The boldo diet is an herbal formula designed to enhance weight loss on your current diet program. Boldo, known by its botanical name, peumus boldus, is a shrub native to Chile. In herbal medicine, it is used to treat digestive issues. Boldo is rich in antioxidants, and proponents claim that it can increase fat metabolism. However, there are side effects for you to be aware of. Before taking boldo, discuss it with your doctor.
Program
The boldo diet is not a diet by itself. It's an herbal infusion used during a low-calorie weight loss plan. You can use boldo with the low-calorie diet of your choosing. The typical boldo plan recommends that you drink a boldo tea infusion upon waking, an hour prior to breakfast, for seven days. Then it is taken twice a day, once in the morning and again in the evening, an hour prior to dinner. After 14 days, most people cycle off for seven days, then begin the cycle again if desired.
Preparation
The boldo diet plan uses an infusion method instead of individual prepackaged tea bags. Boldo comes in the form of dried leaf sheets for infusion purposes. To make 1 liter of boldo infused tea, soak 20 sheets of dried boldo leaf in 1 liter of purified water. Mark Ukra, author of "The Ultimate Tea Diet," recommends allowing it to infuse at room temperature for 48 hours. Once the infusion is complete, you can remove the leaves.
Data
Proponents claim that boldo can help you lose more weight than diet and exercise alone. Clinical data to support this claim are lacking. The effectiveness of using boldo tea to increase weight loss is unknown. Boldo might help protect healthy tissues against the toxic effects of chemicals such as anticancer drugs, according to an animal study published in the July 2009 issue of the journal "Phytotherapy Research."
Side Effects and Warnings
Avoid exceeding two cups of boldo tea per day. Large doses have caused paralysis and death, according to Drugs.com. Do not use boldo tea if you have kidney, liver or gallstone disease, as it may complicate your condition. Boldo increases your bleeding risk; avoid using it if you have been prescribed blood-thinning medications. Some people are allergic to boldo. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience a serious allergic reaction characterized by swelling of the face, lips and tongue.
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