- Side effects
- List
- Contraindications
- Rules for use
- Recipes
There are many reasons for excess weight, and each person has their own: stress, a sedentary lifestyle, heredity, the postpartum period, age… The list is endless. Each of these factors requires an individual approach. If you are sure that your problem lies solely in overeating and are unable to control yourself in this regard, there is a way out of this situation. Try incorporating appetite suppressant herbs into your diet; they can quickly and effectively satisfy hunger pangs for a long time. You will no longer need to blame yourself for eating an extra bun, and the plant-based nature of the products used will only have a beneficial effect on your body.
Side effects
Herbs with similar effects have recently become a worthy alternative to weight loss medications. Some of them achieve results by eliminating excess fluid (diuretics), others by actively burning fat cells (fat burners), and still others by curbing appetite (hunger suppressants). The latter are considered the safest for your health from the perspective of doctors and nutritionists, as they have a beneficial effect on the gastrointestinal tract. They are typically classified as follows.
- Mucilaginous (enveloping)
When ingested, these herbs coat the stomach lining with a special mucus, creating a protective barrier against gastric juices for some time. Gastric juices are what trigger hunger. If they are blocked, the brain doesn’t receive the signal to eat. Accordingly, you won’t eat a large portion even if it’s lunchtime, resulting in reduced calorie intake and weight loss.
- Bulking
These appetite suppressant herbs are true masters of deception. When exposed to liquid, they tend to swell, tricking the body into believing the stomach is full. Consequently, you won’t be able to eat much. If you stick to the principles of a healthy, balanced diet after a course of herbal treatment, the weight will not return. You will simply get used to eating smaller portions.
- Acidity-reducing
They also work by blocking gastric juices, although in a different way than the first group; they do not create a mucosal barrier. These plants directly affect hydrochloric acid, reducing its concentration. No acid, no appetite. However, prolonged use of such agents can seriously disrupt the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Calming
It’s no secret that appetite often arises during times of emotional distress and stress. To alleviate it, you need to calm down. This is not always easy to do on your own, but antidepressant herbs offer a solution. In medicine, it’s called “compulsive overeating,” in everyday life, “emotional hunger.”
- Toning
Many of us don’t consider these plants to be medicinal, although they can be found in almost every home. We are accustomed to using them as regular invigorating beverages. In reality, not only do they provide an energy boost, most importantly, they reduce appetite. Most teas contain substances that contribute to this: caffeine, theobromine, theophylline. We must also mention their diuretic effect.
- Sugar-reducing
Herbs that can lower blood sugar levels primarily affect metabolic processes in the body. They contain inulin, which most people know as a sugar substitute, a plant polysaccharide. It slows down the absorption of fats and simple carbohydrates by the intestines and reduces the glycemic index of foods. All of this naturally suppresses cravings for sweets and appetite.
For weight loss, you can choose herbs from any group, considering their effect on the body. All of them are designed to reduce appetite and satisfy the most severe hunger pangs.
Life hack. If you are often plagued by hunger between meals, always keep flax seeds soaked in cold water on hand (they have an enveloping effect on the stomach). As soon as you feel like eating, take a small handful and start chewing slowly. You’ll see your appetite decrease before your very eyes.
List
In order to purchase appetite suppressant medicinal herbs in a pharmacy, you need to know which ones are the most effective, since more than 70 plants have such an effect on the body. Some of them are presented in our list.
Mucilaginous:
- Aloe
- Marshmallow (roots)
- Fireweed
- Flax (seeds)
- Linden (flowers)
- Coltsfoot (roots)
Bulking:
- Nettle
- Kelp
- Oats
- Wheat
- Cystoseira
- Sage
Acidity-reducing:
- Betony
- Heather
- St. John’s wort
- Linden (flowers)
- Mint (leaves)
- Fennel (fruits)
Calming:
- Valerian
- Oregano
- Fireweed
- Linden (flowers)
- Mint
- Motherwort
- Chamomile
Toning:
- Ginger (root)
- Mate
- Pu-erh tea
- Chicory
- Green tea
Sugar-reducing:
- Birch (buds)
- Immortelle
- Hawthorn
- Blackberry
- St. John’s wort
- Strawberry (leaves)
- Clover
- Nettle
- Corn stigmas
- Burdock (root)
- Plantain
- Wormwood
- Lilac (buds)
- Currant
- Chicory
- Blueberry (leaves)
You can use either a single plant or a whole collection of herbs. The most important thing is to maintain the proportions, mixing them together. They are sometimes sold ready-made in pharmacies. If you have the means to procure the raw materials yourself, there’s nothing stopping you. You just need to have a good understanding of where, for example, field horsetail, great horsetail, and forest horsetail are found, because each of them has different specific properties.
Note. Do you find yourself constantly eating and overeating? Try starting your meals with a kelp salad. Although it is seaweed, it is also a herb in a sense. Thanks to its bulking properties, it will leave practically no room in your stomach for other dishes.
Contraindications
If you decide to use appetite suppressant herbs for weight loss, you need to get permission from your doctor. Despite the fact that many sources claim they are absolutely safe for your health, it is no secret that each plant has a complex effect on the body. There is no such thing as something that only stops bleeding, for example. In addition, it will also have anti-inflammatory, expectorant, or diuretic properties, etc.
There are several absolute contraindications for the active use of appetite suppressant herbs:
