Looking to lose weight naturally? Check out these 4 ways to use herbs for weight loss that are both delicious and effective.
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Herbs have been used as traditional medicine for centuries. According to HealthNews, herbs are not only useful for their healing properties but can also help with the weight loss process. Some of the most popular herbs associated with weight loss include cayenne pepper, turmeric, ginger, ginseng, and green coffee bean extract. These contain compounds that range from capsaicin to curcumin, which help boost metabolism, decrease appetite, and promote fat-burning.
Herbs tend to have potent and versatile flavors that allow them to be consumed in various ways. In this article, we discuss four of the most popular ways you can use herbs for weight loss.
Herbal Teas for Weight Loss
One of the easiest ways that you can consume herbs is by brewing them in tea. In our previous article, we demonstrated how making cinnamon tea is as simple as taking cinnamon sticks and adding them to boiling water. After simmering them together for 15 minutes, you then have a delicious brew with metabolism-enhancing qualities. Cinnamon is high in fiber and can additionally help reduce food cravings by promoting a feeling of satiety and fullness. You can even add a dash of lemon or a teaspoon of honey to your tea to mix the flavors up.
Taking your herbs as tea additionally helps with weight management. Drinking tea prevents urges to overeat that could be caused by mistaking thirst for hunger, lessens the chances of constipation, and helps your digestive system maintain regularity.
Herbal Soups for Weight Loss
Similar to herbal teas, herbal soups allow you to benefit from the hunger-satiating characteristic of liquids. However, they also allow you to incorporate other filling and tasty ingredients to create a full meal.
Herbal soups have thus long been used as traditional Chinese medicine to restore normal leptin function — with leptin being the hormone that provides the sensation of satiety. Here, herbs such as poria, orange peel, lotus leaf, rhubarb, ginseng, and more have been proven to enhance leptin sensitivity and, thereafter, regulate hormone levels in the body. Sì shén tāng, for instance, is a soup that combines pork bones, carrots, and radishes with four Chinese medicinal herbs (dried fox nut barley, lotus seeds, Chinese yam, and poria cocos mushrooms) for a hearty and healthy meal.
Everyday Recipes with Herbs
The versatility of herbs allows them to be incorporated into most dishes, where they complement the overall meal instead of being the star of the show. If you're cooking for weight loss, you can make strategic ingredient swaps that don't require as much time or effort to put together. This means using herbs for seasoning instead of excess salt and fat. When assembling a sheet-pan meal, for example, drizzle your vegetables and protein with a splash of olive oil and season with dried herbs. Cayenne, pepper, rosemary, and thyme are a good starting combination that is sure to add flavor and the compound, polyphenols, to boost metabolism and promote fat burning in the body. Otherwise, you can’t go wrong with sprinkling parsley, a natural diuretic, atop most dinners for garnish.
Salads with Various Herbs
Another of the easiest ways to consume herbs for weight loss is by tossing them in a salad. This can require virtually no heat to prepare, making them a great meal for those who cannot cook. Verywell Fit recommends using chopped fresh herbs such as basil, chives, or cilantro instead of dried herbs for your salad. These contain plenty of antioxidants and phytochemicals that help protect you from free radicals.
The vibrant flavors additionally help you avoid heavy salad dressings, especially pre-made or store-bought ones that tend to contain empty calories. Most of these salad dressings are already made from herb flavorings and some kind of oil, so using your own fresh herbs in your salad is sure to boost the flavor, nutrition, and weight-loss-inducing compounds of your meal.
There are many ways that you can consume herbs for weight loss, so don’t be afraid to get creative with your dishes and preparation. To know more about herbs and their various health benefits, check out our other resources on Schisandra & Bergamot. We share a range of plant-powered DIY guides, food and beverage recipes, tutorials, plant profiles, and more for you to start taking creative charge of your life and health.
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