Weight management can feel like a constant battle against rumbling stomachs and persistent cravings. Yet, by taking a scientific approach and understanding our hunger hormones, you can make those efforts much easier with your pick of the best natural appetite suppressant.
Table of Contents
Best natural appetite suppressant foods
Green tea
We start off the list with green tea extract, which is a very potent natural appetite suppressant. This extract is packed with catechins, with a notable player being epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). It may sound complicated at first glance, but it’s simpler than you think.
Catechins are bioactive compounds whose properties positively affect your metabolism by increasing your energy expenditure, while reducing appetite at the same time. On top of that, green tea has thermogenic properties that boost your body’s ability to burn fat, especially during physical activities.
In addition to these properties, green tea also offers other health benefits, including regulating your blood sugar levels, as well as antioxidants that protect your body from oxidative stress.
Caffeine
Many of us view caffeine as the elixir of alertness and the ideal way to start off your morning. However, did you know that caffeine also has potent weight loss abilities? Caffeine is a stimulant for the central nervous system and reduces your feelings of fatigue. In this heightened state of alertness, you’ll be more focused and less inclined to think about food.
Caffeine has proven effects on your metabolism, and it will give you a temporary boost in burning calories. Furthermore, caffeine can influence the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters will elevate your mood and are known as one of the best appetite suppressants.
Still, although caffeine has proven weight loss benefits, it still comes with its cons, like disrupted sleep, jitteriness, and increased heart rate, which makes consuming it in moderation imperative.
Garcinia Cambogia
This exotic-sounding item on our list is a tropical fruit that buzzed around the internet for quite some time now. Many claim that its active ingredients, like hydroxy citric acid (HCA), provide various weight loss benefits.
However, research by JAMA debunked the myth of its magical weight loss properties, as the results were not very significant. Like many other promised compounds, this fruit isn’t a silver bullet for weight loss, but it provides other proven benefits.
Firstly, HCA increases your serotonin levels (neurotransmitter of happiness), which promotes feelings of fullness. Its properties can also block the effects of an enzyme called lyase, which increases the availability of glucose for energy production, thus regulating your appetite.
Griffonia simplicifolia
Griffonia simplicifolia is another unique-sounding plant that has an interesting connection with suppressing appetite. It contains a compound called 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP). This is a natural compound (or, to be more precise, an amino acid) that converts into serotonin, which further controls your appetite.
It’s most commonly consumed in pill or capsule form, and many prefer to take it with a meal rich in carbs, as it facilitates its entry into the brain.
Cayenne pepper
Cayenne pepper is a part of the chili pepper family that can beautifully spice up your meals. However, you’re probably more interested in its appetite-suppressing abilities. If so, you’re in for a treat.
Cayenne pepper contains an active compound called capsaicin, which impacts your appetite in a few different ways. Firstly, capsaicin increases thermogenesis, or in simpler words, heat production in your body. As it influences your body’s energy balance, this heat also acts as an appetite suppressant.
Capsaicin is also responsible for enhancing the production of appetite-regulating hormones leptin and ghrelin. When these hormones get released into the bloodstream, they will effectively promote satiety and reduce your desire to eat.
Other natural ways to curb appetite
These foods that curb appetite are, without a doubt, fantastic helpers in bypassing unnecessary hunger pangs. Still, there are more natural ways to suppress appetite apart from adding certain ingredients.
Hydration for reducing hunger
As simple as it may sound, staying well-hydrated is a vital part of your appetite control strategy. More often than not, your body craves water, which you’re mistaking for hunger. Drinking a full glass of water before meals can create a feeling of fullness, which will help you realize if you are indeed hungry or just thirsty.
You should set a goal of drinking eight glasses of water on a daily basis. If you tend to forget about water for any reason, develop a habit of carrying a reusable water bottle with you to enhance your hydration efforts.
High-fiber meals
High-fiber foods take much longer to chew and digest compared to other food groups. Hence, they’ll promote a feeling of fullness without you even noticing it. Additionally, fiber helps with regulating your blood sugar levels, which reduces the likelihood of sudden hunger spikes. To get this effect, try adding these foods to your meal plan:
- fruits;
- vegetables;
- whole grains;
- legumes.
If you find distributing these ingredients across your meals challenging or don’t have the time to prepare your meals, you can always resort to a high-fiber meal delivery service. With fresh and carefully chosen ingredients, you can have the healthiest high-fiber meals delivered to your doorstep.
Mindful eating
Mindful eating has become a very popular practice over the last few decades and for a few good reasons. It’s an eating approach where you pay full attention to the entire eating experience, including the food’s taste, texture, and aromas.
This practice encourages you to slow down and savor each bite. By doing so, you’ll become aware of hunger and fullness cues, which makes it much easier to prevent overeating. Another benefit of mindful eating is that you develop a healthier relationship with food by enjoying all of its bits and pieces.
Stress management
Although many people look over this factor, stress can be a huge contributor to weight gain. When you’re going through a stressful phase, your body releases a hormone called cortisol. This hormone is known to increase your appetite, particularly craving comfort foods (which are rarely healthy options).
If you allow stress to get the better of you, you’ll get caught up with emotional eating, which does not correlate with hunger. Hence, try adopting stress management techniques like meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises.
Final thoughts
Finding an ingredient that will reduce hunger can be a very helpful companion in your weight loss journey. The best natural appetite suppressant will always be the one that complements your particular body’s composition, so don’t be afraid to experiment and give each a shot before sticking to one long-term.
Furthermore, inducing satiety with these foods is a step in the right direction; remember that true transformation is a journey, and you can only succeed by combining it with the right lifestyle changes.