Sustainable weight loss is a complex process that requires a multifold strategy. It’s not just a matter of stopping eating all those foods that add on the pounds. It is necessary to make 1small adjustments to daily habits – from nutrition and physical activity to sleep and psychological wellness.

Natural appetite suppressants are a popular aid in making these adjustments. They include foods, herbs, and specific food groups or nutrients that increase satiety, helping people reduce cravings without painful hunger pangs.

This article lists some of the most effective natural appetite suppressants and explains how to consume them to achieve results.

12 Best Natural Appetite Suppressants

Introducing natural appetite suppressants into your diet can result in weight loss only if you regulate other factors that contribute to weight gain. Most importantly, you need to limit portion sizes and the intake of processed foods, sugars, and alcohol. Appetite suppressants can help you do that.

Scientific evidence regarding the effectiveness of natural appetite suppressants is inconclusive. However, many health experts recommend the following foods, teas, herbs, and nutrients based on available studies and patient experience.

1. Green Tea

Green tea is known for various health benefits, from reducing inflammation to helping lower blood pressure. Patients can drink it during the strictest diets, because of its energy-boosting, fat-burning potential.

Catechins in green tea regulate leptin and ghrelin, hormones responsible for signaling satiety and hunger. They also help lower glucose levels, making green tea a viable aid in treating obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

Green tea also contains caffeine, which may help suppress hunger by increasing alertness and stimulating the patient to be physically active.

It is safe to consume up to eight cups of green tea daily. However, supplements with green tea extract may be more effective for weight loss because of the more concentrated dose of fat-burning ingredients.

2. Chili Peppers

Spicy foods that produce heat, such as chili peppers, may reduce appetite and promote fat burn. The main compound, capsaicin, is believed to improve metabolism through thermogenesis and increase the feeling of fullness, helping to reduce cravings between meals.

You can incorporate chili peppers into your diet in different ways:

• Eat raw chili peppers in moderation (because excess amounts may cause inflammation).
• Add chopped chili peppers to cooked meals.
• Make salsas and dips using chili peppers and other ingredients (e.g., tomatoes and garlic).

Note that spicy foods can cause skin irritation. Please wash hands thoroughly after handling chili peppers and avoid touching the eye area.

3. Coffee

Restrictive diets typically allow two beverages: green tea and coffee. Coffee may aid weight loss efforts thanks to appetite-suppressing caffeine and chlorogenic acid (CGA), which may improve metabolism, increase lipolysis (fat breakdown), and lower body weight.

Health  experts recommend drinking up to four cups of black coffee daily for fat loss and  reduced caloric intake. Drinking coffee on an empty stomach first thing in the morning can spike cortisol  levels and lead to weight gain. It’s best to hold off until mid-morning and enjoy your coffee with or after your first meal. Note that adding sugar and full-fat cream negates the beverages fat-burning effects.

4. Dietary Fiber

Dietary fiber is a type of carbohydrate in plant-based foods that takes longer to digest and slows gastric emptying. This promotes overall gut health and prolongs satiety. Foods rich in fiberknown to suppress appetite and help with weight loss include:

• Avocado
• Sweet potatoes
• Beans
• Lentils
• Peas
• Carrots
• Bananas
• Berries
• Apples
• Chia seeds
• Flaxseeds

The daily recommended fiber intake is around 31 g for men and 25 g for women. You can meet this recommendation by incorporating 5-7 portions of fruits and vegetables daily into your diet.

Many people use fiber supplements, such as glucomannan and psyllium husk, as powder or capsules. They add them to water, smoothies, salads, noodles, and other meals to slow their absorption, eat less, and control weight.

5. Lean Protein

Protein is a powerful aid in increasing satiety. A savory, protein-rich breakfast helps patients maintain fullness until lunch. Choose healthy, lean protein such as eggs, chicken breast, salmon, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu, tuna, shrimp, etc. Adding protein to every meal can reduce overall daily calorie intake.

