Herbs that Help with Weight Loss

One of the things that has been interesting over the last few months and years is the increasing enthusiasm for the use of herbs in weight loss programs. One of the obvious reasons is because, unlike some other additions to menus, herbs do not have any side effects. People who have already started to use herbal remedies have seen the benefits and have been able to show how helpful herbs can be.

Yes, regular exercise and keeping control over your calorie intake are vitally important in any weight loss program that you work out for yourself. But to make your life even better, please do take a look at the advantages that using herbal remedies can give you. As always with anything new to you, though, you should seek medical advice, especially if you’re on any medication.

Most people who take any kind of interest in weight loss are aware that, if you want to lose weight, the simple formula to follow is; calories in must be less than calories out. By the way, most people say they want to lose ‘weight’, when what they actually want to lose is ‘fat’ which is not necessarily the same thing. See my post here for an explanation.

Some Herbs that can help in your quest for weight loss:

 (1) Green Tea Extract can boost your metabolism.

In a study as long ago as 2005, it was discovered that a group of men taking green tea extract daily for three moths lost an average of between 2 and 3 pounds more than a control group of men who did not use green tea extract. Reported in an article in the ‘American Journal of Clinical Nutrition’, it was stated that the men took 690 milligrams of green tea extract a day. Previous studies had shown that use of green tea has a similar weight loss effect in women too.

You see green tea contains antioxidants that scientists believe are capable of increasing the body’s metabolism and the elimination of fats from the body

Take capsules or add liquid extract to drinks or mix with food. The author of ‘Feed Your Tiger: The Asian Diet Secret for Permanent Weight Loss and Vibrant Health’, Letha Hadady suggested that green tea could be added to meals like soups or spaghetti sauce.

Source of Green Tea Extract

(2) Fish Oil is excellent for getting rid of fat from the body.

In 2007, Australian researchers confirmed that fish oil and exercise both reduced body fat.  But they also found, reported in the ‘American Journal of Clinical Nutrition’, that combining the two was even more effective.

Source of Fish Oil



(3)  Ginger

You may gain weight because of the food lodged in your digestive system. Not only does ginger reduce the stomach’s acidity, but it also cleanses your body of the food lodged in your digestive system.

Source of Ginger

(4) Guggul enhances metabolism

The primitive herb of Guggul is regarded as a substance that helps people to lose weight. A study carried out at the ‘University of Nebraska’ and ‘Beth Israel Medical Center’ in New York concluded that people who took guggul while exercising lost an average of 4.5 to 5 pounds extra compared with people who exercised without taking guggul over a 6 week period.

Source of Guggul

 (5) Glucomannan

Glucomannan delays the absorption of glucose from the intestines and helps you lose weight.

Source of Glucomannan

Click on the picture that follows to see some more Herbs and Spices that can help you to lose weight: