A study conducted at Iran’s Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, included 88 women considered overweight and obese. The women were divided into two groups and assigned different diets. Both groups were instructed to reduce their daily caloric intake by 500 calories. The first group ate 3 grams of cumin powder mixed with 5 grams of yogurt, daily. The control group ate yogurt too, but without any additives.
After 3 months, the group eating cumin lost 3 pounds (1.4 kilograms) more than the control group. Their body fat percentage dropped by 14.64% - triple the control group’s decrease of 4.91% - which the researchers attribute to the spice. In addition, the group who ate cumin were found to have lower levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and increased HDL (good) cholesterol levels. The researchers determined that the spice was a beneficial dietary aide.
Cumin is rich in antioxidants, which fights free radicals in the body, and phytosterols, a plant substance with a similar structure and function to cholesterol. Phytosterols hinder the bad cholesterol from being absorbed by the digestive tract. Previous studies found that food enriched with 0.8 grams of plant sterols lowered LDL, the bad kind of cholesterol. Other studies have also associated cumin with cancer prevention. In addition to fighting cholesterol, cumin is a loaded with iron, which supports the immune system and prevents anemia.
Creative Way to Incorporate Cumin into Your Diet
Other spices that can help
There are other spices sitting in your spice rack that have a wealth of health benefits. Not only can you add spices to boost your diet success, but eating certain foods has also shown to improve weight loss. So, stay thin by adding these foods to your diet. You can also try coconut oil or a mixture of cinnamon and honey.
Source: healthyandnaturalworld
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