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Food that will help you lose weight


1) Chillies: Recent studies from Canada suggest that a key chemical contained in chillies could boost your body's ability to burn fat and curb your appetite into the bargain.

This is because capsaicin, the chemical that gives chillies such as cayenne and paprika their characteristic pungency, stimulates a natural process whereby some of the food we eat at each meal is converted immediately to heat. Called diet-induced thermogenesis, this process is good news for dieters because it means we burn up calories automatically rather than storing them.

Here is some info on Capsaicin:

1. Fight Cancer

A study published in Cancer Research found that capsaicin caused cancer cells to commit suicide. The substance caused almost 80 percent of prostate cancer cells to die in mice, and prostate tumors treated with capsaicin were about one-fifth the size of those in untreated mice.

"Capsaicin inhibits the growth of human prostate cancer cells in petri dishes and mice," says lead researcher Dr. H. Phillip Koeffler, director of hematology and oncology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and a professor of medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Further, researchers say capsaicin pills may one day be used to prevent the return of prostate cancer.

Hot peppers' heat is measured using the Scoville Heat Scale. While pure capsaicin measures in at over 16 million Scoville Units, most popular varieties rank around 30,000.

Bell peppers make up the baseline, at zero Scoville Units. While the habañero pepper was once thought to be the hottest pepper, measuring in at 300,000 units, an Indian chili pepper called Naga Jolokia was tested in 2000 and received a searing score of 855,000 units!

2. Provide Pain Relief

A topical form of capsaicin is a recognized treatment for osteoarthritis pain, and may also help alleviate pain from diabetic neuropathy.

Capsaicin is also known to inhibit Substance P, a neuropeptide that is the key transmitter of pain to the brain. Substance P can cause swelling of nerve fibers, which may result in headaches and sinus symptoms. Studies have found that capsaicin both relieves and prevents cluster headaches, migraine headaches and sinus headaches.

3. Prevent Sinusitis and Relieve Congestion

Capsaicin has potent antibacterial properties that fight and prevent chronic sinus infections, or sinusitis. Because it is so hot, it also helps to stimulate secretions that help clear mucus from your nose, thereby relieving nasal congestion. This phytochemical may also help relieve sinus-related allergy symptoms.

4. Fight Inflammation

Capsaicin is a potent anti-inflammatory agent. It works by inhibiting Substance P, which is associated with inflammatory processes. Capsaicin is being looked at as a potential treatment for arthritis, psoriasis and diabetic neuropathy.

5. Soothe Intestinal Diseases

A Duke University study found that capsaicin may lead to a cure for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The substance can also help to kill bacteria such as H. pylori, which can help prevent stomach ulcers.

6. Burn Fat and Lose Weight

Capsaicin is a thermogenic agent, which means it increases metabolic activity. This, in turn, helps to burn calories and fat. Many popular "fat-burning" supplements on the market contain capsaicin, as the substance may significantly increase metabolic activity for over 20 minutes after it's eaten.

7. Protect Your Heart

Capsaicin may help to protect the heart by reducing cholesterol, triglycerides and platelet aggregation. It may also help the body dissolve fibrin, which is necessary for blood clots to form. Further, cultures around the world that use hot peppers liberally in their meals have significantly lower rates of heart attack and stroke than cultures that do not.

And this is a little more recent:

Capsaicin, In Red Pepper Inhibits the Growth of Fat Cells
Obesity may be reduced by preventing immature fat cells (adipocytes) from developing into mature cells, and other studies have shown that capsaicin can decrease the amount of fat tissue and decrease fat levels in the blood.

2) Carrots: Root vegetables such as carrots, potatoes and parsnips are particularly high in fibre.

Foods that are high in fibre pass through the gut more quickly than some other foods. Nutritionists recommend eating 18 grammes of fibre a day. Juicing root vegetables - such as carrots - is an ideal way to stock up on fibre and keep slim at the same time. This is because root vegetables contain high water levels which help to fill you up for longer - keeping hunger at bay. Also, many root vegetables - such as carrots - have lower concentrations of calories compared to other foods such as pasta.


3) Cous cous: Cous cous is an excellent source of carbohydrate. As a low fat and low calorie grain, it converts to glucose more slowly than refined carbohydrates such as white bread, encouraging energy rather than lethargy. It also swells in the stomach, which means we fill up more quickly and tend not to eat so much. Instead of adding butter - which is fattening - try adding lemon juice - a good source of vitamin C. Lemon juice also contains quercetin, which acts an an antioxidant - our body's defences against free radicals. These are highly-reactive molecules that may lead to premature ageing and disease.

4) Pulses: A diet rich in pulses such as kidney beans is high in fibre.

Research from Minnesota University shows that men and women who ate at least 21 grammes of fibre a day gained 8 pounds less than people who ate the same number of calories but 40 per cent less fibre.

