INDIA’S SECRET
Indians may be known for their over indulgence, particularly when it comes to food, but the ancient Indian practice of ayurveda has a weight loss secret. In ayurveda, the key to a satisfying meal is including the six basic tastes in it: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, pungent and astringent. This will cover all your basic flavour cravings and ensure that your mouth doesn’t start watering whenever you see junk food.
Wonder how the Swiss are so famous for their chocolate but still manage to stay slim? Or how French women are so thin even though they eat so much bread and cheese? Dev Goswami unveils the best weight loss secrets from around the world
THAILAND
Red Thai curry may be a hit with us Indians due to its spicy flavour, but the spices in Thai food can actually help you lose weight. Thai cuisine is one of the spiciest cuisines in the world and its ample use of hot peppers means that it will raise your metabolism. Not just that, spicy food ensures that you eat slower than normal, which means your body has the time to process the food and tell you that it’s full.
BRAZIL
All that booty shaking at the carnival is not the only healthy habit that you can pick up from the Brazilians. Their traditional dish of rice and beans is known to help you keep slim. Studies have shown that consuming the dish reduces the risk of becoming overweight by about 14%. The reason behind this is that the dish is low on fats and high on fibre, which has a dual benefit of helping you lose weight and stabilising your blood sugar levels.
GERMANY
It is not as much of a secret as it is following what nutritionists have been saying for years — eat breakfast. The majority of the German population eats a wholesome breakfast daily. Apart from filling your stomach, breakfast ensures that your brain’s reward centre doesn’t light up when you see a high-calorie treat later in the day.
FRANCE
For the French, lunch or dinner is like a family occasion that cannot be missed. How this helps in weight loss is that having lunch surrounded by your family or friends makes it a leisurely affair and the conversation will slow down the speed at which you eat. And it is quite obvious that a slower pace of eating gives you time to realise that you are full.
SWITZERLAND
The traditional Swiss dish, muesli, has been linked to better health and weight control. Developed around a century ago by a Swiss physician to nourish hospital patients, it is basically a porridge or cereal made with oats, fruits and nuts. It has a high fibre content which makes it slow to digest; giving you energy and helping you feel full for a longer period of time.
JAPAN
Taking a 20-30 minute power nap every day is a common habit in Japan. Studies have linked sleep deprivation to weight gain. Two hormones (leptin, which helps the brain sense when you are full) and ghrelin (which triggers hunger) are known to be affected by sleep. Too little sleep and your leptin levels may go down and your ghrelin levels may increase.
HUNGARY
Pickles are a common snack in Hungary. Pickled cucumbers, bell peppers, cabbage and tomatoes are the most popular. However, it is not the vegetables but the vinegar in the pickles that help you lose weight. Acetic acid, the main component of vinegar, helps reduce blood sugar levels, lowers blood pressure and reduces the formation of fats.