Food cravings are an awful thing. It almost seems like you’re powerless to stop them. No matter how many calories you skip, or how many brownies you ate in secret, you still find yourself thinking about how good that cookie would taste right now.
But you’re not powerless. The only way to permanently beat a craving is to limit your intake of the things that trigger it in the first place. The first is self-control. No one ever lost 100 pounds by thinking about cookies. If willpower had that power, we’d all already be thin. But it turns out that willpower is far from perfect. It takes energy, and if you deplete your supply of willpower by overindulging in food, you won’t have any left to resist temptation.
So, if you have an uncontrollable appetite, the only way you can get it under control is to eat less. But learning to stop eating is hard work. That difficulty is one reason appetite suppressants are popular. They give you a way to change a small part of the way that your body works, without forcing you to do the hard work of learning to stop eating. Here are some of the best appetite suppressants available anywhere.
- Bitter melon
Bitter melon is high in fiber, which slows down digestion, curbing cravings. It also contains a chemical called polypeptide-p, which activates your satiety hormones, helping you feel full faster.
- Cinnamon
Cinnamon contains a chemical called cinnamaldehyde, which stimulates the brain’s “feel full” signals. Add it to oatmeal, or sprinkle it on fruit or cottage cheese.
- Green Tea
Green tea contains antioxidants, which boost your metabolism and burn fat. It also contains caffeine, which increases your heart rate and burns more calories faster.
- Ginger
Ginger contains gingerol, which activates your satiety hormones, helping you feel full faster. Add it to a stir-fry or add it to a smoothie.
- Parsley
Parsley contains caffeic acid, which increases your body’s release of a satiety hormone called GLP-1.
