15 Best Herbs For Weight Loss
1. Cinnamon For Weight Loss
Cinnamon is proven to help reduce weight and fight obesity (1). It helps to boost metabolism, regulates blood sugar, and plays a vital role in lowering LDL cholesterol and triglycerides (2). With its benefits, it becomes an ideal condiment for those with diabetes (3). How To Consume Cinnamon For Weight Loss You can take 1 ½ – 1 teaspoon of powdered cinnamon or 1 cinnamon bark soaked in water overnight. Drink cinnamon-infused water first thing in the morning every day for four weeks to get the desired results. Cinnamon Tea Recipe Ingredients
1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder 1 cup water
How To Prepare Benefits Cinnamon helps suppress appetite, lowers bad cholesterol, and accelerates the metabolic rate. The warm water helps flush out all the toxins and supports better bowel movement. It also prevents bloating.
2. Fenugreek For Weight Loss
Fenugreek seeds are proven to treat metabolic dysfunctions. Fenugreek seed extract supplementation helps reduce dietary fat consumption (4). The seeds also help reduce cholesterol, improve fat digestion, and enhance insulin sensitivity (5), (6). How To Consume Fenugreek For Weight Loss Take 1 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds per day with 1 cup of water. You may also grind the fenugreek seeds, store them in a clean jar, and use them in curries, dal soup, or smoothies. Fenugreek Seeds Weight Loss Recipe Ingredients
1 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds 1 cup of water
How To Prepare Benefits It boosts metabolism, prevents obesity triggered by stress and inflammation, flushes out toxins from the colon, and reduces the risk of insulin resistance commonly found in women with PCOS.
3. Garlic For Weight Loss
The active ingredient in garlic, allicin, helps treat cardiovascular conditions, metabolic disorders, and high blood sugar. It also has anti-tumor properties and helps to boost immunity (7). A scientific study confirms that garlic boosts metabolism, helps to reduce fat deposition, and may help in reducing body weight (8). How To Consume Garlic For Weight Loss You can have one clove of garlic every day for the best results. You can also include garlic in your daily recipes to add taste and flavor. Garlic Weight Loss Recipe Ingredients
1 clove garlic 1 cup water Juice of ½ a lime
How To Prepare Benefits The lime juice helps cut the pungent smell and taste of the garlic. Limes are also rich in vitamin C (9). Vitamin C may also promote weight loss, though more research is needed in this regard. Garlic helps lower cholesterol, improves heart health, has anti-cancer properties, and aids weight loss by keeping your hunger pangs at bay.
4. Hibiscus For Weight Loss
Hibiscus tea, the vermillion colored hibiscus flower extract, helps in weight loss. Several studies have shown that hibiscus extract helps reduce abdominal obesity, reduces the risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver, fat accumulation, adipogenesis, and reduces hunger hormone, ghrelin and blood pressure (10), (11), (12), (13). How To Take Hibiscus Tea For Weight Loss One cup of hibiscus tea contains approximately 1.5 grams of hibiscus calyx. You can have upto 2 cups of hibiscus tea per day. Hibiscus Tea Weight Loss Recipe Ingredients
1teaspoons dried hibiscus flowers 2 cups water 1 teaspoon honey
How To Prepare Benefits Hibiscus tea helps prevent irritation in the stomach, has diuretic properties, may help in lowering cholesterol, and improves bowel movement (14). Honey is useful against throat infections and has antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunity-boosting, and anti-tumor properties (15). However, further research is needed to confirm on excess consumption of hibiscus tea that can be consumed in a day without any effects on blood pressure.
5. Green Tea For Weight Loss
Green tea is rich in antioxidants called catechins. One of the catechins, epigallocatechin gallate, is a metabolism booster. Also, green tea contains some caffeine that helps stimulate fat burning and better muscle performance (16). Green tea is scientifically proven to suppress appetite curb cravings, and stimulate hormones that help burn fat (17). How To Take Green Tea For Weight Loss It is best you use the green tea leaves to prepare a cup of tea. You can have as many as 3 cups of green tea per day. You may drink a cup of green tea 20-30 minutes before a meal. Green Tea Weight Loss Recipe Ingredients
1 teaspoons green tea leaves 1 cup water ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
How To Prepare Benefits Green tea and cinnamon are powerful weight loss agents. Green tea boosts metabolism and helps to melt fat. Cinnamon aids weight loss by regulating blood sugar levels and insulin levels, lowering cholesterol, and suppressing appetite.
