The 11 Best Plants for Losing Weight

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To get the most out of these plants for weight loss you should combine their diuretic effects with a detox to eliminate fluid retention and burn more fat.

Written by Yamila Papa Pintor

Last update: 28 April, 2023

As we always say on Step To Health, in order to lose weight, you need to follow a comprehensive plan that includes a healthy and balanced diet, getting physical exercise several times a week, drinking plenty of water, and having healthy habits. However, you can also take advantage of certain plants for losing weight.

In today’s article, find out what the 11 best plants for losing weight are.

The 11 best plants for losing weight

You can divide plants into two weight-loss groups:

Diuretics: These eliminate any retained fluids and increase your urine production.
Detox: These increase your body’s overall metabolism and ability to burn fat.

If you’re following a comprehensive weight loss plan, these plants will help you achieve your desired results in less time.

Diuretic and cleansing plants for losing weight

Among the plants that are both diuretic and cleansing, we find:

Horsetail

You can find this plant in herbal or natural stores. Here’s how to take advantage of it:

Ingredients

100 g of dried horsetail grass
1 liter of water

Preparation

Boil the water and add the horsetail, let it simmer for 30 minutes.
Then, remove from heat and allow to cool while covered.
Strain the liquid, pour it into a bottle or another container with a tight lid, and store it in the fridge.
Drink 2 tablespoons (15 ml) of this liquid mixed with a cup of water (200 ml) every day.
Don’t store this tea for more than two weeks.

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Dandelion

Dandelion is great for the body because, in addition to helping you lose weight, it also reduces cholesterol levels. To take advantage of the benefits of dandelion, try making tea.

Ingredients

1 handful of dried dandelion leaves and roots
1.5 liters of water

Preparation

Boil the water, add the dandelion, and let simmer for 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow it to cool slightly.
Then, strain the liquid and add a little honey to sweeten it.
Drink a cup of this tea prior to every meal.

Nettle

There are numerous misconceptions about this plant. In fact, it has plenty of beneficial properties that will help you lose weight.
Ingredients

2 tablespoons of dried nettle leaves (30 g)
1 liter of water

Preparation

Boil the nettle in water for 10 minutes. Let it steep, then filter the liquid and drink up to three cups a day (before each meal).

Birch

Bark from the birch tree is widely used thanks to its health benefits.

Ingredients

50 g of birch bark
1 liter of water

Preparation

Boil the bark for five minutes.
Then, remove it from the heat and allow it to steep for another five minutes.
Strain the liquid into a jar or bottle for storage.

Drink up to six tablespoons of this infusion a day, either diluted with water or natural juices.

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Chicory root

Chicory is sometimes added to salads as you would lettuce.

Its flavor is slightly bitter but very rich, and you can harness its ability to help you lose weight by making chicory tea from the roots.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons of dried chicory root (30 g)
1 liter of water

Preparation

Mash the roots and boil them for 15 minutes.
Remove from heat and let steep for 15 additional minutes.
Then, strain the liquid and drink up to two cups a day.

Yerba mate

This tea is consumed widely throughout South America, in countries like Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, and Paraguay, and is known for its diuretic properties. That’s what makes it one of the best plants for losing weight.

In addition to making yerba mate the traditional way, some people prepare a simple tea using the yerba.

Ingredients

1 handful of yerba mate
1 cup of boiling water (200 ml)

Preparation

Prepare your tea as you would with any other herb.
Let it steep for a few minutes before filtering and drinking.

Some stores sell tea bags labeled “mate,” which can also be a part of your weight loss regimen.

Thistle

Just like with nettle, not everyone is aware of the benefits of this wild plant that can be found in just about any field or side of the road. It’s also sold in health food shops and herbal stores.

To take advantage of its excellent properties, make a tea.
Ingredients

50 grams of dried thistle root
1 liter of water

Preparation

Heat the water to a boil, add the root, and let simmer for 15 minutes.
Drink up to three cups a day, before each meal.

Fucus algae

high content of iodine and other mineral salts like:

Potassium
Bromine
Magnesium
Calcium
Iron

It’s often used to fight obesity because iodine stimulates the thyroid gland, which increases your body’s metabolism. That’s what makes it one of the best plants for losing weight.

Fucus is a powerful diuretic plant with laxative properties, which also suppresses the appetite and helps reduce the urge to eat. You can find it in extract form, in powder, or in capsules.

Tea is undoubtedly the best way to consume it.

Ingredients

15 grams of fucus algae
1 liter of water

Preparation

Boil the algae for six minutes.
Then, remove from heat and let cool slightly.
Drink up to three cups of the liquid each day.

Corn silk

Corn silk is made up of the fine threadlike hairs found on an ear of corn. It’s a potent diuretic and detox agent. Take advantage of its many benefits by making tea.

Ingredients

20 grams of cornsilk
1 liter of water

Preparation

Heat the water to boiling, add the corn silk for 10 minutes, and remove from heat.
Allow it to steep for a few minutes before straining the liquid.
Drink up to three cups per day.

You can drink the first cup on an empty stomach, the second before lunch, and the third before dinner.

Artichokes

Not only do artichokes make a great addition to a number of recipes, you can also take advantage of them through tea to benefit from their diuretic properties.

Ingredients

1 artichoke heart
1 liter of water

Preparation

Chop the artichoke heart and simmer it in boiling water for about five minutes.
Let the tea steep for four minutes before straining the liquid.
Drink this tea with a little honey or stevia to sweeten it.

It’s not a good idea to drink more than three cups per day (morning, noon, and night).

Red tea

This tea is ideal for weight loss. It’s only second to green tea when it comes to a dietary complement, thanks to its diuretic properties.

You can drink up to four cups of red tea a day. It’s available in bag or dried tea form in health foods stores, and you can prepare it just as you would any other tea.

What do you think about these plants for losing weight? Do you already consume any of them?

All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.

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