Can Vitamins Really Help Me Lose Weight?
More and more reports are telling us that obesity is one of the biggest problems our society faces today. Obesity negatively affects our health in so many ways. It aids in keeping blood pressure high, has a negative affect on diabetes, and puts a severe strain on our health.
People like you and me have for years searched the drugstore shelves for that magic pill that will help us lose weight, reduce our appetite and provide a much needed energy boost. Products such as Carb blockers and Hoodia receive massive advertising exposure with the promise of a quick fix for our weight problems.
Our own body’s metabolism plays a very significant part in the number of calories we burn, our appetite and the amount of weight we are able to lose. Those over the counter solutions are tried by many people, however many do carry unpleasant side effects such as an increased heart rate, sleeplessness and increased iritability. Over time, your body will become used to the drugs and their effect will reduce. In increasing number of people are now looking to vitamins as a safer and more effective solution to their weight problem.
Weight loss and weight control can be significantly aided by taking the right vitamin supplements because when we are healthy, our body works much more efficiently. There is no one perfect vitamin to take to control weight but there are a few that are well worth taking into consideration because of their effect on the appetite, fat and sugar metabolism and calorie burning.
Vitamin B and Vitamin C are two of the most important vitamins you should be taking for controlling weight apart from their part in contributing to general good health.
Essential for the normal function of the thyroid and metabolism is the riboflavin vitamin B2. This vitamin is found most commonly in dairy products such as hard cheese, eggs, milk as well as leafy green vegatables, kidneys, liver and almonds
The B3 vitamin is Niacin. This is important for controlling the thyroid function as well as our glucose toleration. Each time our body’s blood sugar rises, we need a supply of vitamin B3. There are many food sources of this important vitamin such as wheat flakes and oats, tuna, turkey, chicken, meat eggs, fish, brown rice and dried fruit.
Important for maintaining our energy levels and for helping with the function of our adrenal gland is vitamin B5, which also aids in the body’s use of fat. We find vitamin B5 in wheat germ, wheat bran, and wheat flakes. Also, green vegetables, beans, molasses, eggs, barley and oats provide us with a good source of this essential vitamin.
B6 vitamins include Choline and Inositol is important in thyroid function and metabolism. Choline is also needed for fat metabolism. Foods you can find these important vitamins are, poultry, beef, fish, eggs, and dried fruits. Choline can be found in beef organs, egg yolks, wheat germ, and peanuts. Inositol can be found in citrus fruits, whole grains, eggs and nuts.
The best known vitamin to most people is vitamin C, found in many fruits such as oranges, lemons, blackcurrants and strawberries. Many people however are unaware that it is also found in green vegetables such as brussel sprouts, cabbage and broccoli. One of the key benefits of vitamin C in relation to weight control is its ability to turn glucose into energy.
So, in summary, if you eat a diet rich in the 5 vitamins I have covered, B2, B3, B5, B6 and vitamin C, you will be going a long way to providing your body with the right foods to help keep your weight under control.
Eating natural foods is always going to be the best option in getting valuable, weight controlling, vitamins into our body. However, with busy lifestyles this is not always going to be possible. If there are certain foods you do not like please make sure that you top up your diet by taking a good quality vitamin supplement.