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Herbs and spices can add a lot of flavor to just about any meal. And while a little extra kick to your meal is tasty, did you know that some herbs are even great for your overall health?
According to Healthline, herbs and spices have been used for a long time due to their medicinal properties, even before they were used for cooking. As research shows, these garnishes have many amazing health benefits. Some of these health benefits include boosting metabolism and aiding weight loss.
One specific metabolism-boosting herb you should start using ASAP is something you may already frequently use when preparing your meals: black pepper.
According to Dr. Mehmet Oz’s website, black pepper is a mega metabolism booster. Dr. Oz explains that black pepper contains the alkaloid piperine, which helps to speed up metabolism. He recommends reaching for black pepper instead of salt to both boost your metabolism and reduce your sodium intake.
WebMD further supports the idea that black pepper can help with weight loss. WebMD reports that piperine, the pungent component in black pepper, fights fat by blocking the formation of new fat cells.
You can easily include black pepper in a variety of meals. Luckily for you, we’ve gathered some of the tastiest recipes that include metabolism-boosting black pepper. Try this Black Pepper Chicken recipe from Gimme Some Oven for a delicious and fulfilling lunch or dinner recipe. Vegetarians can even consider whipping up this Black Pepper Tofu recipe from Fine Cooking instead.
It should come as no surprise that adding just a little bit of black pepper to your favorite dish can go a long way.
How do you plan on adding black pepper into your diet? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
