That's Fit

Want to drop a few pounds? Add some spice to your meals -- any kind will do, as long as it's low in calories. According to Fit Celeb, adding zero-calorie spices to your meals can help you lose weight. In fact, in studies, participants who did just that lost an average of 30 lbs in six months, compared to two lbs in the control group. Wow. The key to the weight loss was attributed to the aroma of the dishes -- taking a moment to savour the smell of the food was key to participants' weight loss.

A few things to keep in mind: Butter is not a spice, and neither is salt -- both will likely cause you to gain weight rather than lose it. However, be sure to stock up on healthy, flavourful spices like cinnamon, dill, rosemary, curry powder and so on.

What's your favourite spice?

As hot August turns into cooler September, hauling out my crockpot also means sliding open the spice drawer. I don't know about you, but I simply use more spices in the fall and winter.

Nutrition research backs the health benefits of a variety of spices. Pinch, dash and teaspoonful your way to flavorful health with the following power spices:

• One tsp cinnamon wields the antioxidant punch of a full cup of pomegranate juice or a half-cup of blueberries. A cheap way to get your polyphenols, cinnamon can help regulate blood sugar and fight inflammation.
• Potential metabolism boosters and appetite suppressors include cayenne pepper, chili powder and paprika. Cayenne works for me -- it fries my mouth so I can't go back for seconds.
• New research on ginger is examining its anti-inflammatory properties -- similar to aspirin or my sore muscle best friend, ibuprofen.
• Oregano is the antioxidant powerhouse of dried herbs, capable of fighting bacterial growth and possibly the bacteria associated with ulcers.

Read more to discover the health benefits of yellow curry, curcumin and red peppers, too.

There's been all kinds of stories circulating around lately on what a ridiculously huge amount of calories Olympic athlete Michael Phelps consumes every day while still managing to be totally ripped and toned. Talk about efficient calorie-burning! But you don't have to be on a crazy athletic training schedule and headed for the Olympics to learn how to burn calories better (although that certainly helps, I'm sure!), just try these 5 tips:

• Eat breakfast
• Tune in to your body's hunger cues
• Drink plenty of water
• Encourage healthy bacteria (take probiotics, eat yogurt)
  
• Go heavy on the spices (cayenne pepper, paprika, chili peppers)

Each week, we'll be naming a Super Food and offering unique ways to use those Super Foods that pack nutritional power. After all, you are what you eat -- make it count!

Being someone who loves to travel, I'm drawn to ethnic foods, tastes from around the world. So many cultures have different forms of curry, but my favourite is a good, spicy Indian curry. Provided it's not loaded with too much cream or sodium, curry is loaded with healthy ingredients like fresh veggies and spices. One of the key ingredients, of course, is Turmeric, and it's one of the main reasons you should eat more curry.

Why? The reasons are almost endless.

So you're the type of person who fills your grocery cart with healthy foods -- fruits and veggies of every shape and color, whole grains, low-fat dairy, and lean protein. Your healthy choices are enough to make the check-out person feel guilty about the candy bar stashed beneath her register. But are you sure you're getting the most vitamins and minerals out of the foods that you buy?

Shape has a list of 9 common kitchen mistakes even healthy eaters make:

• Overloading on produce. It's best to buy fresh fruits and veggies within just a few days of using them. If you stock up on too many they'll lose precious nutrients as they sit on your counter waiting to be eaten. Or, worse yet, they'll end up going to waste altogether.
  
• Exposing foods to light. Opt for milk in cardboard boxes and don't store foods in glass canisters or see-through storage containers. Many foods are susceptible to a process called photooxidation in which light breaks down the nutrients.
  

Instead of eating all those meals with mountains of included sodium levels, have you ever considered fixing "tasteless" foods then spicing them up with various spices to get those taste buds really going?

As some like to say, "there's no such thing as too much pepper" -- something I agree with. Try pepper on everything (except maybe fruit). Red potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, enchiladas and soup and you will be surprised how much this simple and inexpensive ingredient can wallop those foods with flavor without needing to add a bunch of processed flavoring.