6. Black Pepper For Weight Loss
Black pepper is rich in piperine. Piperine is what gives black pepper its characteristic flavor and also helps inhibit the creation of fat cells (adipogenesis) (18). As a result, consuming black pepper help to reduce weight. Pepper also has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, gut function-improving, and antidepressant properties (19). How To Consume Black Pepper For Weight Loss You can either chew 5 black peppercorns per day or add them in your juice or food recipes. Black Pepper Weight Loss Recipe Ingredients
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ½ teaspoon honey 1 cup warm water
How To Prepare Benefits Black pepper aids weight loss by preventing fat cell synthesis and honey helps boost immunity and maintains a healthy gut. This drink with black pepper and honey helps flush out the toxins from your body.
7. Ginger For Weight Loss
Ginger helps boost metabolism, increases fat cell breakdown, inhibits fat absorption, and helps to curb excessive hunger (20). Ginger water also helps reduce body weight, waist-to-hip ratio, fasting glucose, and insulin resistance index (21). How To Consume Ginger For Weight Loss You can chew ½ inch ginger root or add it to your juice, smoothies, or food recipes. You can also make ginger water by boiling a cup of water with 1 inch ginger root. Drink it after it cools down. Ginger Tea Weight Loss Recipe Ingredients
½ inch ginger 1 teaspoon honey 1 cup water
How To Prepare Benefits Ginger helps improve gastrointestinal and liver health, flushes out toxins, prevents throat infections, and helps melt fat (22). Honey balances the strong flavor of ginger, adds to the sweetness of the drink, and boosts the immune system.
8. Turmeric For Weight Loss
Turmeric contains curcumin that helps lower bad cholesterol and inflammation to help reduce weight (23). Curcumin intake in people with metabolic syndrome was found to help reduce BMI, body weight, waist circumference, and increased adiponectin (a peptide that stimulates fatty acid oxidation, insulin sensitivity, and increases calorie expenditure) (24). How To Consume Turmeric For Weight Loss Chew ½ an inch of turmeric root or ½ to 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder per day. Turmeric Weight Loss Recipe Ingredients
½ inch turmeric root 1 cup warm water ½ lime juice
How To Prepare Benefits It may promote weight loss and improve gut health. It also prevents microbial infections, helps heal wounds, and helps to reduce the intensity of pain.
9. Cardamom For Weight Loss
Studies say that cardamom has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may help increase insulin sensitivity and reduce total cholesterol in overweight and obese women with prediabetes (25). It may also help to improve the grade of fatty liver in people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (26). You can either use green or black cardamon. However, anecdotal evidence suggests consuming black cardamom for weight loss. How To Consume Cardamom For Weight Loss You can take ½ a teaspoon of black cardamom powder once a day. Cardamom Weight Loss Recipe Ingredients
½ teaspoon black cardamom powder 1 cup water 1 teaspoon green tea leaves
How To Prepare Benefits Green tea is a metabolism booster and helps flush out toxins. Cardamom increases the internal body temperature and may help melt out the extra body fat.
10. Cayenne Pepper For Weight Loss
Cayenne pepper is one of the ingredients in Beyonce’s famous master cleanse diet. It is rich in capsaicin, which stimulates the body to burn fat. Adding cayenne pepper to your food in limited amounts can help reduce appetite by increasing satiety. It also increases fat metabolism and thermogenesis, and inhibits the formation of fat cells (27). How To Consume Cayenne Pepper For Weight Loss Take ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper with your juice or smoothie twice a day. Cayenne Pepper Weight Loss Recipe Ingredients
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 lime 1 cup water
How To Prepare Benefits The spiciness of cayenne pepper is perfectly balanced by the lime’s acidic taste. Both ingredients may aid weight loss by boosting metabolism and burning body fat.
11. Cumin For Weight Loss
Cumin or jeera is another popular spice that is used in many cuisines across the world. Cumin seeds help improve digestion and have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial anti-hypertensive, antihistamine, hypoglycemic, anti-cancer, and immunity-boosting properties (28). A study found that cumin powder may help to reduce BMI, waist circumference, serum triglycerides, bad cholesterol, and body fat percentage (29). How To Consume Cumin For Weight Loss Take 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds soaked in water or add ½ teaspoon of cumin seed powder in juices or food recipes. Cumin Weight Loss Recipe Ingredients
1 teaspoons cumin seeds 1 cup water ½ teaspoon honey powder
How To Prepare Benefits Cumin seeds are extremely helpful in maintaining gut health. It also helps one sleep better, and reduces the risk of respiratory disorders, common cold, anemia, and skin disorders. Honey is an antibacterial agent and helps flush out toxins.
