Vitamins to Aid in Weight Loss

Sometimes it feels like everybody is on a diet. Many people are unhappy with their weight and want to find the miracle cure to fix it. While there is no miracle cure, there are some simple steps like adding some vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to our diet to help improve our weight and health. Consult your doctor before adding any new supplements to your diet.

The B-complex Vitamins

• If you had to choose one set of vitamins to help you lose weight, B-complex vitamins would be your best choice. These vitamins work together to regulate aspects of your metabolism, hunger, appetite and hormones. If you suspect a deficiency in any one of these, begin taking a B-complex vitamin or eating foods high in B-complex vitamins right away.

  Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) helps your thyroid and metabolism function and can be found in almonds, milk and leafy green vegetables.

  Vitamin B3 (niacin) is essential for thyroid hormone production and how much glucose you can tolerate. It can be found in turkey, chicken, salmon, cheese and brown rice.

  Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) helps with fat and energy utilization and is present in poultry, nuts, beans, whole grain bread and green vegetables.

  A diet rich in wheat germ, eggs and lecithin will help you to fulfill your need for vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), choline, and inositol, which help with thyroid function and fat metabolism. It is recommended that you eat these foods instead of relying solely on a multivitamin, especially since many of these foods are featured in a healthy weight loss diet.

Other Vitamins and Minerals

• While the B-complex vitamins may be the most integral vitamins in weight loss, there are others that should be included to ensure you reach your full weight loss potential. Vitamin C helps to properly convert glucose into energy and it is found in kiwis, lemons, oranges, strawberries and green peppers.

  The mineral chromium has been linked to building muscle mass and reducing fat and can be found in salmon, beets, spinach, sesame seeds and chickpeas.

  Zinc in combination with vitamins A and E can help to control appetite and manufacture thyroid hormones. Some carrots and sunflower seeds can take care of your need for all three of those nutrients.

  Since thyroid production is so integral to your metabolism and weight loss, ensuring that you are getting enough iodine from kelp, iodized salt and iodized milk, is also quite important. Add these foods to your weight loss diet as well to ensure you are eating proper nutrition for losing weight.

Herbs and Supplements

• There are a few herbs that can help you in your quest to lose weight as well. Fiber is extremely important in a diet and the herb psyillium can help to increase how full you feel and to improve your bowel movements. Essential fatty acids can prevent large accumulations of fat in the body and they can be found in flaxseed oil supplements. Coenzyme Q10, a vitamin-like substance that can be taken in supplement form helps the body to produce energy and may have weight-loss properties as well. A tropical fruit garcinia cambogia contains hydroxycitric acid (HCA) which helps your body to use more carbohydrates instead of converting them into fat. Add a few of these herbs in to help your vitamins and your diet plan to work more effectively.