by Dt.Manoli Mehta
Natural fat burners are one of the most attractive nutritional ingredients filling up market shelves in today’s time.
As the name suggests, Fat Burners are foods that help your body burn more fat for fuel. This distinctive ability makes them a winner among people looking for quick weight loss.
How do they do this?
A fat burner accelerates the fat metabolism. They increase fat oxidation and reduce fat absorption which results in an overall increase in energy expenditure thereby aiding weight loss.
However, in contradiction to the above claim, fat burners may often end up being ineffective or harmful as they are not recognized by any food regulatory authority.
That said, several natural food products each with its own proposed mechanism of action act like a fat burner.
Top 5 Natural Fat Burners!
- CAFFEINE
Caffeine is a central nervous system stimulant present naturally in many plants like coffee, tea, cocoa and guarana.
It is one of the most promising fat burners in the commercial space for the following reasons
- Caffeine’s proposed mechanism of action boasts of a 16% increase in the metabolism within 2 hours of consumption.
- Caffeine increases the energy expenditure and fat oxidation during rest or a low intensity exercise.
- It specifically increases fat oxidation rates when consumed just before an exercise bout.
However, the most prominent drawback of this fat burner is that its continuous consumption will eventually reduce it overall effect on our body. The body will become more liberal to its stimulations which will cause a very poor to no response eventually!
- GREEN TEA EXTRACT
Green tea extract is nothing but a more concentrated form of green tea.
As mentioned earlier green tea contains caffeine which itself is an independent fat burner, additionally the extract has a polyphenol compound named epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) which also helps burn fat.
These two components work together in synergy and aid in stimulating their mechanism of action through thermogenesis. (thermogenesis is a simple process in which body burns calories to release heat.)
Green tea extract has consistently shown to increase fat oxidation rate during exercise. However, it is needed in chronic doses and higher concentrations.
Though green tea has the potential to increase the fat metabolism, when compared to caffeine it is relatively low. More research is needed to understand its potential metabolic effects and practical implications.
- CAYENNE PEPPER
Cayenne Pepper, closely related to jalapeno and bell peppers belong to the capsicum family. They are a staple in Southwestern cuisine adding flavour to many savoury dishes and also make an excellent powdered spice once dried and ground for the Asian palate.
Researches believe, the main active ingredient in cayenne pepper named Capsaicin is responsible for many health benefits including weight loss.
- It acts as a thermogenic chemical agent. This means it speeds up your metabolism and reduces your appetite; both of the properties make an ingredient ideal for weight loss.
- Adding cayenne pepper to your every meal has shown to increase the feeling of fullness and supresses craving. The resulting decrease in caloric intake will eventually help in losing weight.
- Apart from acting upon your metabolism, this pepper helps you burn calories because it is spicy!
Like all good things come with a silver lining, the benefits of cayenne pepper end up decreasing over time as the body becomes tolerant to its effects. Also adjusting proportion of the ingredient to your daily diet is an uphill task to reap the benefits of this weight loss spice.
- FENUGREEK
The most precious herb in alternative medicine, fenugreek is a multifaceted ingredient which has numerous health benefits. It has shown great potential as a fat burner.
Fenugreek works through different mechanisms:
- It helps you decrease overall caloric intake, specifically dietary fat.
- In its fibre form, it helps promote satiety.
Fenugreek can be used in many different forms, the most feasible being used as cooking spice. Its seeds can be added as grounded spice to many food preparations and leaves are included in stews and curries.
However more human studies need to be conducted with respect to its dosage and the form in which it should be consumed.to conclude its complete potential.
- TURMERIC
Popularly called as golden spice, turmeric has been part of traditional Indian medicine for thousands of years.
The main natural polyphenol present in turmeric is called curcumin which plays a significant role in imparting turmeric its key attributes.
- Curcumin decreases the expression of various inflammatory markers which are responsible for causing obesity in the body.
- It reduces fat tissue growth, and also curbs weight regain.
- Curcumin has shown a positive influence on body weight, BMI and weight and hip circumference.
- It increases insulin sensitivity and hormone adiponectin which regulates metabolism.
The current promising results need to be additionally supported with more research and human trials to validate the use of turmeric as a fat burner!
The lists of these ingredients are mostly industry driven however the number is nowhere close to the scientific backing needed to promote it!
Even though the number of supplements available in the market today are infinite, there is nothing that could replace a well-balanced healthy lifestyle with the help of a nutritious diet and regular exercise.