Cinnamon
One of the big challenges facing anyone who wants to lose weight is the sweet craving. The cinnamon taste naturally sweet so it can be added to any foods such as porridge, smoothies, biscuits to replace sugar.
It also has been shown to help control blood glucose levels and so help with energy levels as well as help control insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Studies have shown that consuming just a small amount of cinnamon- just half tablespoon can have dramatic effect.
Cinnamon has numerous other reported health benefits: such as aiding digestion and relieving bloating as well as lowering LDL cholesterol. It is also said to have anti-inflammatory effects.
Cinnamon is also high in the nutrients of iron, manganese and Vitamin K.
Berries
Purple and red berries such as blueberries, goji berries and acai berries, have all been promoted in recent years as having special properties for weight loss.
They are low in glycaemic index, so they release their sugars slowly. They are also high in fibre.
Goji berries are purported to contain high level of chromium, the mineral involved in blood glucose control.
Purple and red berries are also high in oligomeric proanthocyanins (OPCs) which are phytochemicals with very strong antioxidant properties.
OPCs have many health benefits including:
· Anti-inflammatory properties
· Lowering bad cholesterol
· Fighting allergic symptoms
· Helping with diabetic neuropathy
Including these foods in your weight loss diet can only help improve your health. What`s more, many of the conditions they help such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are associated with being overweight and obesity.
The OPCs in purple berries can also help support eye health and help prevent conditions such as macular degeneration.
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