Herbal medicine for weight loss: nature in our favor

With the desire to achieve better results in less time on a diet, many women seek the help of a product that can help in the weight loss process.

It is no secret that drugs, which promise quick and effortless weight loss, are prohibited and pose a health hazard. Therefore, many people have found in herbal medicines a good way to give an “extra strength” to the weight loss process.

But are they really effective? How to use herbal medicines in our favor? The first step is to understand its meaning.

What are herbal products?

Nutritionist Sabrina Lopes explains that phytotherapics are products obtained using, as an active ingredient, exclusively vegetable raw materials.

“Phytotherapy is a therapy that uses plants together with a healthy diet with the aim of providing health, well-being and quality of life”, he says.

slimming herbal medicines

Nutritionist Sabrina says that some herbs can indeed help in weight loss diets, as they have a proven effect in helping to treat weight loss and obesity. “However, it is worth stressing that they help and do not perform ‘miracles’. The use of herbal medicines does not dispense with a balanced diet and physical activity. It alone will not produce great effects,” she says.

Who has never heard of the benefits of Green Tea?! This is an example of herbal medicine that has helped many people achieve their goals.

“There are several herbal medicines that can help with weight loss, such as the well-known Green Tea and White Tea (from Camellia sinensis), Agar-agar (Gelidium cartilagineum), Citrus Aurantium, Phaseolamine (Phaseolus vulgaris), Ginger, Clove, Cinnamon and others” , says Sabrina.

According to the nutritionist, herbal medicines can be used in pharmaceutical form and also in diet form, such as in juices, spices, teas and flavored oils.

“Herbals in dietary form are found in health food stores and markets. The pharmaceutical forms must be prescribed by a nutritionist and, in some cases, by doctors”, says Sabrina Lopes.

“Green, White and even Red Tea were very important for my weight loss process. I was already following up with a nutritionist and doing regular physical activity and had lost about 10 kilos, but it was the teas – which I drank alternately for a certain period – that helped me lose the other kilos I was missing”, says Patrícia Munhoz, 26 years old. .

Here are some examples of herbal medicines that are used to help with the weight loss process:

Which herbal medicine to turn to?

“As they can act in different parts of our body, having different functions, the ideal is to look for a nutritionist who will prescribe the right herbal medicine for your objective”, highlights Sabrina Lopes.

Are there any contraindications? Nutritionist Sabrina reinforces that the use of herbal medicines should be guided and prescribed by a qualified professional. “Especially because herbs must be changed after a period, due to the fact that prolonged use of the same herb is not recommended and also that the amounts are different for each individual”, she says.

“One factor that should be highlighted is that its consumption should not be done in some chronic pathologies such as hypertension. And some herbal medicines cannot be used by pregnant women either”, adds the nutritionist.

Anvisa guidelines

The National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) informs that, like any medicine, the misuse of herbal medicines can cause health problems, such as: changes in blood pressure, problems in the central nervous system, liver and kidneys, which can lead to hospital admissions and even death, depending on the form of use.

In this sense, it reinforces the need to always seek the guidance of health professionals and also to inform your doctor of any unpleasant reaction that may occur while using the herbal medicine.

Asking your doctor or nutritionist for guidance and using them correctly, herbal medicines can be important allies in weight loss diets. It’s worth finding out about the one that’s best for you!

The information contained on this page is for informational purposes only. They do not replace the advice and follow-up of doctors, nutritionists, psychologists, physical education professionals and other specialists.