Mustard, Chili, and Weight Loss

This is a surprising question, "Is there a relationship between mustard and weight loss? And what about chili pepper, too?"

The benefits of mustard for nutrition are very simple. One tablespoon (14 g) of mayonnaise - and most of us prefer two tablespoons or more of our sandwiches - contains 99 calories (kcal) and 11 g of fat. Because we go for both "taste" and mayonnaise, we tend to eat more.

One teaspoon of mustard - enough to give the sandwich a zingy feel if you slice it thinly - comes in at just 3 calories and zero grams of fat. Switching from mustard mayo can easily save 200 or more calories per sandwich. And chili is just as low calorie with added benefits.

Australian clinical studies have found that eating a chilli pepper every day can protect cholesterol from forming atherosclerotic plaques, and the benefits can be measured in a month.

Drs. K. D. Ahuja and M. J. Ball of the University of Tasmania (Australia) found that "chopped fresh chilli" consumed daily slowed down cholesterol oxidation more effectively than taking vitamin E and antioxidant supplements. The same researcher, together with Drs. I. K. Robertson and D. P. Geraghty, also found that eating chili for a month reduced heart rate in men.

Therefore, spice up your food and lose about an ounce per week. Mustard and chili pepper can add flavor to simple foods and help you lose fat, lose weight, and protect your heart at the same time.

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