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When we think about maintaining a healthy diet, most people only consider the foods we should eat – completely neglecting an extremely important part of cooking: the spices.
Spices do more for us than simply add flavor to our food. They can help add health benefits to our meals, which isn’t much of a surprise when you think about where spices come from. Most are parts of plants of vegetables, so they bring with them vitamins, anti-inflammatory benefits or antioxidant benefits.
And there is one spice that stands out above all others when it comes to boosting metabolism and fighting inflammation: turmeric. This spice is made with a chemical compound, called curcumin, which has been proebn to boost metabolism.
To learn more, we spoke to some experts:
"Turmeric contains curcumin, which is helpful in increasing adiponectin, a hormone that helps in regulating metabolism," Niyla Carson, a nutritionist from Fast Food Menu Prices, told SheFInds. "Moreover, it also increases the basal metabolic rate, which results in increased energy expenditure—which is helpful in burning those stubborn fats."
She added, "Turmeric is well-known for its wide array of benefits, from a healthy heart to providing antioxidants. Apart from targeting your weight loss goals and tweaking your metabolism, you’ll be hitting more than two birds with this one spice."
And boosting metabolism isn't the only benefit we need from turmeric. It also helps improve wieght loss in other ways, as health experts have told us.
For weight-loss in particular, as an antioxidant [turmeric protects your cells from damage, reduces inflammation, helps with blood sugar control and insulin resistance, and adds flavor without calories," said Dr. Melina Jampolis author of Spice Up Live Long: A Guide To Using Herbs And Spices to Live A Longer, Healthier and More Vibrant Life.
If you're looking to add more turmeric to your diet, you've come to the right place. We know quite a few recipes that use turmeric, for breakfast lunch and dinner.
Start your day with these turmeric overnight oats, then add turmeric salad dressing into your lunch. And finally, try this turmeric chicken recipe for dinner.
