Eating curry can help you lose weight and you can eat an olive an hour after getting drunk.

**Eating curry can help you lose weight.**

A research paper published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition confirms that curry can help reduce postprandial insulin response, promote energy metabolism, make people burn more calories, and promote fat oxidation, thus helping to prevent obesity.

Indian monks willingly forgo the deliciousness of fish and meat, yet they all crave curry; the Japanese, who prefer mild flavors, fear chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, yet they are also passionate about curry; the Chinese, who have always pursued the enjoyment of flavors, are tired of MSG and bland soy sauce, and are accustomed to strong-flavored seasonings such as chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, fennel, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, and mustard, but once they encounter curry, their eyes light up and their mouths water.

Curry is always best enjoyed with rice to be truly delicious and satisfying. Because of the curry sauce, countless people find themselves wanting more and end up eating an extra bowl of rice. This tried-and-true formula, however, brings with it a dilemma for women: how to control their weight? Those worried about rising blood sugar share the same concern: will eating more rice raise their blood sugar?

American researchers divided 36 middle-aged volunteers into two groups. One group ate a mild diet, while the other group ate the same diet plus 50 grams of spicy curry. After four weeks, the two groups switched diets, ending in the eighth week. Blood insulin, C-peptide, and energy expenditure were measured at four and eight weeks after the start of the experiment.

The results showed that those who consumed spicy curry experienced a significant decrease in blood insulin levels and an increase in energy expenditure. Researchers concluded that consuming curry helps reduce post-meal insulin secretion and increases the body's energy expenditure, thus reducing the chance of fat synthesis.

However, while multiple studies have confirmed that curry may have a role in reducing the risk of obesity, these studies are all based on isoenergetic diets. This means that, given the same amount of food consumed, people who eat curry are likely to be thinner than those who don't. But what if you eat an extra bowl of rice because of curry? Researchers haven't provided an answer. I believe the weight-loss effect of curry is unlikely to outweigh the weight-gain effect of a bowl of rice.

After saying this, many people who are eager to lose weight will feel heartbroken when they see a bowl of rice.

Please forgive me for adding fuel to the fire-but the real cause for our distress doesn't stop there. When making curry dishes, Chinese people always generously add oil, letting the golden droplets release the irresistible aroma of curry. But who is supposed to accept the 300 calories contained in those two spoonfuls of oil? Probably, they'll still quietly accumulate in the abdomen and waist.

Therefore, while curry can help with weight loss, portion control is even more important. Pour in the seasonings freely, but don't add too much oil... In this way, you can enjoy the deliciousness of curry and achieve a slim figure at the same time.

Author: Fan Zhihong, Special Expert for Health Times

**Eat an olive an hour after you've been drunk.**

Whether it's a social gathering or a family dinner, people inevitably drink and toast. Drinking too little seems insincere, but drinking too much can lead to an unpleasant feeling of being drunk. Actually, eating some olives an hour after drinking can alleviate the discomfort of being drunk, such as dizziness, weakness, and dry mouth.

Many people have heard the song "Olive Tree," but are unaware of olives' practical function-relieving hangovers. This function was recorded in ancient medical books. The "Kaibao Materia Medica" states that "olives, eaten raw or boiled, can eliminate alcohol poisoning." Olives taste sour and crisp at first, with a slightly astringent aftertaste, but soon a sweet aftertaste emerges, giving one a feeling of bittersweet relief.

It is precisely this sour and astringent taste that helps slow down alcohol absorption and promote alcohol metabolism.

Dr. Zhao Wenshuo of the Oncology Department at Beijing Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital suggests that alcohol's effects are most pronounced about an hour after intoxication, making it a good time to consume olives for relieving hangovers. There are several ways to consume them: remove the pits from 10 olives, decoct the olive flesh into a soup, and give it to the intoxicated person to alleviate dizziness; alternatively, eat 3-5 raw olives directly after drinking to relieve fatigue. Not only the olive fruit itself, but also olive oil and olive kernels have hangover-relieving properties. Don't throw away the pits after eating the olives; remove the kernels, grind them into powder, and take it with water to effectively relieve dry mouth and throat after drinking. If olives are unavailable after drinking, giving the intoxicated person a few spoonfuls of pure olive oil can also be effective in relieving hangovers.

Besides eating olives after drinking alcohol, Dr. Zhao suggests soaking kudzu flowers in water and drinking the infusion 15 minutes before drinking. Kudzu flowers have the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, breaking down alcohol, and protecting the stomach and liver, effectively reducing the harm of alcohol to the body. Here are some recipes for olive hangover remedies: ① Peel and pit 10 olives, cut them into pieces, simmer them in water, drink the juice and eat the flesh; this can treat post-drinking dizziness. ② Grind 7 grams of olive kernels into powder, mix with water and drink; this treats dry lips after drinking. ③ Crush 20 grams of raw olives, stew with 30 grams of rock sugar, and take in three divided doses; this can treat alcohol poisoning and damp-heat, and indigestion. ④ Simmer 4 olives and 60-100 grams of reed rhizome in water and drink; this treats stomach heat and irritability after drinking, clearing heat, generating fluids, and relieving irritability. ⑤ Simmer 60 grams of olives and 10 grams of sour plum in water, add sugar to taste, and eat; this can treat alcohol poisoning and thirst.

Author: Song Bingbing

Special Expert: Dr. Zhao Wenshuo, Oncology Department, Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine