Success in losing weight and keeping it off is a combination of a healthy eating plan and regular physical activity. Even if you are eating all the right foods, however, you may find yourself hungry more often and more prone to eating convenience foods containing excess fat, sugar and calories. Ensuring that you consume certain foods can help you manage your appetite. In addition, some herbs may help decrease your appetite and keep you on track to reach your weight-loss goals. Check with your doctor before making significant dietary changes or using herbal remedies.
High-Fiber Foods
Foods naturally rich in dietary fiber like fruits, vegetables and whole-grain products can help decrease your appetite while still providing plenty of nutrition. A 2007 study published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" found that consumption of high-fiber cereal decreased appetite in healthy men. In addition, the participants also had a decline in glycemic response which can raise, then suddenly lower, blood glucose levels, causing hunger. Fresh fruits and vegetables are also rich in water, which also helps decrease appetite. Finally, a diet that includes fiber-rich foods slows the digestive process, helping keep you feeling fuller longer.
Green Tea
Green tea is made from the same, but unprocessed, leaves used to make black oolong tea. Green tea is a popular beverage, widely consumed around the world and used for its purported health benefits. Green tea has been found to effectively lower cholesterol and appears to have a protective effect against certain types of cancer, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Additionally, the University of Chicago Medical Center explains that a research study performed in 2000 found green tea to have significant appetite-suppressing effects in laboratory rats.
Water
Most of your body's content is comprised of water, necessary for processes like metabolism and temperature regulation. In addition, water appears to help keep some people fuller longer, encouraging them to eat fewer calories. A 2007 study published in "Obesity" found that 60- to 80-year-olds consumed fewer calories after drinking water before a meal. In contrast, however, their younger counterparts did not experience the same effect. Water is a primary nutrient found in fiber-rich foods like fruits and vegetables; thus, emphasizing these types of foods both decreases your caloric consumption and fills your stomach with fiber and water.
Guarana
Guarana is extracted from an Amazonian plant and used in weight-loss products for its stimulant effects. This effect, explains Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, appears to suppress the appetite, causing you to eat fewer calories. As with any stimulant, guarana also appears to improve attention, memory and concentration and may also protect elderly individuals from impaired metabolism. If you have sensitivity to stimulants, avoid using guarana. It can cause such side effects as insomnia, anxiety and increased heart rate. Check with your doctor before using this herb because it may also cause an unwanted interaction with prescription and over-the-counter cold and allergy medications.
References
- Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center: Guarana
- "Obesity"; Pre-Meal Water Consumption Reduces Meal Energy Intake in Older But Not Younger Subjects; Emily L. Van Walleghen, et al.; 2007
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Insoluble Cereal Fiber Reduces Appetite and Short-Term Food Intake and Glycemic Response to Food Consumed 75 Min Later by Healthy Men.; R. A. Samra, et al.; October 2007
- University of Chicago Medical Center: Green Tea Derivative Causes Loss of Appetite, Weight Loss in Rats
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Green Tea
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