	237
51	VANILLA EXTRACT, NO ALCOHOL	14.4	56
52	VINEGAR, DISTILLED	0.04	18
53	CAPERS, CANNED	4.89	23
54	HORSERADISH, PREPARED	11.29	48
55	ROSEMARY, FRESH	20.7	131
56	PEPPERMINT, FRESH	14.89	70
57	SPEARMINT, FRESH	8.41	44
58	SPEARMINT, DRIED	52.04	285
59	VINEGAR, RED WINE	0.27	19
60	VINEGAR, BALSAMIC	17.03	88

Generally, don’t bother to count herbs and spices in recipes unless you are really pouring them into your dish. Until you are using a space-age professional scale, measurements for food items are an approximation.

If you start worrying about the 0.1 gram of carbs added by oregano, you are focusing on the tiny details and not the big picture. Go ahead, break free. And shake those spice jars silly.

TIP:

Herbs and spices have an effective life span of six months. Date them with a permanent marker and keep them in your fridge for freshness.

Print this spice and herb low carb foods list, circle the items to buy and try, and take it to the grocery with you. Sometimes, exotic items are hard to find so having the complete foods list means having other alternatives right at your fingertips.

Basic Low Carb Kitchen Spices

How to Use the Top 9 Basic Low Carb Spices

Basil

Greek in origin, basil came to Europe from India. Its rich aroma is found in vegetable, fish and salad dishes. Use fresh basil with olive oil, chopped tomatoes and mozzarella cheese for a fresh Italian salad.

Dill

Dill is an ancient herb used in preserving many types of foods. It’s perfect for fish, egg, and cheese dishes.

Garlic and Onion

Garlic and onion are healthy ingredients in almost every cuisine on the planet. Combine with stock, butter or cream for a savory low carb sauce.

Ginger

Ginger has been proven to help with upset stomachs. It goes wonderfully with vegetable and meat dishes.

Oregano

The classic Italian herb adds an aromatic flavor to any dish. Great with veggies, cheese and salads.

Mustard

Perfect to spread between layers of sliced deli meat and cheese roll-ups. Use with olive oil as a zesty marinade for chicken and seafood, and sprinkle on salad greens to add a little heat. Avoid sweet mustard which is higher in carbs.

Salt and Pepper

Go light on the salt and pepper. Try a course Kosher or flavored sea salt. Invest in a pepper mill that grinds the peppercorns when you need them. Fill it with a four-color or five-color peppercorn blend, and see just how much more flavor it adds to your recipes!

Spice Up Your Low Carb Food List

Whether you stir them into Indian style curries or add them to grills and bakes, use these must-have flavors for a big impact on your cholesterol and blood sugar. Including weight loss herbs and spices is easy: The next time you shop, print and take this low carb spice and herb list with you.

It’s no secret that low carb spices like cayenne, turmeric, cinnamon, garlic and peppers have several health benefits that go above and beyond metabolism bursts. Adding an exotic spice to your low carb food list adds instant low carb flair to any meal. Your tummy will thank you.