Easy Shortcut to Staying Slim and Healthy

Want to curb hunger, strengthen muscles, boost your brainpower and improve mood? All you need to do is spice up your meals. Research shows that shaking things up by adding seasoning to your foods can have tons of health benefits. Plus, you get instant big-time flavor for a few calories and nearly zero fat. Toss spices on your eats and you will.

Peel off pounds
When women added 2 teaspoons of dried red pepper on their food, they consumed fewer calories and fat in later meals, a study in the British Journal of Nutrition finds. To start your day off on the light side, splash hot sauce or red pepper flakes on your morning omelet.
Get stronger
Opt for Indian food! The curcumin that gives turmeric its yellow glow also helps reduce inflammation and supports muscle rehabilitation after strenuous exercise, researchers at the University of South Carolina at Columbia report. Enjoy the marigold-colored spice for a few days before a big workout (try stirring it in a cup of lowfat cottage cheese and sliced fruit) to speed recovery afterward. Your body will thank you.
Sharpen your mind
Curcumin also clears out plaque deposits in your brain, which may help stave off Alzheimer's disease, research from the University of California at Los Angeles indicates. For a savory meal, dust curry spices over rice, beans or other veggies.
Smile more
To encourage more happy thoughts, turn to chiles. Capsaicin, the compound that gives the spicy plant its snap, triggers pain receptors in the mouth, in turn signaling your brain to release feel-good endorphins, according to scientists at the State University of New York at Buffalo. That chemical surge not only helps dull the pepper's bite, but it also betters your mood. Next time you need a quick lift, toss red pepper flakes or some diced chile peppers into your salad or bowl of chilled soup.
Article By Lucy Danziger, SELF Editor-in-Chief