All Natural Weight Loss Supplements

While food and exercise remain the most important ingredients in the success of diet plans, retailers market a number of supplements that claim to enhance weight loss. Understanding the effects of various supplements can help you to understand which ones can help you lose weight and how to integrate them into your diet.

Sida Cordifolia

Sida cordifolia, native to the northeast regions of Brazil, comes with a long history of use in a number of medical conditions. It has been used in the treatment of asthma, bronchitis and nasal congestion. Nutritional Reviews says that the plant has hypoglycaemic, anti-inflammatory and pain-releiving properties, but also contains 2 percent ephedrine, a plant compound known to stimulate the central nervous system and increase the rate of fat loss. While ephedrine can cause a range of unwanted side effects, such as nausea and anxiety, individuals use Sida cordifolia in the belief that it will deliver similar effects without the side effects. While anecdotal reports remain positive, Nutritional Reviews reports that little evidence currently exists to support use of Sida cordifolia for weight loss.

Cayenne

Well known for its pungent taste, cayenne comes from the dried pods of chili peppers. Dr John Heinermann, a medical anthropologist and the author of "The Healing Benefits of Cayenne," points to cayenne as one of the world's healthiest herbs. He highlights the capsaicin content of the pepper as the active component, noting how this compound activates capsaicin receptors in the central nervous system. This results in increased thermogenesis and, as a result, an increased rate of fat burning.

Green Tea

Green tea stands out as one of the planet's favorite drinks. However, it may also play a useful role in facilitating weight loss. The Institute of Optimum Nutrition reports how the lack of processing that the leaves of the camelia sinensis plant undergo in the production of green tea confers a significantly different nutritional profile compared to black tea, which comes from the same plant. Green tea contains a high concentration of catechins, plant compounds that can inhibit the breakdown of noradrenaline in the central nervous system. Though a different mechanism, this action also causes an increase in thermogenesis and fat burning.