Quick weight loss secrets are easily found, but much harder to verify. One of the more popular fad beliefs is that certain foods help your body burn fat faster. Garlic, honey and apple cider vinegar are among the foods at the heart of these claims. Losing weight naturally rather than relying on diet pills is always a good idea, but relying on two or three specific foods to serve as a magic solution is not.
Weight Loss Basics
Much has been written about the correct way to lose weight, but the bottom line is that you have to burn more calories than you take in. According to experts at The Centers for Disease Control, 1 lb. of fat contains 3,500 calories. Reducing your caloric intake by 500 to 1,000 calories per day will give you a weight loss of about 1 lb. per week. Substituting flavorings like garlic and apple cider vinegar for salt and honey for sugar may help you to keep your calorie count down while not sacrificing either nutrients or flavor.
Garlic
Garlic has been prized for its perceived health benefits for centuries. Garlic is high in manganese, vitamin C and vitamin B-6, but a 2007 study published in "The Archives of Internal Medicine" failed to prove that garlic has any effect on lowering blood cholesterol, and no studies have been done that link garlic with any fat burning effects. Garlic can help you stay on a low calorie diet by using it as a flavoring instead of salt. A high-sodium diet causes water retention, which can be frustrating when you're trying to lose weight.
Honey
Raw honey is often touted as a healthier alternative to sugar. According to the nutrition experts at Columbia University Health Services, sugar and honey both break down into fructose and glucose. The fructose and glucose in honey are separate elements, unlike table sugar where they are connected. Since glucose converts to energy faster than fructose, foods high in granulated sugar are stored as fat more easily. So, while honey doesn't accelerate fat burning in any way, using it in place of sugar may be a good choice for those who want to avoid processed sugar.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is made by pressing and fermenting apples. It is used as a flavoring, but many naturopaths and raw foods advocates claim it helps suppress appetite and burn fat. Nutrition expert Katherine Zeratsky, at the Mayo Clinic, states there is little scientific evidence for these claims. She also cautions that the acid content in apple cider vinegar can irritate your throat and interact with certain medications if taken in large amounts.
Conclusion
Garlic, honey and apple cider vinegar do not have any magical weight loss chemicals or fat-burning abilities. But, when consumed as part of a healthy, balanced diet that includes fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats, they certainly can't hurt. Replacing salt and processed sugar with their strong favors can also help you avoid water retention and the insulin spikes associated with white sugar.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Healthy Weight: Losing Weight:
- "Archives of Internal Medicine"; The Effect of Raw Garlic vs. Commercial Garlic Supplements on Plasma Lipid Concentrations in Adults with Moderate Hypercholesterolemia; C. Gardner, L. Lawson, et. al.; February 2007
- Go Ask Alice: Honey vs. Sugar - Which is Healthier?
- Mayo Clinic: Apple Cider Vinegar for Weight Loss: Effective?
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