Winter is the time for pies, ginger snaps, spiced lattes, adrak wali chai, cinnamon rolls, pepper-y soups and curries, perfectly spiced mulled wine, plum cakes, apple pies, and a whole lot of chocolate goodness – be it in hot cocoa drinks or warm chocolate cakes. And with these foods on the table, it is difficult to avoid gaining a few extra pounds.

But you can reduce the ill-effect with regular spices like turmeric, saffron, cinnamon, fenugreek, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, pepper, and nutmeg, among others. Apart from helping us keep our bodies warm, these spices are loaded with antioxidants and nutrients that help in boosting immunity, improving metabolism and shedding a few kilos.

Here’s why you should include these spices in your diet:

Cinnamon

Cinnamon contains mineral chromium that keeps one’s appetite under check and helps in getting rid of visceral fat. Packed with essential nutrients, it makes for an excellent detox drink. Spice up your tea or hot chocolate with cinnamon and keep those extra pounds away.

Ginger

Known to improve digestion and avoid inflammation, ginger is a beneficial ingredient when it comes to weight loss and reducing belly fat. Who knew a cup of ginger tea or ginger snaps in winters could cut belly fat? Try to keep the sugar to a minimum, though.

Cloves

Cloves are dried buds of the clove tree which has medicinal properties due to its anti-bacterial properties and antiseptic properties. It is known to improve digestion and metabolism, which helps the body burn fat faster

Nutmeg

Nutmeg is high in fibre content, which can help you feel fuller when you are cutting on calories. Lace your cup of tea with some ground nutmeg and stay away from packing on pounds.

Black pepper

Apart from adding flavour and enhancing the taste of food, black pepper is packed with minerals like magnesium, copper, manganese, calcium, phosphorous, and iron, and dietary fibre. It helps in improving metabolism, avoiding bloating, and reducing weight.

This winter, use these spices to keep those extra pounds away.

Courtesy: The Indian Express