Does your diet need spicing up? Spices are herbs are often viewed as unnecessary additions to an already complete food. But most of them are considered foods unto themselves, so don't overlook them when you're cooking up something new in the kitchen. Add colorful, zesty spices and herbs to your foods and help stave off those unwanted pounds.

Green tea is gaining popularity with health food lovers and dieters alike. It contains caffeine and antioxidants. Drinking a cup after every meal promotes thermogenesis, which is how your body turns fat into energy.

You can boost your metabolic rate with spices such as ginger, horseradish, cayenne pepper and even cinnamon. Of course, cinnamon cookies, though they taste great, aren't going to do your diet much good. Try sprinkling cinnamon onto a bowl of steel cut oats in the morning, along with raisins and a chopped apple. You'll be filling up at the best time of the day for your body to start burning off that energy, you won't feel like snacking before lunch, and you'll also be raising your metabolism, which nutritionists say is one of the keys to weight loss.

Ginger root can be bought whole, and grated or chopped into soups and other dishes to add a special flavor. You can also buy it in powdered form for convenience. Try it in Asian dishes or a coconut milk-based soup. Ginger and curry is a wonderful combination of flavors frequently used in Thai dishes.

Cayenne is a wonderful spice for quickly adding warmth to your body. It's also very helpful fighting off a common cold or the flu. Next time you feel a cold or flu trying to drag you down, mix a small amount of cayenne into a cup of freshly squeezed orange juice and drink it down.

A teaspoon of mustard can raise your metabolic rate for about three hours, according to Linda Page, nutritionist. Try adding a teaspoon of dried mustard to your favorite vegetable soup recipe, toss in a couple of spoons-full of chopped sea vegetables, and sprinkle liberally with ginger. Spices and herbs will help you turn any meal into a delicious fat-burning, energizing meal that you'll enjoy preparing and sharing with your family.