Tried almost every other fad and diet plan out there to reduce weight? Well, here’s some news for you. Chances are you may actually end up losing weight by adding one small ingredient to your meals every day. The small ingredient we are talking about here is the capsicum. Surprised? Well, don’t be. Many weight loss studies have actually revealed that incorporating capsicum into your regular diet can help you lose weight in more ways than one.
Medicinal Uses of Capsicum
Capsicum is the name given to the group of plants that produce peppers. The fruits of these plants are regularly used in cuisine as vegetables as well as spices. For instance, paprika and cayenne are very popular spices used in cuisines around the world, belong the same genus.
Not many know that capsicum is regularly used for medicinal purposes as well. In addition to being featured in many home remedies lists, capsicum is an active ingredient in many medicines frequently prescribed for toothache, cramps, stomach pain, malaria, high cholesterol levels, digestive problems, heart disease, blood problems, alcoholism, seasickness, diarrhea, bloating and so on.
Capsicum and Weight Loss
More recently though, it has been found that capsicum can aid in weight loss. The plant and its fruits have been found to target weight loss and the different key areas pertaining to the same. As a natural source, it has been anticipated that the use of capsicum for weight loss would prove to be more beneficial for individuals while posing fewer side effects to worry about as is the case of conventional weight loss medications and diet loss plans.
Different Ways in which Capsicum aids in weight loss
Here are some of the ways in which capsicum has been found to aid weight loss in individuals.
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Stimulated Thermogenesis
Capsicum is considered an active ingredient for weight loss. It has been noted that once consumed, capsicum tends to increase the body’s internal temperature. Scientifically called thermogenesis, this process will have a definite impact on the body on an internal basis. While the individual will likely experience sweating and flushing initially, the process will stimulate an increase in cell activity in the body.
This, in turn, will help the body more energy for daily maintenance tasks like digestion and breathing, etc. This increase in energy expenditure leads to an increase in the body’s metabolic rate. The increased metabolic rage, in turn, leads to effective weight loss which can be easily visualized in a few weeks time.
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Enhanced Lipolysis
The fat stores in the body are one of the main reasons for weight gain in individuals. Studies have revealed that consuming capsicum on a regular basis can help reduce these fat stores effectively. The substances present in capsicum provide a favorable environment for certain enzymes in the body to break down fat molecules to create more energy for the body (the process is called lipolysis). The improved performance of these fat burning enzymes therefore, helps promote weight loss considerably. This is probably why capsicum also goes by the name ‘fat burner’.
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Suppressed Appetite
Another area in which capsicum aids in weight loss is appetite. Capsicum has been shown to promote weight loss by suppressing one’s appetite. Studies have revealed that this is achieved by the ingredient altering the secretion of the brain’s neurotransmitters which are responsible for signals like hunger and cravings. The change in the neurotransmitter levels, in turn, makes the brain send appropriate signals to the body, telling that it is no longer hungry. This makes for fewer cravings and controlled hunger pangs. Eventually, this results in the individual eating less.
Research has revealed that capsicum can help individuals lose weight effectively. IN addition to curbing hunger pangs and controlling cravings, capsicum is known to enhance lipolysis and improve thermogenesis in the body, factors that aid in effective weight loss.