Here is the kind of letter that pleases: “Please, please!!! I hope it is not inappropriate for me to ask you the recipe for those famous skinny cupcakes with the bran you talk about in a recent article. Ah, if you knew how much I need to activate my serotonin! “Until about ten years ago, I had never had a weight problem, but age suddenly caught up with me. Would you be kind enough to answer this letter and help me lose those 12 or so extra pounds? Thank you in advance. »
Yes, this is what happens when we spread some notions of biochemistry in the pages of magazines! A few years ago, a journalist asked me about the natural secrets to better manage your body weight. Overall, there is no secret here: it is enough to have a diet low in fat and rich in fruits, vegetables, aromatic plants whole grains, exercise.
But you know how the media are always on the lookout for novelty. So I mentioned in passing to this reporter that serotonin is the brain chemical responsible for feeling full. By activating serotonin, the person concerned would more easily resist temptations…
One of the key ingredients in serotonin is an amino acid called tryptophan. You may have heard that tryptophan is a sedative. That’s precisely where my skinny cupcakes come in. These provide the body with a generous amount of tryptophan to stimulate the synthesis of serotonin in the brain, which results in giving us a feeling of satiety.
Plants to the rescue of overweight
If the prospect of lean cupcakes doesn’t tempt you, consider using some helpful herbs to help with weight management.
Red pepper (Capsicum, various species) and other strong spices.
In one experiment, researchers measured the metabolic rate of a group of subjects who all received the same diet, before adding a teaspoon of red pepper sauce and mustard to each of their meals. The results of this study showed that these strong spices achieved an increase of up to 25% in the metabolic rates of the participants.
If you’re looking to lose weight, eating rather spicy will give you an added benefit as the strong spices stimulate thirst, so you’ll drink more fluids. By filling yourself with water rather than food, it’s obvious that you’re absorbing fewer calories.
Plantain, psyllium and ispaghul (Plantago, various species).
Ispaghul and psyllium seeds belong to the plantain family, which are leafy plants. In one study, researchers gave severely obese women—women whose body weight was at least 60% above their ideal weight—three grams of plantain in water, 30 minutes before each meal. Subjects in this group lost more weight than women who had only received a reduced diet. Researchers have found that the effectiveness of plantain and ispaghul in slimming is due to the spongy fiber (mucilage) contained in the seeds, as well as specific chemicals called polyphenols, present in the leaves of the plant.
It is not necessarily very practical to absorb a mixture of plantain and water, but you will not have trouble getting ispaghul since there are various products, such as Spagulax, that contain this plant substance. Mix a teaspoon in juice or water and take it before each meal. If you are allergic, however, remain vigilant for possible reactions to this plant. In case allergy symptoms occur after the first intake, abandon this remedy.
Pineapple (Ananas comosus).
One day, someone told me that he had lost 45 pounds thanks to a pineapple-based diet. He ate a whole fresh fruit every day.
Even if this story seems hard to believe, this regime has more merit than one might think. Indeed, pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain that helps in the digestion of proteins and fats.
This plant enjoys a remarkable popular reputation as a favorable remedy for slimming. Add a little to your diet and observe the result.
Some people eat it raw, in salads, while others steam it and use it as a vegetable. Personally, I prefer to disguise it by mixing it with other greens. If you want to prepare my dish of raw vegetables based on wild plants with slimming virtues, mix bird mouron, dandelion, evening primrose, nettle (previously cooked and cooled), plantain and purslane. You can enjoy this mixture of fresh plants as raw vegetables. If you prefer, you can also cook all these plants and then season them with slimming pepper sauce.
Walnut (Juglans, various species).
When you want to lose weight, maybe you think you should avoid eating oilseeds, which are high in fat. Still, a study of more than 25,000 people showed that large walnuts were less overweight. Walnuts are our best dietary source of serotonin, the substance already mentioned above that helps to give the impression of satiety.
I don’t know if this result is significant, because the research was done on a group of vegetarians. Thus, I cannot say that nuts can help keep the line when you also eat meat and vegetables. But you can always try and see if a handful of nuts helps you resist other temptations.
Evening primrose (Oenothera biennis).
The prospect of grinding evening primrose seeds into flour, as I suggest in my recipe for lean bran cupcakes, does not make you happy? If this is the case, take half a teaspoon of evening primrose oil three times a day. This oil contains some tryptophan, but less than the flour itself.
Skinny cupcakes with bran
RECIPE FOR 12 CUPCAKES.
After the article came out, I received dozens of letters asking me the recipe for my skinny bran cupcakes. My correspondents probably did not suspect in the least that none of my cake, herbal tea, soup or salad, is ever twice the same. Indeed, I use a handful of this, a pinch of that, depending on the mood of the moment and what I have on hand. I am well aware, however, that the majority of people prefer to have a more precise recipe. That’s why I asked a nutritherapist friend to develop this more accurate recipe.
One of the essential ingredients in this recipe is evening primrose. Before you start anything, harvest the seeds of this plant. Store them in the refrigerator and, just before preparing the cakes, pass them to the spice grinder or a coffee grinder.
– 60 grams of bran flakes
– 1/4 cup crushed nuts or sunflower seeds, or both
– 1/4 cup raisins
– 2 tablespoons ground evening primrose seeds
– 1 cup wholemeal flour 213 cup oatmeal
– 1/2 cup corn flour ground with stone millstone
– 1/2 cup sugar
– 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, or special apple pie or pumpkin pie spice blend (optional) 2 teaspoons baking powder
– 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 1 apple or pear, cut menu
– 1 cup skimmed or lean buttermilk
– 1 large egg
– 3 tablespoons of unrefined sesame oil, first cold pressed
– Sesame seeds (optional)
Start by preheating the oven to 250°C after placing the rack in the center of the oven. Garnish small muffin tins with small parchment paper cups. Crush the bran flakes to get regular fragments (it is not about making crumbs). Mix in a bowl the bran and nut pieces and/or sunflower seeds, raisins or cherries and evening primrose seeds. Put on hold.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, oatmeal, corn flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the sound and mix it all up.
Blend or feed the apple (or pear), buttermilk, egg and oil until the fruit is roughly pureed. Add the fruit puree to the flour puree until you get a homogeneous mixture.
Fill the molds and sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional). Place everything in the center of the oven and immediately lower the temperature to 210 ° C. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cakes are golden brown and firm to the touch.
Let cool for a few minutes without unmolding, then take the cupcakes out of their mold and place them on a rack until completely cooled. Enjoy within 24 hours. They can be stored for some time in a tightly closed box or in your freezer.
Note: Cereals may vary; Use the instructions on the sound packaging to obtain the conversion of the volume corresponding to the weight mentioned. For example, 60 grams can be between 1 1/3 and 1 1/2 cups, depending on the type of cereal chosen.
Sesame oil is sold in many health food stores as well as Indian grocery stores.
Variations: Replace the apple (or pear) with a banana, or a cup of applesauce or any other fruit.
See also 7 tips to lose weight naturally
