The Spice That Promotes Weight Loss

This article was written by Julia Westbrook and provided by our partners at Rodale News.

Time to add another seasoning to your spice rack: cumin. This spice—found in everything from Tex-Mex chili to Indian curry—can also help you lose weight, according to a recent study published in journal Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice.

In this study, one group of women was told to eat three grams of cumin mixed into yogurt during lunch and dinner, while the others were simply told to eat yogurt. Additionally, all 88 women were put on a reduced-calorie diet and received nutrition counseling for three months.

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While both groups lost weight, the cumin group lost, on average, 4.5 pounds more than the other group. The women in the cumin group also had larger reductions in body mass index, waist circumference, percentage of fat mass, and cholesterol.

"Cumin is a spice in the parsley family that goes well with red lentils or brown rice," says Alexa Fleckenstein, M.D., author of The Diabetes Cure. In addition to the benefits on cholesterol, and perhaps blood sugar, it also has a good effect on the advanced glycation end products (AGEs) that are so damaging in diabetes," she says. AGEs are toxins typically found in high-heat cooked food (like grilled foods). In the body, they create oxidative stress and cell damage. AGEs also cause accelerated aging.

To help you shed the winter weight, try this lentil soup recipe from Fleckenstein:

Lentil Soup
Makes 4 servings

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
6 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup brown lentils
1 to 2 tsp ground cumin
1 to 2 tomatoes, chopped
5 oz baby spinach or 1 bunch Swiss chard, chopped
Sea salt
Black pepper

1. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat olive oil. Cook carrots, celery, and garlic, stirring occasionally, for four minutes, or until softened.

2. Add vegetable stock, brown lentils, and cumin. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the lentils are just tender.

3. Stir in one to two chopped fresh tomatoes, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, for five minutes, or until the tomatoes are softened. Add baby spinach or Swiss chard. Cook the spinach, stirring occasionally for three minutes, or just until wilted. If using Swiss chard, cook for six minutes, or just until tender. Season with sea salt and black pepper.

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