Kitchen Remedies For Weight Loss

If you're looking to drop a few pounds, you may be willing to try anything, so you may want to use items from your kitchen to suppress your appetite and lose weight. However, use these remedies at your own risk, notes the American Heart Association, which warns against using fad diets that involve eating or drinking the same thing every day to lose weight. Consult a doctor before using an at-home remedy for weight loss.

Significance

Using home remedies may suppress your appetite before you eat, which may help you eat less during meals and resist the urge to snack during the day. In the book, "The Shangri-La Diet: The No Hunger Eat Anything Weight-Loss Plan," creator Seth Roberts suggests that you can eat anything as long as you consume 1 tbsp. of light olive oil throughout the day to suppress your appetite. However, eating a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and whole grains will aid your weight loss plan more than a cheeseburger, which contains more calories and saturated fat.

Types

According to diet website EveryDiet.org, consuming 1 tbsp. to 3 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar before eating has been thought to suppress appetite and prevent calories from turning into fat in the body. A glass of sugar water may also be used as an appetite suppressant in place of olive oil while following the Shangri-La Diet, notes Seth Roberts. In "The Doctors Book of Home Remedies For Women," Maria Simonson, Sc.D., Ph.D., director of the Health, Weight and Stress Clinic at the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions in Baltimore, recommends drinking a glass of plain water 10 minutes before eating to prevent overeating and keep hunger pangs at bay.

Features

Roberts, the creator of the Shangri-La Diet, which involves drinking olive oil throughout the day, recommends holding your nose while eating to prevent the taste of the food from tempting you to eat more. Although apple cider vinegar has been touted as a weight loss remedy, EveryDiet.org suggests that it may not have any health benefits and may not be effective in suppressing your appetite.

Risks

According to MayoClinic.com, apple cider vinegar is not an effective weight loss tool. Drinking undiluted apple cider vinegar is very acidic and may hurt the throat if you drink it frequently. Additionally, apple cider vinegar may interact with certain medications, such as insulin and diuretics, says Mayo Clinic nutritionist Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.

Expert Insight

According to the American Heart Association, fad diets are not beneficial because they do not promote any physical activity. Exercise at least 30 minutes a day to burn additional calories throughout the day. Eating should be an enjoyable activity, notes the American Heart Association. If eating is no longer an enjoyable activity, you may not be able to maintain the diet for long periods.