Apart from ample leisure time to wind up all the series on Netflix, if there's anything else this pandemic has bestowed us with, then it's a few sidekick support bags in the form of fats.
You're probably reading this because you've gained some weight during this lockdown.
It's been a few days since you probably hit the gym last or even went for a stroll. And that little movement doesn't seem to be making a difference.
Diet plays a pivotal role in weight loss. Experts say, "The role of diet in weight loss is 60%. And the remaining 40% is the workout."
To increase the impact of dieting and trigger weight loss sooner, some people even use weight loss pills. Some of these weight loss pills work great but come with additional side effects.
Why spend hundreds of rupees buying side effects when mother nature has solutions to all your grievances?
Ever heard the name Ashwagandha? Ashwagandha, a powerful Ayurvedic herb, could be your magic potion for all your weight loss woes.
So, do we use Ashwagandha for weight loss? Does is Ashwagandha for weight loss even effective? Read on to find out everything that there's to know about Ashwagandha for weight loss.
What is Ashwagandha?
Ashwagandha is a popular Ayurvedic plant native to India, the Middle East, and certain parts of Africa. It is also known as Indian ginseng or winter cherry. Ashwagandha is an age-old medicinal herb used not only in Ayurveda and Homoeopathy but also in African medicine, Unani medicine, and Siddha medicine.
Ashwagandha is famous for curing countless health issues like anxiety and stress, depression, arthritis, insomnia, neurodegenerative disorders, etc. Recently, many studies have emerged, showing the effectiveness of Ashwagandha in weight loss.
Can We use Ashwagandha for Weight Loss?
Yes, Ashwagandha extracts are effective for weight loss. Ashwagandha is known to be full of antioxidants that help in the weight loss process. Ashwagandha also boosts your immune system and helps redirect your energy to the entire fat-burning/weight loss process. Try natural ways to loose weight, if ashwagandha doesn't suite you.
So, how exactly does Ashwagandha for weight loss work? Read on to find out the benefits of Ashwagandha for weight loss, which will help address this question in detail.
Also Read: 5 Best Exercises for Weight Loss
What are Ashwagandha Benefits for Weight Loss?
Before we start explaining how Ashwagandha helps with weight loss, do note that Ashwagandha has no direct action on weight loss. However, it aids in weight loss by solving the root causes that prevent you from losing weight. Here are some of the significant benefits of Ashwagandha for weight loss, the top efficient ways Ashwagandha aids in weight loss.
1. Ashwagandha Boosts Body's Immunity which Helps with Weight Loss
Body immunity correlates with the rate of infections. But how does your body's immunity impact your weight loss process? If you have weak immunity, you are directing a significant part of your body's energy in protecting itself from infections. There's not much energy left to expedite the fat-burning process.
This is when Ashwagandha plays its role. Ashwagandha does the job of boosting your body's immunity and helps redirect your body's energy back in the process of weight loss. To maintain your immunity simultaneously with ashwagndha, click on to see these 8 food items for immunity.
2. Ashwagandha Enhances Body’s Metabolism which Expedites the Weight Loss Process
Ashwagandha is rich in antioxidants which play a pivotal role in decreasing inflammation and triggering body metabolism. This results in the burning of body fats and resulting in your weight loss.
3. Ashwagandha is a Stress Buster and Less Stress Equals Faster Weight Loss
One common factor of weight gain is stress, leading to high cortisol levels. Cortisols are responsible for increasing hunger, and you start binge-eating. Sounds familiar, right?
Ashwagandha relieves you from stress and helps reduce your cortisol levels. This indirectly helps with your weight loss but curbing your increased appetite.
4. Ashwagandha Improves Sleep Quality & Treats Insomnia that can Lead to Weight Loss
Increased stress attributes to insomnia or an improper sleep cycle. Ashwagandha helps enhance sleep quality resulting in decreased anxiety and reduced cortisol levels. This, in turn, helps to lose weight. Also, not getting enough qualitative sleep can cause hormonal imbalance and increase stress— both of these result in weight gain.
5. Ashwagandha is an Energy Booster Helping During Workouts
There are many factors in Ashwagandha which make it an effective energy booster. It is rich in iron, which improves blood circulation. It impacts the hormones secreted by the adrenal gland and helps reduce cortisol levels, which is vital for a healthy nervous system. Ultimately, Ashwagandha acts as an energy booster providing enough energy during your workouts for weight loss.
6. Ashwagandha Helps Patients Having Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a condition that decreases the synthesis of thyroid hormones. These thyroid hormones directly influence our BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). Low thyroid hormone implies lower BMR, which indicates more weight gain. Studies have shown that supplementing 600 mg of Ashwagandha to such patients daily for eight weeks improved their thyroid hormones' blood levels and even solved for weight gain.
How to Use Ashwagandha for Weight Loss?
