This is the kind of letter that makes people happy: “Please, please!!! I hope it's not out of place on my part to ask you for the recipe for those famous lean little bran cakes you mention in a recent article. Ah, if you only knew how much I need to activate my serotonin! “Until ten years ago, I had never had a weight problem, but age suddenly caught up with me. Would you like to reply to this letter and help me lose those 12 extra pounds? Thank you in advance. »
Yes, that's what happens when you spread a few 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: all you need is 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 something new. 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. This is precisely where my skinny bran 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 us feeling full.
Plants to help overweight
If the prospect of skinny cupcakes doesn't appeal to you, consider using some helpful herbs to help with weight management.
Red pepper (Capsicum, various species) and other hot spices.
In an experiment, researchers measured the metabolic rate of a group of subjects who all ate the same diet, before adding a teaspoonful of red chili sauce and mustard to each of their meals. The results of this study showed that these strong spices were able to achieve an increase of up to 25% in the metabolic rates of the participants.
If you're looking to lose weight, eating more spicy will give you an added benefit because strong spices stimulate thirst, so you'll drink more fluids. By filling yourself up with water rather than food, you obviously take in fewer calories.
Plantain, psyllium and ispaghul (Plantago, various species).
Ispaghula and psyllium seeds belong to the plantain family, which are leafy plants. In one study, researchers administered to severely obese women, that is to say women whose body weight exceeds their ideal weight by at least 60% – three grams of plantain in water, 30 minutes before each meal. The subjects in this group lost more weight than the 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 may not be very practical to take a mixture of plantain and water, but you will have no trouble getting ispaghul since there are various products, such as Spagulax, which contain this substance. vegetable. Mix a teaspoon in juice or water and take it before each meal. If you are allergic, however, be aware of possible reactions to this plant. In case allergy symptoms occur after the first intake, discontinue this remedy.
Pineapple (Ananas comosus).
Someone once told me that he had lost 100 pounds on a pineapple diet. He ate a whole fresh fruit every day.
Even if this story seems hard to believe, this diet has more merits than one might think. Indeed, pineapple contains an enzyme called bromelain which helps in the digestion of proteins and fats.
Chickweed
This plant enjoys a remarkable popular reputation as a favorable remedy for slimming. Add some to your diet and watch 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 green vegetables. If you want to prepare my dish of raw vegetables based on wild plants with slimming properties, mix chickweed, 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 chili sauce.
Walnut (Juglans, various species).
When you want to lose weight, maybe you think you should avoid eating oilseeds, which are high in fat. Yet a study of more than 25,000 people showed that tall nuts were less overweight. Nuts are our best food source of serotonin, the substance already mentioned above that helps to make you feel full.
I don't know if this result is significant, because the research was done on a group of vegetarians. Thus, I can not say that nuts can help keep the line when you also eat meat and vegetables. But you can always give it a try and see if a handful of nuts helps you resist other temptations.
Evening primrose (Oenothera biennis).
Doesn't the prospect of grinding evening primrose seeds into flour, as I suggest in my Skinny Bran Cupcakes recipe, cheer you up? If so, take half a teaspoon of evening primrose oil three times a day. This oil contains a little tryptophan, but less than the flour itself.
Lean Bran Cupcakes
RECIPE FOR 12 CUPCAKES.
After the article was published, I received dozens of letters asking me for the recipe for my lean bran cupcakes. My correspondents probably did not suspect in the least that none of my messages, whether it was a cake, herbal tea, soup or salad, was ever the same twice. Indeed, I use a handful of this, a pinch of that, depending on the mood at the time and what I have on hand. I know, on the other hand, that the majority of people prefer to have a more precise recipe. This is why I asked a nutritional therapist friend to develop this more precise recipe.
One of the key ingredients in this recipe is evening primrose. Before you start anything, collect the seeds of this plant. Store them in the refrigerator and, just before preparing the cakes, pass them through a spice grinder or a coffee grinder.
- 60 grams of bran flakes
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or sunflower seeds, or both
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 2 tablespoons ground evening primrose seeds
- 1 cup whole meal flour 213 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 cup stone-ground corn flour
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, or special spice mix for apple pie or pumpkin pie (optional) 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1 apple or pear, finely chopped
- 1 cup skimmed or lean buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons unrefined sesame oil, first cold pressing
- Sesame seeds (optional)
Start by preheating the oven to 250°C after placing the rack in the center of the oven. Line small muffin cups with parchment paper cups. Crush the bran flakes into regular fragments (not crumbs). Mix in a bowl the bran and the pieces of walnuts and/or sunflower seeds, raisins or cherries and evening primrose seeds. Put on hold.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, oats, corn flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the bran and mix it all together.
Blend the apple (or pear), buttermilk, egg and oil in a blender or food processor until the fruit is almost pureed. Incorporate the fruit puree into the flour puree, until you obtain 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 the cakes are golden brown and firm to the touch.
Leave to cool for a few minutes without unmolding, then remove the cupcakes from their mold and place them on a wire rack until completely cooled. Enjoy within 24 hours. They can be kept for some time in an airtight container or in your freezer.
Note: Cereals may vary; use the information on the bran 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 with a cup of applesauce or any other fruit.