Although eating pulses won't necessarily make you shed pounds, it helps maintain regular bowel movement because the texture of the fibre helps it move through the digestive system more quickly than some othe foods.

A high fibre diet also helps maintain a healthy gut. This is because soluble fibres create 'friendly bacteria' needed to fight off bad bacteria - meaning that your body is less exposed to harmful toxins that could cause cancer.

5) Green leafy vegetables:




Eating plenty of spinach, cabbage and broccoli can prove quite filling. This is thanks to their sheer bulk made up of plenty of leaves and stalks. Apart from containing folic acid - essential for nerve function and helping to prevent heart disease - green leafy vegetables contain trace elements or minerals needed for basic bodily functions such as cell growth. Broccoli, for example, contains around one-seventh of the calories found in pasta.

6) Green Tea

The wonders of green tea are well researched and documented, and are becoming wider known as a result.

Among the numerous benefits that drinking green tea has, the most interesting for those of us who are trying to lose weight is its weight loss and body fat burning properties.

Green Tea and weight loss

Many research studies have shown that drinking green tea can have a positive effect on our body weight as well as on our general health.

These studies indicate that green tea helps us shed unwanted kilos by helping to:
Increase our metabolism (burn more calories/kilojoules throughout the day).
Increase our body's ability to burn fat (fat oxidation).

While some of green tea's effect on our metabolism is known to come from the caffeine it contains, green tea doesn't have as much caffeine as coffee but helps the body burn more energy than coffee, so we know that the effect doesn't just come down to its caffeine levels.

Other Health Benefits of Green Tea

As well as helping us to lose weight, green tea is believed to have many other health benefits.

Among the most impressive of these, green tea is said to help:

Reduce our risk of developing many forms of cancer.

Inhibit the growth of cancer cells.

Lower total cholesterol levels.

Improve the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol.

Help reduce the risk and treat rheumatoid arthritis.

Reduce the risk of experiencing cardiovascular disease.

Treat impaired immune function.

Help prevent tooth decay.

Prevent food poisoning.

In order to enjoy these health benefits and others, researchers recommend drinking green tea on a regular basis.

In fact, many recommend drinking between 5 and 10 cups per day to get the full benefits from drinking green teas.

Is green tea good for everyone?

It is thought that not everyone should drink green tea or large quantities of green tea like those recommended by many researchers.
Because green tea does contain relatively high amounts of caffeine, it has been recommended that anyone with the following conditions speak with their doctor before starting to consume green teas:

Heart problems or high blood pressure.

Kidney disease.

Hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid).

An anxiety or nervous disorder.

Bleeding or blood clotting disorder.

Any condition requiring you to take blood thinning drugs.

Plant related allergies.

If you are pregnant or could become pregnant.

If you are breast-feeding a baby.

People who don't take medication or have any of the conditions listed above can still experience the following negative side-effects if they consume too much caffeine (including that contained in green tea):

Irritability.

Insomnia.

Heart palpitations.

Dizziness.

If you're new to drinking green tea, it's probably best to try some of the more moderately priced full-flavored teas first. If in doubt about which variety to try, ask your local herbalist who should be more than happy to make some recommendations.

Unless their convenience is absolutely critical to you, it is best to avoid tea bags which often contain at least some amounts of lower grade tea.

Storing green tea well is important if you want it to retain its taste, freshness and health properties.

As a general guide it is recommended that you keep your green teas in:

Airtight tea tins or airtight glass jars.

Cool, dark environments (such as cupboards).

Areas away from aromatic foods (because green teas absorb aromas easily).

Most green teas don't store well for more than around six months, so it's better to buy small quantities more regularly than it is to buy large quantities less frequently.

To prepare a fine cup of green tea it's always best to follow the manufacturer's instructions for each variety.

Having said that, here are some general things to consider:
The quantity of tea leaves - most green tea experts suggest using about 2 to 4g of tea per cup.
Water - fresh spring water is ideal.
Brewing method - brewing green tea in a pot is best, letting the leaves float freely.
Infusion temperature - green tea is best brewed in water that has only just begun to form bubbles.
Brewing time - most green teas should be brewed for no longer than 1½ to 3 minutes.


7) Garlic

Garlic has been, for long, known for its health benefits such as prevention of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes etc. Now, researchers say that garlic may help in weight loss. Garlic contains the compound allicin which is supposed to suppress the appetite and aid in weight loss.

How does Garlic help in Weight Loss:

Garlic acts as an appetite suppressant as it gives the brain signals of satiety when it is eaten. Hence, a person would be less inclined to eat. Garlic also increases the body’s metabolism. Garlic is supposed to stimulate the nervous system to release the adrenalin hormone – thereby increasing the metabolism. High metabolism can in turn help you to burn calories and lose weight.

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ps: References will be added.

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