Curry, tea can win you battle of bulge

The next time you feel guilty about gorging on your favourite chicken tikka, thinking about the  pounds that you will pile on, take heart from the fact that spices in it aid a natural process of burning fat.

Green and black teas also have a similar effect in boosting metabolism.

And researchers said the spices in a tikka or balti help people feel full quicker so they eat less, as well as generally aiding digestion.

The best results came from black pepper, coriander, turmeric, red chilli, cumin, ginger and onion, in tests on rats at Maastricht University, Holland, reports the Sun.

The ingredients are "shown to aid digestion and influence overall food intake", researchers told medical journal Physiology and Behaviour.

But they warned fighting the flab with only curry and tea, would be "disappointing" -- adding: "Don't cancel the gym membership just yet."