Herbs for Significant Weight Loss

There are many "miracle diets" out there, but the best way to lose weight is to find a healthy, suitable diet and stick to it, while incorporating a regular exercise program into your life. Most of us these days know that one of the main keys for losing a significant amount of weight is not just the routine of a healthy diet and exercise, but a diet that takes in enough calories to be burned off by a proper amount of the exercise. Staying constantly hydrated with plenty of water is also a key.

However, sometimes losing weight can still seem pretty difficult. In some of us, there is more to it than just burning more calories than are taken in. That seems to be a general rule, but each of our bodies are unique and we have different levels of metabolism, energy and appetite that sometimes get in the way of our ability to lose weight. This is where herbs can come in and play a significant role as weight-loss boosters.

Generally, herbs for weight loss work as boosters for metabolism, appetite suppressants, fat burners, diuretics and laxatives. While many are safe enough when taken moderately, the latter two should be treated with more caution. Diuretics simply eliminate any excess water in your body, but when taking too much or for a long period of time, it can mess with the electrolyte balance in your body. Laxatives can also be dangerous when taking too much, and it is suggested to never take any laxative for any lengthy period of time. These types of herbs should simply be used once in a very great while to detox your system, but not taken on a regular basis.

Listed below are 5 of the best herbs when it comes to aiding in weight loss.

- Cayenne: This herb contains capsaicin, a substance which has been known to improve the circulation and digestion along with increasing metabolism rates while burning fat. All of these factors together play a great role when it comes to losing weight. It is available commonly as a spice and can easily be incorporated into your food or tea, or you can simply take a cayenne supplement which is generally available in 500 mg capsules.

- Dandelion root: One of the safer herbal diuretic/laxatives out there, this herb increases metabolism while purging the body of fatty acids and toxins before they are able to store themselves in the cells. It is generally available in many health stores or on the internet in tea, tincture, or even capsule form. But even being one of the safest diuretics, you should still not use it for a long period of time.

- Garcinia cambogia: This is an ancient herb that has been used in Ayurvedic medicine, and is a great source of helping with weight loss as it gets in the way of fatty acids and LDL cholesterol along with promoting glycogen, which helps to suppress the appetite. It is available in 500 mg capsules, and is generally safe to take up to 3 times a day but is recommended to not take more than 2 months without consulting a doctor.

- Green tea: The caffeine and antioxidants contained in green tea help in stimulating fat metabolism along with increasing the energy levels that will help you stay on top of you exercise regime. Its growing popularity has made it so that you can find green tea products in just about any supermarket or retail store, whether in tea form or as a supplement.

- Nettle: This thermogenic herb is not only high in its vitamin and mineral content, but it has been shown to be significant when it comes to increasing metabolism levels and reducing appetite cravings - both of which will help lead to weight loss. It is usually available in 500 mg capsules or tea form, the latter of which is more recommended.

Of course, none of the above should really be taken as a weight-loss supplement without speaking to your physician beforehand.