In fact, I always looks for "low sodium" foods when shopping. I then add my own pepper, garlic, thyme and other spices to suit my taste -- all without consuming 1,000 milligrams of sodium per sitting in the process. Ever try cinnamon on plain, unflavored yogurt? Mmm.

I love Mexican. Looooooooooooove it. But it's usually considered a diet no-no. I guess tortillas, re-fried beans, cheese and sour cream aren't the best for the waistline. But the key to healthy long-term changes is finding ways to enjoy the things you love without the guilt.

So if it's Mexican you love, here are some suggestions: Get your fix in salad form, without the tortilla or taco shell. Trade re-fried beans for regular beans (like black beans). Use low-fat cheese and sour cream in moderation, and choose lean protein sources, like chicken breast. I cook mine with Tex Mex spice and it's delicious.

Want more? Check out this recipe from Self Magazine.

Natural and organic foods are often seen as boring and bland by those who are used to salty and chemical-infused processed foods, but it does not have to be that way. Ever try using fresh herbs in that salad or with that salmon?

Cilantro, Rosemary and Thyme are three of my favorites. Even squeeze a fresh lemon onto that veggie plate? That's another idea to spruce up the taste of some great feeds that don't have a load of MSG to get those taste buds excited while the food behind it is hardly adequate for normal nutrition.

The next time you find yourself trying to eat a healthier regimen of meals, but are discouraged by the bland taste you think may be there, try some fresh herbs (not bottled if possible) and spices. Personally, I use pepper on most foods I eat, although I understand that is too much for many of you. There are, however, many (many) alternatives.

Did you know that sauteing your veggies with some olive oil is better than steaming them because you get more antioxidants that way? Yeah, me neither. I always assumed that the cooking method that involved the least fat was the most healthy. That's just one of the cooking tips I've learned from this article by Prevention Magazine. Here are some suggestions, in a nutshell:

• Cook or heat up tomatoes to up the amount of heart-healthy lycopene
  
• Let Garlic stand for 10-15 minutes before using it in cooking
• Heat acidic foods in cast iron to add more iron
• Add healthy fats like Avocado, Nuts and seeds to improve the nutrient content of your salad
• Add lemon juice to homemade chicken soup -- it increases the calcium in your soup
• Marinate -- the chance of picking up carcinogens from your barbecue is significantly decreased if you marinate your meat and veggies beforehand
• Save time and valuable nutrients by cutting bigger slices of veggies
• Don't peel -- the skin on many veggies is where the good stuff is
• Add fresh spices and and herbs to your meals

Great tips -- check out the article for a more in-depth explanation. What tips do you have?

I was buying glucosamine tablets for my dog to cut down on arthritis inflammation. Then saw some in the drug store for people and thought I would give them a try for the pain in my joints from arthritis. I did not notice much change for either of us. Then I read an article today that glucosamine trials show little benefit against arthritis. The results of 15 trials of over the counter glucosamine vary so widely that industry bias may be a factor influencing the more positive outcomes, concludes a team writing in the July issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.

Click here to read the MSN health news article and you be the judge.

Native Americans have used cayenne pepper as both food and medicine for at least 9,000 years. It has also been used as a topical remedy for arthritis and muscle pain. So I think I will pull one of my favorite spices out of the cabinet and give it a try to remedy the knee joint pain the natural way. The University of Maryland Medical Center has an article on the healing powers of cayenne pepper. Click here to read their report.

A favorite breakfast food of mine that is both good for you and tastes great is whole-wheat bread with ground cinnamon (fresh ground if possible) and a touch of melted butter (just a little). No sugar though -- but using berries on top is good!

Cinnamon is known to lower blood glucose, triglycerides and even the "bad" cholesterol (LDL). Some purists swear by cinnamon as a partial cure to diabetes as well, and there is a long history of its use in those types of patients.

Is it a good spice to use? Absolutely -- but regular and sparing use (every day) is the way I use it when cooking and baking. Try it on a piece of whole wheat bread topped by some fresh berries. Yummy doesn't describe it!

Inflammation is the body's response to tissue damage and infection. There are many conditions that cause inflammation. Genetics play a role, so does the environment. Environmental factors include diet, exposure to toxins, germs, pollutants, and inhalants. Some people have a genetic predisposition to heightened inflammation which can cause them to have an illness such as rheumatoid arthritis. But a commonly overlooked cause of inflammation is poor diet.

