Herbs have been used for centuries to help people lose weight. The issue is that some herbs used for weight loss are better for you than others.  Don’t make the mistake of thinking that herb is a “magic bullet” for losing weight. You have to change your lifestyle, exercise more and stay away from carbs and sugar or the pounds will not peel off.

Some herbs fool your body into thinking its full (like hoodia which is technically a food but is commonly found in the herbal section of your health food store.)  Other herbs are classified as being thermogenic meaning that they accelerate body functions such as digestion, heart rate and breathing. These herbs usually contain a great deal of natural caffeine and include green tea, nettle and dandelion.  Fat is not actually burning and your metabolism is incapable of “speeding up.” You are simply more active and burn more calories when there is caffeine in your systems.

The herbs that are least effective in the long run are those that are classified as diuretics.  Green tea and dandelion are also part of this group along with buchu, birch bark and uva ursi. These herbs can address the problem of water retention but as soon as you stop taking them you gain the weight back when you drink a bunch of water.

There are some herbs that you should avoid taking because they can cause serious side effects and even death.  They also come with serious warnings from the Food and Drug administration.  Many teas meant for weight loss contain these herbs so be careful and read the labels.  A good example is the product marketed as “Diet Tea.”  Watch out for diet teas containing cascara, senna, buckthorn, aloe and rhubarb root. These herbs cause diarrhea and cramping and over the long term can cause your intestinal muscles to lose their ability to move food through the colon on their own.

You should also watch out for any thing that is labeled Herbal Phen Phen. This is an herb that can cause an overstimulation of the central nervous system, an increase in blood pressure and an elevated heart rate. The FDA warns of scores of side effects to using this herb including heart murmurs, heart palpitations, heart attack, dehydration, seizures, chest pain, stroke, dissociation, anxiety, depression, mood swings, impulsivity, distractibility and psychosis.  It is also known as ma huang.

Always check with your doctor first before you take anything that guarantees “natural weight loss” using herbs as there are a lot of snake oil salesman in the dieting business selling unhealthy options as new age miracles.