Natural appetite suppressants can help you overcome one of the biggest challenges when trying to lose weight: controlling your appetite. If you can control your appetite, you can prevent overeating and you can lose weight easier.
When it comes to natural appetite suppressants, you have three options: supplements, whole foods, or a combination of both. Supplements can be more convenient but they can also be very expensive. Whole foods are excellent because they're inexpensive and provide additional nutritional benefits you can't get from a supplement. You need to decide which works best for you. Here is a list of some of the most effective natural appetite suppressants:
Supplements as Natural Appetite Suppressants
Hoodia Gordonii
Hoodia Gordonii is a cactus-like plant that is found in the Kalahari Desert of South Africa. It has been used by the Bushmen of South Africa for centuries as a powerful appetite suppressant. They eat a small piece of the hoodia plant before long hunting trips and their appetites are suppressed for hours.
You can't find hoodia gordonii in its raw form, but you can find hoodia diet pills that contain it. You need to be careful when you buy hoodia supplements as most of them contain very little hoodia gordonii. Those that do contain authentic hoodia gordonii can be effective appetite suppressants. While they are convenient, they are very expensive. At the time of this writing, they cost around $60 for a one-month supply.
Whey Protein
Whey protein powder has been used for years by dieters as an effective natural appetite suppressant. Whey protein powder is also excellent for muscle growth, which is crucial because muscle burns fat. It is also very cheap, convenient, and comes in a variety of flavors. You can drink it as a delicious shake or add it to smoothies or any variety of food recipes.
Whole Foods as Natural Appetite Suppressants
Water
This is probably the least expensive option of all the natural appetite suppressants you can choose from. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day will do wonders to curb your appetite. Often times hunger is mistaken as thirst so simply drinking water at the first sign of hunger can quickly keep your appetite in check. Another technique is to drink an eight ounce glass of water before each meal. You'll be surprised at how much less you eat.
Green Leafy Vegetables
Lettuce, spinach, cabbage, and bok choy are terrific natural appetite suppressants. They are remarkably low in calories and are a good source of fiber. And here's a bonus - these are considered "negative calorie" foods because it can take more calories for your body to digest these foods than there are in these foods themselves!
Pickles
I know what you're thinking, pickles? Yes, pickles - but not the popular commercial brands you're used to. They often contain artificial colors and sugar. You want to look for the natural organic pickles found in health food stores or in the health food section of your favorite grocer. Natural pickles, which are essentially small cucumbers, only have a few calories each. An entire jar will have less than 100 calories! You can snack on these powerful appetite suppressants all day long without any guilt.
Apples
You know the saying, but now there's another reason why you should eat apples - they're great natural appetite suppressants. Apples contain only about 100 calories each, are a good source of fiber, and have very little carbs. Apples are perfect for a snack and make a great substitute for more calorie dense foods like candy bars and potato chips.
These are some of the most effective, "guilt-free" natural appetite suppressants you'll find. You'll be able to control your hunger and prevent overeating by including these in your weight loss program. More importantly, your weight loss efforts won't be as challenging!
By: Travis Van Slooten