The thought of dieting for fat loss conjures up images of bland, boring foods, such as plain chicken breast and tuna. Not the most appealing of thoughts, but hey, no one ever said dieting was fun. Seasoned bodybuilders have learned to make these foods more palatable by adding spices to increase flavor and enjoyment.

A recent research paper also supports adding spices to food not only increases flavor, but also thermogenesis. Consumption of capsaicin, black pepper and ginger all have been shown to increase thermogenesis through several mechanisms and most commonly through the stimulation of catecholamine release. Catecholamines, such as epinephrine and norepinephrine (a.k.a. adrenaline and noradrenaline), are chemical messengers released from the adrenal glands and nerve endings, which stimulate fat cells to breakdown and release fat.

So if you’re planning on getting ripped this spring, try adding these spices to your food, not only for the flavor, but for the fat loss as well.

Physiol Behav. 2006 Aug 30; 89(1):85-91