Sprinkle This on Your Meals to Help Shed Pounds

In All Health Watch, Diet and Nutrition, Featured Article

Dieting is not fun. The worst part? The laundry list of things you aren’t supposed to eat.

But what about the things you should add to your diet?

Researchers have discovered a simple addition to your meals can help. That’s right, something you can eat more of!

A study out of Japan showed a common table spice reduced fat levels in the bloodstream.1

For the study, researchers fed mice a high-fat, high-sugar diet supplemented with this common cooking spice. After just four weeks, scientists found that visceral fat declined in the mice fed diets that contained just 0.03 and 0.05 percent of this spice.

And even better…

The more spice they ate, the bigger the loss of body weight and visceral fat.2

The fact that this spice decreased visceral fat makes it all that more important. Visceral fat is dangerous “hidden fat.”3 It’s the fat that surrounds your organs and can cause an array of serious health problems.

In another study, Korean scientists Soo-Jong Um and Ji-Cheon Jeong also set out to discover the weight-loss properties of this spice.4 For their study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, they used laboratory studies and computer models.

Again, results showed that the natural ingredient interferes with the activity of genes that control the formation of new fat cells. Simply put…it stopped the creation of fat cells!

And this anti-fat spice is so common that you probably already have some in your pantry.

So what is it?

Black pepper.

Black pepper comes from pepper vines that are native to South India and other tropical climates.5 Pepper vines bear fruit – small berries called peppercorns that are dried. It’s the outer layer of the peppercorn that stimulates the breakdown of fat cells.

When peppercorns are ground they become the fresh pepper that you are familiar with having on your table.


But what about black pepper blocks fat?

It’s called piperine.6 Piperine is an alkaloid that gives black pepper its pungent taste.

Results showed that pepper consumption triggered a metabolic chain reaction that helps keep fat at bay.

They also discovered that piperine proved to be nontoxic to other cells and showed antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties.

Pepper has been used for thousands of years in traditional Eastern medicine to treat gastrointestinal distress, pain, inflammation, and other disorders.7 And as research continues to prove, it is standing the test of time. Even as a weight-loss aid.

Who knew that such an inexpensive, common kitchen staple could be so powerful?

You can find piperine in a supplement form at your local health food store. But you don’t have to rely on a supplement. Start adding pepper to your everyday dishes.

From soups, salads, and pasta, black pepper adds a kick. And no longer just for flavor… but to blast fat cells away too.

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References:
1http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20699591
2http://www.emaxhealth.com/1275/why-black-pepper-may-be-your-weight-loss-friend
3http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/Abdominal-fat-and-what-to-do-about-it.shtml
4http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22463744
5http://www.globalprovince.com/spicelines/feature/blackpepper.htm
6http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/05/120502123520.htm
7http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/244958.php