Excess weight is common in a society such as our own where a poor diet and sedentary lifestyle is prevalent (insufficient consumption of fruit and vegetables, fast food, a fat-rich diet, lack of outdoor activities and too much time spent at the computer, etc.).

The logical solution is to maintain a suitable diet and do exercise. However, since this is not always possible, sometimes weight control can be aided by medicinal plants.

Many medicinal plants are used in weight loss because they are:

• Purifying: they act by eliminating toxins accumulated in your body.
• Digestive: they contribute to improving the digestive and hepatic metabolism by helping to properly digest carbohydrates, fats and protein.
• Diuretic: they help to eliminate excess liquid in our organism.

And we can find these properties in plants such as:

– Green tea: the benefits of this plant are down to its richness in antioxidants which, due to their thermogenic and lipolytic properties, help to eliminate fat, whereby they use it as a source of energy.

– Artichoke: artichoke leaves increase the production of bile and, with it, improve the digestion of fatty foods. Furthermore, due to their diuretic and detoxifying effect, they are widely used in weight-control treatment.

– Fennel: it stimulates digestion and increases the gastric and intestinal metabolism. Due to its richness in essential oils (chiefly anethole), fennel is used in cases where it is beneficial to boost the elimination of gases produced during digestion.

– Citrus: that acts stimulating the consumption of fats from fatty tissue, obtaining energy.

– Mate: mate tea leaves have been used traditionally in the creation of stimulating drinks due to their caffeine content, as well as their digestive and diuretic effects.

In general, the phytotherapeutic treatment of obesity offers better results when it is applied in combination with plants, due to the process of synergy that is produced between the main assets of the plants used.

In the event of significant excess weight, it must be controlled under medical supervision. If, on the other hand, the excess weight is not as accentuated, medicinal plants are used as a weight-loss supplement, provided that the recommendations set out by the nutritionist or pharmacist are respected.