Gymnema Sylvestre is a famous miracle herb of Ayurveda medicine. While the health benefits of it have been known for centuries, the people are now using it to help them lose weight. How effective is it for weight loss and how exactly will it make you burn fat? Let us find out.
One way how Gymnema helps with weight loss is its ability to reduce sugar cravings. The plant does it by making you not like sweet food. A study published on National Center for Biotechnology Information shows that the perception of sweetness decreased when the subjects took Gymnema Sylvestre extracts. This might seem odd, but it can have a huge effect on your weight loss journey. Often people fail their newly started diets due to the lack of willpower. They start great with eating veggies and healthy food but eventually end up eating candy bars or cookies. Decreased sweet cravings will help you stick with your diet. Especially if sugary food is your weakness.
Another study showed the significant effect of Gymnema on the people with the prediabetic condition. Patients who were obese were given Gymnema supplements. In the end, participants lost weight while others on placebo actually gained some.
Gymnema Sylvestre also helps the body to control blood sugar levels and the proper production of insulin. Insulin is the hormone produced by the pancreas. The body uses it to regulate the metabolism of food nutrients. The proper functioning of insulin is essential for burning fat. Higher insulin production, that is especially caused by eating sugary food, overtime can cause insulin resistance. When the body becomes resistant to insulin, it needs to produce more to metabolize food. When the insulin levels are elevated in the body, the fat burning process shuts down.
There are three ways you can introduce Gymnema Sylvestre in your diet. You can start drinking tea. Just like any tea, simply pour hot water on leaves and wait for 5 to 10 minutes. There is also a powdered form that you can take up to 4 grams daily. You can also by supplements that cost a bit more but can be convenient. There are capsules with different dosages. You can take up to 400 mg daily. Even though Gymnema Sylvestre is natural, it is always good to consult your doctor before adding anything new to your diet. While rare and mild, side effects of taking too much can still occur.
Will it, however, help you lose weight? is it worth it? You need to understand that any kind of supplement that is linked to weight loss, are only there to help you on your journey. Weight loss is extremely simple, yet difficult. It only involves one thing – taking less energy in the form of calories than your body needs. When your body has a caloric deficit, it starts to burn fat that is nothing but energy storage. Exercise helps, natural supplements like Gymnema Sylvestre helps, but unless you fix your diet and eat less than you need, you won’t be able to get rid of that excess fat. So, fix your diet, workout a little bit more, drink Gymnema tea and soon you will be fit.