Foods that cause inflammation are sugar, simple carbohydrates, and certain fatty acids and oils. To reduce inflammation avoid junk foods such as donuts, pastry, and sugared drinks. Insufficient consumption of fish, fruit and vegetables is as bad for human health as smoking.A diet that reduces inflammation consists mostly of vegetables and fish. In my opinion, the foods that cause the least inflammation and are the most anti-inflammatory are fish such as halibut and salmon, and all kinds of vegetables. Make changes slowly and accept the fact that there may be times when you binge on unhealthy snacks and foods.

There are many other herbs and nutrients that could be taken to reduce inflammation. For instance using curry and cinnamon when cooking is great. Use a variety of herbs and spices. Many of them have antioxidants and other beneficial compounds. For instance, curry has curcumin, rosemary has rosmarinic acid and ginger has vanillin and zingerone. All of these compounds have health benefits. Basil, bay leaves, cumin, chili powder, coriander, dill, fennel, garlic, ginger, oregano, pepper, rosemary, sage, thyme, and garlic appears to protect against fungal and bacterial infections, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, blood clots and even cancer. Bee pollen, pomegranate, goji, mangosteen, graviola, green tea extract, and spirulina, are great herbs and additions to add to the body. A calcium supplement is recommended for postmenopausal women.

Cutting down or cutting out your sugar intake is a must to cut down on inflammation. Stevia, a no calorie natural herbal sweetener, is available in liquid or powder in health food stores. Reduce your intake of artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and saccharin also.

I'm a huge fan of using non-salt spices to make all those lovingly-prepared foods taste good without subjecting myself to all those fake, taste-enhancing chemicals used on so many processed foods these days.

Most food sold in pre-packaged containers is essentially "dead" with a shelf life of many months. So, to combat that fact, chemicals like MSG and others are used to give that taste that consumers have grown used to.

There is nothing wrong, however, by buying frozen vegetables and other meals (without a slew of chemicals) and using your own spice cabinet to pump up the taste. When I fix a whole-wheat sandwich with fresh vegetables, for example, garlic and pepper go on as the taste enhancers -- not meat filled with sodium nitrite and monosodium glutamate (yuck).

In a neat side note, how about becoming more sharper mentally by using spices regularly? That's a side effect worth using pepper and other spices (like majoram and oregano) all the "thyme."

Are you a fan of the grill? Sometimes there is nothing better than a flame-grilled piece of salmon of chicken, but ensuring that tons of sodium and fake taste enhancers are kept at bay can be a challenge. In other words, I don't buy chicken breasts in pre-packaged marinades, which are almost always full of taste enhancers I don't care to eat.

No, I prefer nothing-added poultry or fish. The reason for this is simple: I like to add y own spices without anything extra already added. In other words, You can bet I'll be adding quite a bit of pepper to almost anything I eat these days (there's not such thing as too much), and fresh lemon juice is also handy.

Ever tried grilling salmon on a cedar plank with fresh lemon juice, basil and coarse-ground black pepper? It's a smell and taste sensation that is just incredible. There are so many spices that are zero-calorie and add so much to the taste that it's hard to go wrong. Mayoram, sage, thyme, oregano, basil bay leaves,mint leaves, garlic, dill, white pepper -- the list goes on an one. I know I keep most of those stocked -- and I mix and match them to dishes to get that authentic and excellent taste -- without anything fake in the process (like MSG, yeast extract or anything "autolyzed").

I think it would be great to be, or at least to live with, a professional chef. You'd get fresh, gourmet meals every day! No need to go out to eat -- your kitchen table is where the best meal in town can be found. But I wonder -- is it really like that at a chef's home? Maybe they get sick of working with food at work and when they're home, they're serving Spaghetti Os and Kraft dinner like the rest of the population.

Nahhhh -- according to this, celebrity chefs do eat well on their own time -- and they do so healthfully. They cook with organic foods, low-fat substitutions and flavorful herbs and spice. Celebrity chefs realize that they have an influence on the diets of everyone else, so eating healthy is a way of encouraging others to do the same.