Fennel seeds

Question
A while ago I read an article concerning fennel seeds aiding weight loss. I think that sprinkling them on your food is supposed to do something. I don't have the article, so I don't remember much. Do I eat them whole or ground up?  Have you ever heard of this or know of where I can get info? Thank you.

Answer
Hello Lynne,
Good question. To be honest I've never heard of fennel seeds, but I think it's safe to say that there are no magic properties to them that will melt fat. Just reminds me of all those diets out there that say eat grapefruit and lose weight, eat cabbage soup and lose weight.
When it comes down to it, you have to create the hormonal environment to release and burn fat. This is done by stabilizing blood sugar. For example, when we eat a simple sugar for a moment we have high blood sugar but that's not a problem since the pancreas secretes insulin to remove the excess sugar. The pancreas also does a balancing act between 2 hormones, insulin and glucagon. As insulin production goes up, glucagon production goes down. Why is that important? Glucagon is the hormone responsible for fat release. So, eat a simple sugar and you lock fat in place.
So, we need to start eating in a manner that will stabilize blood sugar. This is why I suggest people eat every 3-3.5 hrs of a lean protein, starchy carb, and fibrous carb free of simple sugars and processed flours. This will support metabolism, and provide the hormonal environment for fat release.
Can fennel seeds be included, I would say probably so. The problem we run into in our society today is consuming far too much sugar, and processed white flour. Just a shift away from the standard American diet to one of whole unprocessed foods will be good.
You didn't mention exercise, but that is another vital part of successful weightloss. I'm going to provide you with a few articles to read that I believe will help you.
If you have any more questions feel free to email me [email protected]

http://philkaplan.com/thefitnesstruth/metabolism.htm
http://philkaplan.com/thefitnesstruth/sugar.htm
http://philkaplan.com/thefitnesstruth/supportive_eating.htm
http://philkaplan.com/thefitnesstruth/women&weights.htm
http://philkaplan.com/thefitnesstruth/quickweightloss.htm


To Your Success!
Mark Shields

1. Prev:ms and diet
2. Next:Help my hips!