This Morning’s chef Shivi Ramoutar has revealed that adding a bit of spice to your meals could not only tantalise your taste buds, but also contribute to better health, and even assist with weight loss.
The culinary expert expressed her current obsession with spicy kimchi, relishing the fact that its health benefits make it an even more enjoyable addition to her dishes.
Kimchi, a staple Korean side dish, is made from a variety of vegetables and can be seasoned to taste with ingredients like gochugaru (Korean chili powder), spring onions, garlic, ginger, and jeotgal (salted seafood).
“I just cannot get enough of it,” Shivi confessed. “With any lunch I’m having, so if it’s avocado and eggs, a little bit of kimchi, a really spicy one [goes well]. It has that kind of pickle, gherkin, sweet [and] sour tang and the spice.”
“Plus, you have the added benefit of knowing that it’s doing something really nice to the inside of your body”, reports the Express.
She further explained the health advantages of spices: “I think with all the spices, when you have your cardamom and cumin, those are all anti-oxidant rich, so those things actually count towards your 30 plant and veg a week.
“So, that’s what we should be aiming towards, apparently. I mean it changes every year.
“A sprinkling of spices is really good for your body, I know chilli in particular, vegetables that are red, or brightly coloured, all have different anti-oxidant benefits.
“And also, spices boost your metabolism so that is an element of weight loss, it’s a good ingredient for that.
“But generally speaking, the more diverse a spice is, herbs, vegetables, citrus and olive oils, those things in combination are so good for you, because they’re giving your body a little bit of something different and it is about the diversity.”
While Shivi acknowledges that a dietitian’s expertise is essential for the best weight loss advice, she didn’t hold back on doling out her own counsel for a wholesome life.
The culinary expert emphasises the importance of being well-informed about what we eat, confessing her love for occasional indulgences like sweet breakfast cereals, but insists they must be eaten sparingly.
When grabbing a bite while out, the co-host of Jimmy and Shivi’s Farmhouse Breakfast recommends steering clear of items packed with unrecognisable ingredients.
“If you look at the back of the ingredients list, if you struggle to identify a lot of the ingredients, a lot of the chemical ingredients, if you have no idea what that is, I’d stay away from it,” she cautions.
Acknowledging today’s hectic schedules, she admits it can be tough to maintain sound eating habits, yet she champions the choice of wholesome options whenever possible.
“As much as possible, eat the brown pasta, the wholegrain rice, all the colours of the rainbow in vegetables and fruits.”