Note that too much protein may be harmful to people with kidney problems.

Note: Learn how amino acids facilitate weight loss.

6. Healthy Fats

Foods rich in healthy fats, such as omega-3s and omega-6s, are excellent at promoting satiety. They release appetite hormones and inhibit gastric emptying, helping patients feel full.

Healthy fats include:

• Seeds (e.g., chia, flax, sunflower)
• Nuts (e.g., walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts)
• Unrefined oils (olive, avocado oil)
• Olives
• Salmon
• Tuna
• Avocado
• Cheese

These foods also provide various cardiovascular benefits besides weight management, including lowering blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar levels, and inflammation.

7. Yerba Mate

Yerba mate is a plant whose dried leaves are used to make tea. It contains compounds, such as caffeine and theobromine, which stimulate fat metabolism and affect hormones regulating hunger and satiety signals in the brain. They also improve focus and energy, promoting physical activity.

While safe in moderation (one cup daily), excessive consumption can cause insomnia, diarrhea, or rapid heart rate due to its stimulating effects.

8. Cinnamon

Cinnamon adds a distinctly sweet and spicy flavor to teas and pies, but its benefits go beyond providing a pleasant taste. Health experts have found phytochemicals in cinnamon have potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, helping to stabilize blood sugar and reduce insulin spikes, which cause cravings.

Many nutritionists prescribe nutrition plans to overweight and diabetic patients that include recipes with cinnamon. Sprinkle it on top of a fruit salad, smoothie, or oatmeal, or add half a teaspoon to your morning coffee or tea.

9. Turmeric

Turmeric is another popular appetite-suppressing spice. Its main ingredient, curcumin, has been shown to regulate blood sugar levels and leptin secretion and help reduce body fat accumulation.

Turmeric is typically used as a powder. It can be added to soups, meat, rice, and any other dish. Turmeric root can also be used fresh, like ginger, and added to teas and other beverages.

10. Conjugated Linoleic Acid

Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a natural fatty acid found in animal products, such as beef, lamb, and dairy. It may help suppress hunger by increasing the feeling of fullness. CLA also decreases fat accumulation and increases fat burn.

The minimum daily dosage to induce fat reduction is 3 grams. You can incorporate CLA-rich foods into your diet or use CLA supplements to facilitate fat reduction and weight loss.

11. Garcinia Cambogia

Garcinia cambogia is a tropical fruit typically used as a tea or supplement for weight loss. It is rich in hydroxycitric acid (HCA) thought to reduce food intake by increasing serotonin levels. The compound may also decrease fat accumulation.

Health experts recommend taking up to 1500 mg of garcinia cambogia extract daily, ideally before meals, for optimal effects. Drink garcinia cambogia tea in moderation – 2-3 cups daily - because excessive intake of HCA may cause unwanted side effects such as nausea, headache, and even liver damage.

‌12. Dark Chocolate

We saved the sweetest for last. Consuming chocolate is usually linked to weight gain, but this applies to milk chocolate. Dark chocolate, especially brands with over 70% cocoa, may increase satiety due to the fat in cocoa butter. Furthermore, it is less addictive than milk chocolate because of its low sugar content and it is easier to consume in moderation thanks to its rich, savory ingredients.

Note: Learn about the best appetite-suppressants – from FDA-approved prescription medications to potent herbal supplements – that may help you reach your weight loss goals faster. 

Conclusion

Natural appetite suppressants may support weight loss. In addition to reducing cravings, they are linked to other health benefits, such as lowering blood pressure and reducing inflammation.

However, appetite suppressants only work in conjunction with other strategies. Once you improve your diet and increase physical activity, foods and supplements that naturally suppress appetite can help speed up your weight loss efforts.

If you need help losing weight, contact our medical weight loss professionals at Vibrant Vitality Clinic – they will create a personalized weight loss strategy based on your unique needs.