While there are some weight loss herbs that are considered safe, it should also be noted that the Food and Drug Administration or FDA has associated some to a number of serious of side effects and even death, so it best to avoid them. The following are some herbs that you should beware of:
Epehdra – is also called as ma huang. Ephedra in high doses can elevate blood pressure heighten the heart rate and over stimulate the central nervous system. The Food and Drug Administration has reported over eight hundred reports of ill effects associated with the usage of epehdra, including seizures, heart palpitations, chest pains, stroke and heart attack. According to reports, this herbal plant has lead to at least two cases of mortality.
Herbal Laxatives – they are commonly sold in a form of cascara, buckthorn, diet teas, senna, rhubarb root and aloe. These herbs can bring about diarrhea, cramping and if taken in high doses could make your bowels to no longer function without the stimulation of laxatives.
Herbal fen-phen – the primary component of this dangerous diet drug commonly known as fen fen is ephedra. Herbal fen-phen has not been shown to even deliver results in clinical studies, but what is known is that the misuse of this herbal plant is linked with severe ill effects which include irregularities of heart beat and even death from stroke and heart attack. You may be better off with the 100% synthetic Phen375 fat burner instead.
What are the safe weight loss herbs?
Green tea – this tea has natural stimulant properties that act like much as coffee but with the added advantage of flavonoids, which are compounds that have antioxidant properties and vitamin C. One is able to control the strength of the stimulant by regulating the time of the steeping of the tea either quickly or for a long time. This herb can be bought in a tea bag, or loose. It can be also bought in capsules, but it is said that it is better assimilated as a drink.
Cayenne – if you are not so much into spicy food, you can try sprinkling a little dash of cayenne on your meals. It has an active component known as capsaicin, which stimulates the saliva, stimulates the digestive process and accelerates the process of metabolism at a safer level.
Seaweed – this is one of the weight loss herbs that are considered to be a good source of trace minerals such as iodine and chromium. Seaweed is considered to be a natural stimulant to the thyroid glands.
