Natural Dietary Alternatives for Weight Loss

Health food stores across the country and on the internet offer many weight loss supplements.  Quite a few make positive claims of remarkable benefits.  However, some can have side effects that aren’t always listed on the product.  Some can even be harmful, so if you are searching for diet supplements it’s a good idea to do your homework.

Listed here are some popular weight loss supplements to consider

Hoodia is an herbal supplements that is used as a natural appetite suppressant.  The recent popularity of this herb has resulted in hundreds of companies that sell hoodia.  Unfortunately the health food market contains counterfeit, or fake, hoodia.  Be sure you purchase hoodia from a reputable manufacturer.

Chromium is a mineral that assists in the metabolism of fats and protein.  Chromium is also necessary for the metabolism of carbohydrates and is thought to build muscle tissue.  For those with diabetes, chromium helps people with insulin resistance by moving glucose into the blood cells.  The mineral chromium is also widely used for weight loss.

Simple apple cider vinegar is a popular “fat-burner” and a natural way to suppress appetite.  Apple cider vinegar should be diluted somewhat before taking from one to three teaspoons before meals.   Apple cider vinegar supplements are also available.

The supplement chitosan comes from crustacean shells.  While considered safe, chitosan may have a few digestive side effects such as constipation.  It is believed that chitosan works to prevent fats from being absorbed into the body.

After ephedra was banned in 2004, an herb called bitter orange began to gain in popularity.  Bitter orange is similar to ephedra in that it may increase heart rate and cause abnormal heart rhythms.  Bitter orange could also raise blood pressure.  For these reasons and others including interference with medications, one should always check with a qualified medical professional before taking bitter orange.

Preliminary studies are suggesting that fucoxanthin which is found in seaweed may be able to target abdominal fat and is not thought to be a stimulant.  Fucoxanthin is an antioxidant that appears to hold future hope because of the fact that diabetes and heart disease are linked to abdominal fat.

Though losing unwanted weight takes time, we are all aware that a healthy diet and exercise are the foundation of keeping weight off.  In the weight loss process the herbs and foods discussed above can help this process in a positive way.   Diet supplements can be a very valuable aid in your personal weight loss program.