Herbs have been used for centuries to facilitate weight loss. The issue is that some herbs used for weight loss are better for you than others.

Herbal Laxatives - Usually sold as a diet tea, cascara, senna, buckthorn, aloe and rhubarb root. These herbs cause diarrhea and cramping and over the long term can cause your intestinal muscles to lose their ability to move food through the colon on their own.

Ephedra - Also known as ma huang or Herbal Phen Phen this drug causes an overstimulation of the central nervous system, an increase in blood pressure and an elevated heart rate.

Green Tea is not only a powerful anti-oxidant but a fat-burner as well. According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (January 2005), consuming green tea rich in catechins leads to a lowering of both body fat and cholesterol.

Chromium is a trace mineral found in whole grains, potatoes, prunes, nuts and brewer’s yeast. It seems to help the body use insulin more effeciently so that normal blood sugar levels are maintained. Chromium also helps the body break down protein and fat.

Green tea, cayenne, cinnamon, and guarana have long been known as thermogenic herbs, making your metabolic rate boost slightly, while bladderwrack and hawthorn berry boosts adrenal glands and improves thyroid function.

Usually herbs are used for losing weight because they:

•make your digestion and metabolism efficient

•help the body in burning more calories

•decrease your appetite

•make the body excrete water

•help in overcoming emotional problems due to eating

Citrus Aurantium

This is a commonly used Chinese herb which can convert stored fat into energy, thus, increasing the chances of a person to loss weight.

Guarana is an effective stimulant of the central nervous system and used as a weight loss product due to its diuretic effects. Guar Gum is a dietary fiber that is obtained from the Indian cluster bean.

There is almost never any side effects related to the use of natural, herbal remedies. When it comes to natural remedies, for weight loss, it is even more important to take the natural route, as most of the diet pills out there today may expose one to adhere health risks.

One of the best herbal supplements to use to help fight weight gain and lose pounds is ginseng. One of the most prized substances in ancient China (so prized, in fact, that it was usually reserved for royal use only), ginseng is highly effective at helping with weight loss because it increases the efficiency with which the body absorbs oxygen into and then cellularly from the blood, thereby increasing the efficiency of blood flow and leading to higher energy levels and the toning of the muscles. Higher energy levels and better muscle tone both increase the body's metabolic rate, which is the key to weight loss.

Ginger - Ginger aids blood circulation and makes your body to use more energy. This in turn will activate your body to burn more calories.

Cayenne Pepper - Cayenne pepper can speed up your metabolism to help burn fat quickly. Enough Cayenne pepper in your food makes you drink lots of water thereby reducing your appetite and the urge to overeat.