Slimming herbal teas: 5 do-it-yourself recipes to promote weight loss

Slimming herbal teas can be a great help to lose weight, but only if they are associated with healthy eating and regular physical activity. Here's how to prepare home-made herbal tea to burn fat, based on natural herbs with a depurative and diuretic action, and that can also allay hunger.

Slimming herbal teas can be a great help to lose weight in a natural way, they are made using herbs and plants that, thanks to their active ingredients, help burn fat and purify and drain the body, in addition to activating the metabolism. It is important, however, to emphasize that these do-it-yourself infusions should not be considered as quick solutions for weight loss: in fact, slimming herbal teas must be taken following a healthy and balanced diet, associated with regular physical activity. It is also essential, before using them, to contact a professional who will evaluate the situation on a case-by-case basis, also taking into account any pathologies and any medication you are taking. In addition to losing weight, these healthy infusions also help to increase diuresis, especially draining herbal teas, thus reducing water retention, often associated with overweight. To notice the beneficial effects of these herbal teas you must take them regularly for long periods, always following the advice and the doses suggested by the herbalist or by your doctor.

How slimming herbal teas work

Slimming herbal teas act thanks to their active ingredients that give these infusions thermogenic properties: they help to improve the metabolism, thus allowing to burn calories faster. Moreover, they are often composed of herbs rich in fibers that perform a diuretic and laxative action, as well as a purifying action. These diuretic and purifying substances, along with the water used to prepare the herbal tea, are effective in promoting the elimination of toxic substances from the body, while also facilitating the loss of extra pounds. Furthermore, the fibers increase the sense of satiety by reducing the absorption of fat and toxins by the intestine.

Herbal teas for weight loss: how to take them and for how long

Before seeing specifically which are the most effective slimming herbal teas and how to prepare them, it is important to know that, to get good results, you need to take between one and three cups of herbal tea a day for a period that can vary from two weeks to one month or even more, according to the doctor's instructions. You can take them immediately before or after the main meals, but also during the mid-morning or afternoon snack: in this way you will keep under control the sense of hunger. For a better weight loss efficacy it would be better to drink the herbal teas as they are, avoiding the use of sweeteners. Preferably, buy the herbs in herbal medicine shops and collect them only if you know them well and in unpolluted places.

1. Mint herbal tea: it stimulates digestion and reduces hunger

The slimming herbal tea based on mint is a natural anti-hunger, and it also encourages the digestive process, especially the peppermint. Drink it before the two main meals so as to get to the meal with little hunger, and you will also improve digestion. To prepare a cup you need one tablespoon of fresh or dried mint leaves; if you use fresh leaves remember to wash them well before use. Boil the water, turn off the stove and add the mint. Let the leaves to infuse for ten minutes with the covered cup. Finally, filter and drink.

2. Yerba Mate herbal tea: it burns fat and allays nervous hunger

Another excellent herbal tea to promote weight loss is based on Yerba Mate, also known as Matè. This drink is very consumed in South America, where it is drunk instead of coffee: it stimulates diuresis, allays nervous hunger and activates the metabolism, thanks to its thermogenic action, and it also gives you a feeling of energy that lasts all day. For the preparation of a cup you will need one tablespoon of yerba mate leaves. Boil the water, add the herb and let it infuse for five minutes and then drink without filtering. Avoid taking this herbal tea in the evening if you have difficulty falling asleep.

3. Ginger and lemon herbal tea: it helps to improve metabolism

A perfect combination is between ginger and lemon, a do-it-yourself slimming herbal tea that is very good to stimulate the metabolism and to reduce the sense of hunger. Ginger also contains gingerol, which make it a thermogenic food, an excellent natural fat burner. The lemon instead fights water retention by eliminating abdominal swelling. To prepare the ginger and lemon slimming herbal tea, boil 200 ml of water, then add six slices of ginger and half a lemon, both rind and juice. Leave everything to infuse for ten minutes, filter and drink. Take this herbal tea before main meals: in the morning it will also help you to purify the body.

4. Hibiscus herbal tea: it provides a diuretic action

Another infusion to drink to lose weight is the hibiscus tea, also known as Karkadè or red tea. This is a plant native to tropical Africa, an excellent diuretic and fat burning plant, and it does not contain caffeine, therefore it can be drunk even in the evening, without disturbing sleep. For the preparation, bring to the boil 200 ml of water, add one tablespoon of dried hibiscus flowers left to infuse for about ten minutes, filter and drink it hot or cold. If you prefer you can add a little lemon juice, especially if you decide to drink it cold: it will be even more refreshing.

5. Green coffee herbal tea: it helps to reduce fat absorption

An effective fat-burning herbal tea is based on green coffee, that is actually the normal coffee that is harvested before it reaches full maturity. In herbal medicine shops you can find it in grains or directly in single-dose sachets. Green coffee reduces the absorption of fats, thanks to methylxanthines, a substance with a lipolytic action, while chlorogenic acid reduces the absorption of sugars by the intestine, speeding up the metabolism. If you buy the grains, chop them with a blender or a coffee grinder, and put one teaspoon in a cup of very hot but not boiling water: the best temperature would be 80 ° C. Leave it to infuse for ten minutes, filter and drink lukewarm.

Side effects

Slimming herbal teas are natural remedies to be associated with a balanced diet and regular physical activity, even moderate. It is important, however, to consult your doctor before consuming them, especially if you are allergic to some herbs, if you are taking medicines or if you suffer from some chronic disease; in fact, some herbs or plants could interfere with some medicines. Furthermore, daily use during pregnancy and lactation is not recommended. Pay close attention to the herbs that you collect: you should always collect them in unpolluted places and only if you know them well, otherwise buy them in herbal medicine shops or in a pharmacy.