It seems that every time we pick up a newspaper or turn on the TV we hear reports of how obesity is turning out to be one of the greatest problems to face the western world.
Carrying too much extra weight inevitably places an extra strain on our health and so many different ways whether it be from an increased risk of diabetes or a raising of blood pressure.
Green Vitamins
People have for years searched the drugstore shelves for that magic pill that will help us lose weight, reduce our appetite and provide a much needed energy boost. Products such as Carb blockers and Hoodia receive massive advertising exposure with the promise of a quick fix for our weight problems.
Our own body's metabolism plays a very significant part in the number of calories we burn, our appetite and the amount of weight we are able to lose. Those over the counter solutions are tried by many people, however many do carry unpleasant side effects such as an increased heart rate, sleeplessness and increased irritability. Over time, your body will become used to the drugs and their effect will reduce.
In increasing number of people are now looking to vitamins as a safer and more effective solution to their weight problem.
The proper vitamins can aid weight loss and control. Our body will work better when we are healthy and being sure we are getting the proper nutrients plays a huge part of our health. It is very difficult to pick out the "perfect" vitamins to use for weight control or weight loss. However, there are a few that are well worth considering because of their use in controlling appetite, metabolism of fats and sugar, and calorie burning.
Without doubt, two of the most important vitamins you should take for weight control are vitamin B and vitamin C. In addition to being beneficial for all over health, they both play a major role in assisting weight control
The riboflavin vitamin B2 plays an important part in the function of the thyroid and body metabolism. Vitamin B2 can be found in milk products, leafy green vegetables, liver and kidneys, hard cheese, eggs and almonds.
Important for controlling the thyroid function and the body's glucose toleration is the B3 vitamin Niacin. This is particularly important each time our blood sugar levels rise. Foods rich in vitamin B3 include turkey, chicken, meat, fish, oats, wheat flakes, eggs, dried fruit and brown rice.
Vitamin B5 is another of the B vitamins that helps the body control the use of fat. It also helps the adrenal gland and has positive benefits in raising energy levels. Good sources of vitamin B5 are barley, oats, green vegetables, eggs, molasses, beans, wheat flakes, wheat bran and wheat germ.
B6 vitamins are important for the body's metabolism and thyroid function, these vitamins include Inositol and Choline. Choline is particularly important in the metabolism of fat. Choline is found in peanuts, beef organs, wheat germ and egg yolks. Inositol can be found in nuts, eggs, whole grains and citrus fruits whilst good sources of vitamin B6 are dried fruits, fish, eggs, beef and poultry.
Vitamin C provides many health benefits including converting glucose to energy. You can find this important vitamin in lemons, oranges, strawberries, black currants, and vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cabbage.
If, you make sure that you eat, as part of a balanced diet, as many of the foods I have discussed as possible, you will be significantly increasing your body's ability to keep your weight under control. As always, moderation is the keyword and it is far better to eat a variety of these vitamin rich foods rather than to focus on just a few.
The best way to get valuable, weight controlling, vitamins into your body will always be through eating a healthy balanced diet. These days however, as a result of our hectic lifestyles this is not always going to be possible. If you do fall into this category, please make sure that you make up your quota of the 5 vitamins by taking a good quality vitamin supplement.