Image courtesy of Martha Stewart.
Grains of Paradise is a West African spice that tastes like a mix of familiar spices. It tastes like pepper, ginger, and cardamom all at once, and makes an excellent flavor enhancer when it comes to food. It has long been used in West Africa to flavor food, and even in Europe. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) regulates grains of paradise, unlike the FDA, which still hasn’t yet begun to regulate it. This spice isn’t yet very popular in the U.S., but it is gaining more recognition over time! It offers great health benefits as well as great flavor, which makes it beneficial in more ways than one.
Grains of paradise offers many benefits, and if you find those benefits are useful to you, you can get yourself some online. There are different places that sell the spice for food applications, and ones that sell the supplement version for those who would simply like to drink it and go. Weight loss is a very difficult process, and when you find something that can help with it, it can feel like a miracle. If you feel like you’ve already tried everything else so far, it won’t hurt to try something different. When comparing grains of paradise to many other weight loss methods it’s nice to know that grains of paradise is natural and targets some of the sources of weight gain. The drawbacks are miniscule and the gains might just happen to be immense.
What Are Grains of Paradise?
Get a pack of these and get ready for some benefits. Image courtesy of Pat’s Pantry.
Grains of Paradise is an aromatic spice that comes from West Africa. It is made from the seeds of the Aframomum melegueta plant. It looks a lot like peppercorn and has notes of ginger, nutmeg, coriander, citrus, cardamom, and juniper. It can be used in place of black pepper or a number of other spices. It can be used in a variety of dishes to give them a bit of a unique kick. Grains of paradise has a standout flavor along with stand out benefits. It has been used in medicine for quite some time. Some ailments grains of paradise have been used to fix are heart disease, obesity, diarrhea, and more.
One use it is known for is weight loss. Grains of paradise is used as a weight loss remedy because of the way the chemicals in its seeds decrease inflammation and help the body burn fat. If you want to mimic the flavor of grains of paradise, you would have to combine ground pepper, ground cardamom, and ground ginger. It is often used in soups, stews, and curries, as well as baked goods like bread and cookies. And although it is similar to black pepper, it is actually part of the ginger family.
How Is Grains of Paradise Used?
Grains of Paradise is used in the culinary industry for its rich flavor. It is best used in foods like oatmeal, cereal, granola bars, muffins, pancakes, and smoothies. It can add the kick of flavor that makes these foods turn out different from usual. It can be used similarly to the way you would use spices like peppercorns and cardamom. You can find it in powder form or as whole grains and put it into a pepper grinder.
It is also used as a supplement. Grains of paradise isn’t a common part of the American diet, and many people like to bolster their benefits by using supplements. Grains of paradise supplements will make it so you get the full effects of the substance. You can have it with a glass of water before or after a meal. All you have to do is make sure that you get the right dosage, and that is something that can be discovered based on the brand’s standards or during a conversation with your doctor. Take the right amount each day, and you should eventually start seeing some results.
Supplements
If you want to have grains of paradise as a supplement, there are a few places that you can order it from online. It is not something that you can easily find in stores in person, but when you are looking online, you can get it from Amazon, NutriFit, and HerbalTerra. You can get this supplement as a capsule or you can get it in liquid extract form. You can take the capsule with water, and you can pour some of the extract into any drink to get the benefits that you are looking for.
Grains of paradise supplements will work to reduce inflammation in the body, which is something that leads to weight gain. Inflammation hinders the body’s natural ability to process insulin, which leads to higher levels of glucose and liver fat accumulation in the body. That contributes to overall weight gain, which is why grains of paradise are so effective at preventing it.
Food
Grains of paradise is commonly used in food in different parts of the world, and people in the west are now catching on. If you want to add grains of paradise to your everyday meals, there are amazing recipes on food websites that can guide you on the best ways to do that. This spice can be added to everyday recipes to make them into something different from usual, and you can order it online. Here are a few options to try when you want to start cooking with grains of paradise when you want to lose weight:
Grains of Paradise Crusted Sirloin
You can enjoy steak with a deeply flavorful twist. You may have tried peppercorn crusted sirloin, but grains of paradise sirloin is a different version of that with a mix of different flavors added to it. It can be served with any combination of a carb and a vegetable. Sweet potatoes will especially make a great side for a steak covered in grains of paradise.