Ashwagandha has a very typical smell and an astringent taste, which makes it difficult to consume raw. So people have it with milk, water, or ghee to enhance its taste. Also, adding other ingredients tends to increase its nutritional value.
In the market, Ashwagandha is available as capsules, tablets, powders, and liquid extracts. But you also use Ashwagandha leaves for weight loss. Find out how.
How to Use Ashwagandha Leaves for Weight Loss?
- Here's how you can use Ashwagandha leaves for weight loss easily at home.
- Pluck a bunch of Ashwagandha leaves from the Ashwagandha plant
- Clean these leaves properly with water to remove all the dirt
- Now arrange Ashwagandha leaves on a tray and let them dry under the sun (keep it under the sun for the next 3-4 days until dry)
- Once these leaves have completely dried, grind them to obtain a finely powdered mixture
- Have 1/2 tsp of this freshly-powdered Ashwagandha leaves with a cup of warm water or milk, twice every day
- You may add honey to the powdered Ashwagandha leaves for weight loss, for an improved taste
- You can also add cardamom powder to this as it helps increase metabolism and digestion, which help boost weight loss
How to use Ashwagandha Powder for Weight Loss?
Here are the various ways you can use Ashwagandha powder (Churna) for weight loss.
1. Take Ashwagandha Powder with Water for Weight Loss
- Add one tsp of Ashwagandha powder to a glass of hot water
- Let this sit for the next 10 minutes so that the beneficial nutrients are released into the water
- Stir the mixture and have it
- Take this 1-2 times every day to see effective results of Ashwagandha powder for weight loss
2. Take Ashwagandha Powder with Milk for Weight Loss
- Take a glass of milk in a saucepan, add cinnamon and cardamom to it
- Then bring this to a boil and add one tsp of Ashwagandha powder, a pinch of nutmeg powder and let it boil for a few minutes
- Cinnamon and cardamom are used as taste enhancers and even helps improve digestion and metabolism
- Have this recipe of Ashwagandha powder with milk twice everyday, after meals, to help with weight loss. This is one of the effective Ashwagandha powder benefits for weight loss
3. Take Ashwagandha powder for Weight Loss with Pure Ghee
- Take 2-3 tsp of Ashwagandha powder and half a cup of water in a saucepan
- Heat it on a medium flame till the mixture reduces to a quarter
- Let it cool at room temperature and filter it using a cotton cloth
- Take this filtered water in a pan and add pure, organic ghee to it
- Heat this on medium flame till all the water evaporates.
- Store this ghee having Aswagandha powder for weight loss. Have it with your meals
The above recipes are some of the best ways and benefits of Ashwagandha powder for weight loss.
How to Take Ashwagandha Tablets for Weight Loss?
- Take 1-2 Ashwagandha tablets and swallow them with water
- Take this twice every day, after meals or as recommended by your doctor
- Also, confirm with a doctor on the dosage to see effective results
This is how you can take Ashwagandha tablets for weight loss. However, it's advisable to take Ashwagandha powder or Ashwagandha leaves for weight loss. This is because they are more effective in helping you to lose weight sooner than later.
Reminder...
The tips and suggestions in this article on Ashwagandha for weight loss are general information and should not be considered an alternative for professional medical advice. Always consult with a doctor, dietician, or proper medical expert before making any changes to your regular diet or fitness regime.
FAQs
Can Ashwagandha be used as a Weight Gain Supplement?
Although Ashwagandha is widely used as a weight-loss supplement, some studies claim that Ashwagandha can also be used as a weight-gain supplement as it helps to increase muscle mass, burn body fat and increase strength in men.
Can I use Ashwagandha and Shatavari for Weight Loss?
The flavonoids in Shatavari extracts can help your body to burn fat faster. Whereas, Ashwagandha has antioxidants and compounds that help resolve various factors that prevent you from losing weight. So, yes, you can use Ashwagandha and Shatavari for weight loss. Mix 1/2 tsp Ashwagandha powder with 1/4-1/2 tsp of Shatavari powder and add milk to it. Take this mixture twice every day after meals or as recommended by the doctor.
How to Use Ashwagandha Root Powder for Weight Loss?
- Take 1/2-1 tsp of Ashwagandha root powder
- Mix this with a cup of warm water or warm milk
- You can even add 1 tsp of organic honey or jaggery to enhance the taste
- Have this recipe of Ashwagandha root powder for weight loss, twice every day, regularly, or as recommended by the doctor
Sources
- Dnyanraj Choudhary, Sauvik Bhattacharyya, and Kedar Joshi; Body Weight Management in Adults Under Chronic Stress Through Treatment With Ashwagandha Root Extract - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5871210/
- Sachin Wankhede, Deepak Langade, Kedar Joshi, Shymal R Sinha, Sauvik Bhattacharyya, November 2015; Examining the effect of Withania somnifera supplementation on muscle strength and recovery: a randomized controlled trial - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26609282/
