If all of your hard dieting efforts haven't removed the bulge around your middle, taking senna may help if the unwanted roundness is due to constipation or water bloat. Some commercial brands of diet teas add the herbal sweetener stevia and flavorings to disguise senna's bitter taste. Whether you make senna tea on your own or buy it prepackaged, you should understand the effectiveness and safety of senna and stevia.
Weight Loss
Senna in dieter's tea will not help you lose fat. You can only lose fat when you expend more energy than you take in through food and beverages. That means eating less, exercising more -- or both. Some substances -- caffeine, ephedrine and tea antioxidants, for instance -- boost your metabolism and help you burn fat more efficiently. Senna works by stimulating your bowels to eliminate stored-up waste. You might lose 2 to 25 lb. over time, depending on how much senna you take and the state of your colon. You will also lose water weight during the cleansing process.
Precautions
If you're taking a senna-based tea to lose weight, do not take it for more than seven days in a row. The laxative action of the diet tea may cause nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhea. You should stop taking senna diet tea immediately if you experience persistent pain, rectal bleeding or bloody stools, dizziness, weakness or fatigue. Senna may darken the color of your urine, but this side effect is harmless. You should drink plenty of water while taking senna dieter's tea as its purgative effects could lead to dehydration. The Mayo Clinic recommends drinking six glasses of water daily for normal hydration, but you may need to drink several glasses more to offset the effects of senna.
Calorie-Free
Stevia, a member of the daisy family, is the only calorie-free, carbohydrate-free natural sweetener in the world, according to Rajen Datuk, a Malaysian pharmacist who holds a Ph.D. in holistic medicine. It has been used for centuries in Paraguay and Brazil and for three decades in Japan. The United States approved the use of stevia in foods and beverages in December 2008, pushing sales of the herbal sweetener to nearly $100 million by 2009. Mintel, a marketing company that predicts buying trends, predicts sales of the herb to top $2 billion by 2011.
Bitter Aftertaste
Stevia is new to the U.S. market but has been used for years in South America and Japan to sweeten tea, yerba mate and other beverages. Stevia is 300 times sweeter than sugar, but is has a bitter aftertaste. Another problem with stevia, according to Mintel's research, is that its taste is not consistent. This is because stevia is an herb affected by climate and growing conditions unlike artificial sweeteners that contain chemicals easily measured and reproduced in labs.
Considerations
Taking senna tea as a dieting aid appears to be safe for most people for short-term use. Consult a doctor if you wish to you take senna for longer than one week. If you don't like the taste of senna tea -- with or without stevia or other sweeteners -- you may take it in tablet form. The approval of stevia by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration means the herb passed current safety standards. It is wise to consult a medical practitioner before embarking on any weight loss program.
References
- "Los Angeles Times"; Slim Chance Green Tea Can Burn Fat Off; Chris Woolston; Aug. 16, 2010
- "Sydney Morning Herald"; Straight Flush: Bronwyn McNulty; Feb. 12 2009
- PubMed Health: Stimulant Laxatives
- "The Straits Times"; Slimming Teas Can be Unhealthy in Long Run; Edmund Baker; Dec. 5 1997
- Mayo Clinic.com. Water: How much should you drink every day?
Member Comments