LIVESTRONG.com, Linda Tarr Kent, June 3, 2010

Herbs have been used to add flavor to dishes and for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. Some can even boost your metabolism and help you pare pounds, according to Ann Louise Gittleman, author of "The Fat Flush Foods." Add garlic, cloves and mustard to various dishes to gain this benefit.

Garlic

Garlic will stimulate your metabolism, according Gittleman. Two studies published in the Journal of Nutrition indicate garlic also reduces lipid synthesis. One of the studies, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, states that garlic boosts carbohydrate metabolism, according to authors Mei Ling W. Chang and Margaret A. Johnson. One of garlic's active components, called allicin, may be a cholesterol fighter as well, according to a German study published in the biochemistry journal Biochimica et Biophysica Acta by R. Gebhardt. The findings of this study are backed by at least 12 others, some of which are randomized controlled trials on humans, according to Gittleman. The University of Maryland Medical Center advises that garlic also may be used to boost your immune system, help prevent heart disease and combat.

Clove

Cloves will rev your metabolism, stimulate digestion and cut down on intestinal bloating and gas at the same time, Gittleman says. These flower buds, which are picked and dried before blossoming, also may protect your liver, according to a study on rats by E. Nagababu in the journal Free Radical Research, though human study is need if such results are to be confirmed. Gittleman recommends using 1/8 to 1/4 tsp. up to three times a week. The active component in cloves, called eugenol, also is valued for its antibacterial properties. Clove has pain-relieving properties as well. Germany's Commission E, that country's regulatory agency for herbs, approves clove for treating throat and mouth inflammation and as a dental analgesic, according to "The Essential Herb-Drug-Vitamin Interaction Guide," by George T. Grossberg and Barry Fox.

Mustard

Dried mustard is a thermogenic that can boost your metabolism, according to Gittleman. Mustard seed contains phytonutrients such as isothiocyanates. These compounds are also found in cruciferous veggies like broccoli and may decrease cancer risk, according to Oregon State University. Mustard seed has nutritional benefits as well, providing iron, zinc, calcium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus and selenium, Gittleman says.