Ingredients:
- Sirloin steak
- Grains of paradise
- Butter
- Salt
- Oil
To make this steak, you will need to heat up a strong pan to a really high heat setting, remove any moisture from your steak, and then season it generously with salt and grains of paradise. You will add oil and then cook the steak for a few minutes on each side, depending on how thick it is, lower the heat and baste it with the butter, and then plate it next to your sides.
Lentil Soup With Grains of Paradise
Lentil soup is a simple and flavorful soup that will be enhanced in the best way by grains of paradise. It is a soup that is already healthy and filled with lots of nutrients, and with grains of paradise added, it will have some weight loss properties added. This soup is already low calorie so weight loss properties doubles this soup’s potential effect on weight loss.
Ingredients:
- Olive oil
- Mirepoix (onion, carrots, celery, chopped)
- Seasoning (salt, coriander, cumin, grains of paradise)
- Tomatoes, chopped
- Lentils
- Vegetable or chicken broth
You will need to start off by cooking the mirepoix in the olive oil. Once it is softened, you will add in the chopped tomatoes, and then fill the pot with the broth. Add in the lentils and the seasonings and let the pot simmer for about half an hour or more. Have it with a piece of bread and/or add some cooked ground pork.
Benefits of Grains of Paradise
Grains of Paradise is best known for its effects on weight loss. One of the reasons it helps you lose weight is because it improves digestion. The easier your body can process digestion, the healthier the process is, making it easier to maintain a healthier body weight. It also increases fat loss, which is one of the toughest parts of the weight loss process. Many people feel as if they are getting enough exercise and eating healthier, but they still can’t seem to lose as much weight as they want to. Grains of paradise helps your body drop fat to aid in the weight loss process. It also increases energy expenditure, and the more energy you use in a day, the more calories you will burn, ultimately leading to weight loss.
Side Effects of Grains of Paradise
Grains of paradise can cause some side effects on its own, and can have reactions when combined with certain medications. In high quantities it can cause nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. It can also cause an increase in blood pressure. The type of medication that can have negative reactions with it are blood thinners. Some people can even experience an allergic reaction when using grains of paradise. The reaction can involve skin rashes and having difficulty breathing.
Any substance can have an effect when overused, and that includes all natural substances as well as synthetic ones. You always have to make sure you get the proper dosage of something no matter what it is you are taking. And the right dosage can depend on a number of different factors like age, height, and weight. The dosage that you should take will also depend on your health status and any medications that you may be taking. It is always a good idea to discuss it with your doctor if you think the medications you are taking can affect your health if you combine them with a new substance.
Where to Buy Grains of Paradise
Grains of paradise can be found as a spice or in supplement form. Both versions can be ordered online. When searching for the right grains of paradise supplement, you can go with something pure or something that is a blend of several beneficial ingredients. You can buy grains of paradise from Amazon, NutriFit, Dr. Emil, and HerbalTerra. Each one comes in a different form, spices, capsules, blends, and serums.
Dr. Emil’s multi collagen peptides plus lean fuel is a supplement that contains several beneficial substances, including grains of paradise. There are the collagen peptides which make up a large part of the protein in the body, bitter melon extract to ward off obesity and pack in vitamins, olive leaf extract for its help preventing bad cholesterol, and grains of paradise to stop fat cells from sticking as much. Everything is combined in this one supplement to have the best effects when used together.
Grains of paradise is a weight loss aid that can add extra spice to your life. It can be taken as a supplement, but you can also choose to have some fun with the spice itself and use it in your meals. The list of meals and desserts that you can make with grains of paradise is quite long, and you might just be glad that you tried them. Either way, your weight loss goals may be closer within your reach if you decide to give grains of paradise a chance in your diet.
