Try the hot, spicy kind you find in Asian import stores, specialty shops and exotic groceries.
Dr. Jaya Henry of Oxford Polytechnic Institute in England, found that the amount of hot
mustard normally called for in Mexican, Indian and Asian recipes, about one teaspoon,
temporarily speeds up the metabolism, just as caffeine and the drug ephedrine do.
“But mustard is natural and totally safe,” Henry says. “It can be used every day, and it really
works. I was shocked to discover it can speed up the metabolism by as much as 20 to 25
percent for several hours.” This can result in the body burning an extra 45 calories for every
700 consumed, Dr. Henry says.
Soup is good for you! Maybe not the canned varieties from the store – but old-fashioned,
homemade soup promotes weight loss. A study by Dr. John Foreyt of Baylor College of
Medicine in Houston, Texas, found that dieters who ate a bowl of soup before lunch and
dinner lost more weight than dieters who didn’t. In fact, the more soup they ate, the more
weight they lost. And soup eaters tend to keep the weight off longer.
Naturally, the type of soup you eat makes a difference. Cream soups or those made of beef
or pork are not your best bets. But here’s a great recipe:
Slice three large onions, three carrots, four stalks of celery, one zucchini and one yellow
squash. Place in a kettle. Add three cans crushed tomatoes, two packets low-sodium chicken
bouillon, three cans water and one cup white wine (optional). Add tarragon, basil, oregano,
thyme and garlic powder. Boil, then simmer for an hour. Serves six.
Popeye really knew what he was talking about, according to Dr. Richard Shekelle, an
epidemiologist at the University of Texas. Spinach has the ability to lower cholesterol, rev up
the metabolism and burn away fat. Rich in iron, beta carotene and vitamins C and E, it
supplies most of the nutrients you need.
You just can’t say enough about this health food from Asia. Also called soybean curd, it’s
basically tasteless, so any spice or flavoring you add blends with it nicely. A 2½ ” square has
86 calories and nine grams of protein. (Experts suggest an intake of about 40 grams per day.)
Tofu contains calcium and iron, almost no sodium and not a bit of saturated fat. It makes
