We belong to the millennial generation. We don’t really believe in hard work, instead, we believe in working smart and enjoying the profits attained from it. And this mantra applies to all aspects of life that we indulge in including our health. It’s true that over the past few years, it generation has become more aware of their bodies and are constantly working on living a healthy lifestyle. This gave rise to the fads like plant-based diet, intermittent fasting, etc. Time and again we keep proving to ourselves and to the world that there can be no such magic pill to lose weight. And yet, every now and then we can see many ‘quick fixes’ popping up. Detox teas are one such example. There have weight loss aids since times immemorial. And we as consumers always try at least a handful of them with a secret urge to lose weight a little sooner than we can. There’s one such new entry in the world of weight loss aids—Garcinia Cambogia. It is a fruit, yes, a fruit! And this fruit has been found to aid weight loss in whichever form you consume it—raw, cooked, or even as a supplement. It is also considered to be a very nutritious fruit apart from just helping in weight loss. Let’s read through and understand how Garcinia Cambogia helps in losing weight so efficiently.
What Is Garcinia Cambogia?
This fruit is a Southeast Asian fruit and is also popularly known as the Malabar tamarind. It is grown in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, and other parts of Africa. Technically, this fruit has a new name called Garcinia gummi-gutta. Other local names of this fruit include Malabar tamarind, brindle berry, kokum butter oil tree, pot tamarind, red mango, and gambooge. The fruit looks like a pumpkin that is multilobed, and it is in either green, red, or yellow. The size of this fruit is that of a tomato, in some regions it also grows up to the size of a grapefruit. The flesh of this fruit is sour and will certainly pucker up your lips. This fruit has been used in making pickles and condiments. It is often sun-dried, smoked and then used in making curried to give it a nice smoky flavor. The garcinia cambogia extract poses plenty of health benefits. People have been using it to treat cancer, diabetes, diarrhea, constipation, and ulcers. The biggest of its health benefit claims has got to do with the garcinia cambogia’s extract supplements’ effects on losing weight rapidly and boost one’s exercise endurance. Let’s understand this more.
How Does Garcinia Cambogia Help One Lose Weight?
It was in the 90s that garcinia cambogia came into limelight after scientists discovered its weight loss benefits by conducting tests on laboratory animals. However, whether it could establish this claim on humans was yet to be understood. The scientists concluded that it was the fruit’s peels that were the most beneficial. All of the garcinia cambogia supplements are made by using the peels of garcinia cambogia. Why the peels? Because the peels of garcinia cambogia contain huge amounts of HCA (hydroxy citric acid), this substance is what gives garcinia cambogia its weight loss properties. Many high-quality tests were conducted on humans as well. And a majority of the humans indicated that the supplement of garcinia cambogia indeed helped them lose a small amount of weight. On average, studies show how Garcinia Cambogia can help one lose about 2 pounds which is 0.88kg which is more than a placebo and this result is achieved over a period of 2-12 weeks. But many large studies don’t really show any solid proof about the weight loss advantages achieved by using garcinia cambogia. Here’s how it aids weight loss:
- It May Reduce Appetite
Several studies show how those who take garcinia cambogia supplements tend to eat lesser than others who more prone to overeating. Some studies talk about how consuming garcinia cambogia makes you feel very full and it suppresses the appetite. Although the mechanism behind this isn’t fully known to mankind, many believe that it still works.
- It Blocks The Production Of Enzyme Citrate Lyase
The enzyme called citrate lyase is responsible for catalyzing the conversion of sugar and starch into fat. The HCA that is present in abundance in garcinia cambogia blocks this enzyme. In fact, the HCA binds itself with the enzyme, thereby stopping the enzyme from performing its function. This allows the carbs to play the role of energy producer for the bodily functions to take place on a normal note. Therefore, one could conclude that garcinia cambogia does help in losing weight.
- It Increases The Levels Of Serotonin
The HCA present in the garcinia cambogia sends signals to the brain to suppress the appetite via hydroxytryptophan-5 which is known to be the precursor to serotonin hormone. This increases the levels of serotonin in the body. The rise in serotonin levels increases the level of satisfaction one feels after consuming food. This helps in eating less and still feeling full.
- It Increases The Metabolism Of Fat
Studies have also found out that garcinia cambogia helps speed up fat metabolism. Therefore, if you consume garcinia cambogia, it will do two things, inhibit and metabolize accumulated fat in the body. these properties indicate that garcinia cambogia will indeed help in losing weight.
Other Health Benefits Of Using Garcinia Cambogia
Several test-tube studies and animal testing studies show that garcinia cambogia may also have anti-diabetes properties in it, including:
- Reducing inflammation
- Lowering insulin levels
- Lowering leptin levels
- Empowering insulin sensitivity
- Improving control over blood sugar levels
- Boosting the digestive system
- Protection against stomach ulcers
- Improves metabolism of glucose
- Increases the stamina in women
- Reduces joint pains
- Treats worms and parasites
- Helps fight lung, breast, gastric, and mouth cancer
- Increases RBC count in the blood
Side Effects Of Using Garcinia Cambogia
Most of the studies say that it is safe to use garcinia cambogia in healthy people with a dosage of not more than 2,800 mg of HCA per day. This being said, one of the important points to note down here is that the supplements made out of garcinia cambogia haven’t been approved by the FDA. This simply translates to doubts over the accuracy of HCA present in the supplement. We don’t if the label numbers match the actual product inside. Therefore, it is best advised to research the manufacturer of the garcinia cambogia supplement before buying and consuming it. Some people have had mild side effects after using garcinia cambogia. Some of them are:
- Headaches
- Skin rashes
- Digestive issues
- Nausea
- Degrade in muscle mass
- Diarrhea
- Dryness in mouth
Precautions While Taking Garcinia Cambogia
If a woman is pregnant or is breastfeeding, it is best to avoid using garcinia cambogia in these stages. We’re saying so because there isn’t any complete studies that is government approved yet.
Never overdose on garcinia cambogia’s consumption. Losing weight requires patience. Overdosing can prove to be fatal. If you are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or from dementia, you should not be consuming garcinia cambogia.
Remember dear readers that there can never be a magic pill to lose weight instantly. Being patient and consistent is the key.
