Honey, cinnamon and lemon have all been found to have benefits, some of which involve aiding in weight loss. Learn about the ways in which they can promote weight loss, as well as alternative ways to shed pounds.
Lemon and Honey
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In a small May 2016 study with a sample size of 50, published in the Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, subjects received 300 milliliters of lemon honey juice, four times a day for four successive days.
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Researchers found that lemon honey juice fasting (LHJF) may be useful for the reduction of body weight in healthy individuals, though the study points out that there is a lack of evidence on short-term effects of LHJF. In any case, fasting is not recommended as a weight loss option no matter the situation. Whether lemon honey juice paired with a healthy diet will aid in weight loss, has not yet been determined.
Despite the fact that there's scant evidence lemon leads to weight loss, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests a couple lemon-infused alternatives to highly caloric drinks. For example, instead of drinking sweetened lemon iced tea (16 ounces), which has 180 calories, you can have sparkling water with natural lemon flavor, which contains zero calories.
Read more: Lemon Juice and Hot Water for Weight Loss
Cinnamon and Honey
Since the beginning of its use in 2800 BC, cinnamon has proven beneficial in a variety of ways. A June 2015 paper in Pharmacognosy Research explores the many purposes and benefits of cinnamon. The age-old spice has been found to enhance cognition, fight microbes, decrease inflammation and help the heart.
Cinnamon can be consumed in several ways: sprinkled on fruit, mixed in with smoothies or infused in water. Will cinnamon dissolve in boiling water? Chances are, you'll have to use a strainer to fully remove the cinnamon from water. Moreover, cinnamon has been found to have a lipid-lowering effect, which can potentially protect an individual from cardiovascular disease.
A small October 2014 study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that honey can activate hormones that suppress your appetite. In the double-blind study, appetite hormones were evaluated in 14 women who were given either honey or sucrose-containing breakfasts.
Alterations in meal-induced hormone responses may be responsible for the "obesity protective" component of honey. Further research is required to discover whether these findings hold true for all individuals with obesity, for males and and those who consume honey habitually.
Read more: The Hot Water, Honey and Cinnamon Diet
How to Lose Weight
There are a number of healthy ways you can lose weight without having to rely on a cinnamon and honey or cinnamon and lemon concoction. These ways include:
- Setting the right goals: NIH National Heart Lung and Blood Institute explains that weight loss goals should be specific, attainable and forgiving (in other words, they don't have to be perfect).
- NIH also recommends implementing a reward system, in which the rewards for weight loss goals can either be material or an act of self-kindness.
- Moreover, it helps to change cues that encourage overeating, says NIH. For instance, if you always overeat with a certain friend, you might want to plan to meet that friend in a nonfood setting.
- Better Health Channel of Victoria, Australia, suggests avoiding "yo-yo" diets in which you crash diet and then quickly regain any weight lost.
- Better Health Channel also recommends increasing your fruit and vegetable intake for weight loss, as well as cutting down on saturated fats and alcohol and replacing sugary drinks with water.
- Exercising on a regular basis is yet another way to shed pounds and stay healthy.
- Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine: "Does Short-Term Lemon Honey Juice Fasting Have Effect on Lipid Profile and Body Composition in Healthy Individuals?"
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: "Rethink Your Drink"
- Pharmacognosy Research: "Cinnamon: Mystic Powers of a Minute Ingredient"
- Journal of the American College of Nutrition: "Effect of Honey Versus Sucrose on Appetite, Appetite-Regulating Hormones, and Postmeal Thermogenesis"
- NIH: National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute: "Guide to Behavior Change"
- Better Health Channel: "Weight Loss: A Healthy Approach"