12. Rosemary For Weight Loss
Rosemary has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties (30). It also helps reduce blood glucose levels and cholesterol by increasing liver glycolysis (breakdown of glucose units stored in the liver) and fat oxidation (31). How To Consume Rosemary For Weight Loss You can take 400 mg of rosemary tablets thrice a day. You can also use fresh or dried rosemary in food. Rosemary Weight Loss Recipe Ingredients
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary 1 cup water
How To Prepare Benefits Rosemary helps reduce blood sugar and cholesterol. It also helps flush out the toxins from the colon and prevents bloating.
13. Aloe Vera For Weight Loss
Aloe vera is known for its laxative properties in Ayurveda. It also helps reduce inflammation and aids the treatment of gut problems and type 2 diabetes (32). Aloe vera also helps reduce body weight, body fat mass, and insulin resistance in people with prediabetes (33). How To Consume Aloe Vera For Weight Loss You can take 1-2 teaspoons of aloe vera extract every day. Or you can scoop out the aloe vera gel from the leaf and mix it with your morning juice or smoothie. Aloe Vera Weight Loss Recipe Ingredients
1 teaspoon aloe vera gel 1 cup water
How To Prepare Benefits Drinking this water every morning will keep your skin and hair healthy. It will also keep your digestive system healthy and may promote quicker weight loss.
14. Dandelion For Weight Loss
Dandelions are beautiful, and they are edible! A scientific review published in The Review of Diabetic Studies confirms that dandelions have anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperglycemic, and antioxidant properties. It also increases insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion and improves digestion. Dandelion leaves may also help reduce serum glucose, triglyceride, and cholesterol levels (34). How To Consume Dandelion For Weight Loss You can take 1-2 teaspoons of dandelion or 1 dandelion pill with a full glass of water. Dandelion Weight Loss Recipe Ingredients
1 teaspoon dandelion 1 cup water
How To Prepare Benefits Dandelions are rich in fiber and may help prevent the absorption of fat molecules. The antioxidants help scavenge the harmful oxygen radicals and flush out the toxins.
15. Ginseng For Weight Loss
Ginseng has been used as a medicine by the Chinese for centuries. It helps reduce inflammation and stress, suppresses hunger, decreases glucose absorption and lipid metabolism, reduces insulin resistance and the risk of liver damage, lowers LDL cholesterol, and regulates blood sugar levels (35). Stress, unregulated blood sugar, and high cholesterol are all contributors to bad health and weight gain. A study on Korean women confirms that ginseng is an effective herbal remedy for weight loss (36).
How To Consume Ginseng For Weight Loss
Take 5 gm of ginseng extract twice a day. You can reduce the amount to 2 gm after 2 weeks. You can also add 15-25 drops of ginseng extract in your tea or water twice a day. Ginseng Tea Weight Loss Recipe Ingredients
1 teaspoon of ginseng extract 500 mL water 1 tablespoon of lime juice A pinch of cinnamon powder
How To Prepare Benefits Ginseng extract will help you relax, boost your energy levels and metabolic rate, lower cholesterol, and regulate blood sugar levels. Cinnamon also aids weight loss by lowering bad cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Lime is a storehouse of vitamin C that helps boost immunity. These are the 15 effective weight loss herbs and their recipes. But before you use them, here are a few safety precautions to keep in mind.
Safety Of Herbs For Weight Loss
Herbs are great for weight loss and for adding flavor to food. However, do NOT consume too many of the herbs mentioned above. Also, be careful about any allergic reactions. Take special care if you are already under medical treatment for obesity, diabetes, gut disease, or heart disease. If you have just given birth or are pregnant, avoid introducing any new food into your diet without consulting your doctor. What is the most powerful herb for weight loss? Green tea, cinnamon, and fenugreek are considered to be powerful herbs for facilitating weight loss as they positively affect metabolism. Is lotus leaf good for weight loss? Yes, lotus leaf may help reduce waist circumference and fat levels in the body (37).
