Everyone’s looking for that magic “pill” to lose weight, but choosing diet supplements can be confusing–and frustrating! One of the first things I look for is whether a supplement is natural. I’d much rather take something that comes from a plant or food than some artificial product created in a lab.
Here are some of the most popular supplement picks for dieters, along with a quick rundown of their benefits:
Raspberry ketones –Raspberries have gotten lots of positive press because of their reported slimming properties, but eating bowls of them every day can be expensive. Choose a stimulant-free raspberry ketone supplement that provides the benefits of raspberries without having to eat a large amount of the actual fruit.
Green coffee bean extract –Green coffee beans are raw, unroasted seeds obtained from berries that grow on the coffee plant. Unlike roasted beans, which lose some of their natural beneficial compounds when heated, green coffee beans are rich in phytochemicals, including several different naturally occurring acids. The most abundant type is chlorogenic acid, also found in lesser amounts in black tea and some fruits and vegetables. Vitacost Green Coffee Bean Extract is a 100% vegetarian supplement, available in 200 mg or 400 mg servings.
African mango — African mango is a fruit similar to a mango, with a juicy flesh and a large inner seed, which grows in tropical regions of Africa and Southeast Asia. The active compounds are derived from the fruit seed. Vitacost African Mango Extract is a high-quality extract from the seeds of the mango-like fruit that grows on the tropical Irvingia gabonensis tree. It’s different from other products on the market because it features a patented, proprietary extract, which is currently the only African mango extract that’s been officially tested in clinical trials.
White kidney bean — Vitacost also makes an all-natural, stimulant-free supplement called Carb Blocker, which features an extract of white kidney beans and a unique ingredient known as Phase 2 Starch Neutralizer. It’s the first carbohydrate blocker clinically proven in multiple studies to delay the digestion and absorption of carbs. It works by helping carbohydrates maintain their full length, causing better utilization of carbohydrates for immediate energy. When carbs are used for immediate energy needs, the body will store less for later use.