You may notice castor oil listed as an ingredient in weight loss supplements or so-called diet teas and wonder if you should include castor oil in your diet strategy. The short answer: probably not. Unless your tight clothes are associated with bloating from constipation or occasional water retention, castor oil won't solve your problem. In fact, ongoing use of the natural laxative may have serious consequences.
Description
Castor oil derives from the beans of the Ricinus communis plant, also known as the castor bean or palma christi plant. The plant grows in warm regions, including its native India and Africa. Castor oil's main uses are as a laxative and as an external application for abdominal pain and bloating, notes the American Cancer Society's Complementary and Alternative Medicine web site. It may also be used to soothe eye irritations or to treat warts and cysts. Manufacturers offer castor oil either in liquid or in capsule form.
Diet Aid History
Castor oil is increasingly linked with weight loss fads because of the popularity of dieter's teas, notes Columbia University's Health Services program. Castor oil, along with other laxative plants such as senna, buckthorn and rhubarb root, is often included in diet teas. These teas promote more rapid elimination of food, which results in weight loss from ridding the system of excess water.
Reality
The university points out that any weight loss achieved by taking supplements or teas that include castor oil is temporary. Laxative use results in water weight loss, rather than actual fat loss. Laxatives don't prevent actual caloric absorption, which means that once you consume a food, you don't "get rid of" the calories by taking laxatives. If you've consumed an excessive amount of calories, taking laxatives will get you no closer to your weight loss goal.
Alternatives
To avoid the bloating associated with constipation, drink plenty of water and eat high-fiber foods, advises MedlinePlus. For more stubborn cases, use the laxative your doctor recommends. While laxatives may help you lose water weight, diuretics are better choices than laxatives, especially for bloating just before your period. As for long-term diet plans, cutting calories through smart food choices and burning calories with exercise are the only sure-fire methods for successful weight loss, according to MayoClinic.com.
References
- Drugs.com: Castor Oil
- MedlinePlus: Constipation: Self-Care
- Columbia University Health Services: Go Ask Alice: Herbal Diet Teas
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Premenstrual Syndrome
- MayoClinic.com: Counting Calories: Get Back to Weight-loss Basics
- American Cancer Society: Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Castor Oil
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