Plus: 4 Amazing Nutrients to Promote Healthy Weight Loss 

You can’t turn on the TV these days or surf the internet without seeing ads and articles praising Type-2 diabetes drug, Ozempic, as a “miracle” weight loss aid. 

And the truth is that this relatively new class of semaglutides does seem to work fairly well in promoting weight loss, especially for those who are obese (generally defined as someone with a body mass index above 30).  

After all, even though ads for Ozempic specifically say that it is not approved for weight loss, they do happen to mention (several times) that adults taking Ozempic lost up to 14 pounds. 

So, if you are thinking about asking your doctor about giving Ozempic a try, here a few things you should consider: 

1. Ozempic can be very expensive. If you need to pay for it out-of-pocket without insurance coverage, Ozempic could cost you up to $15,000 per year. 
2. Common Side Effects – Like most drugs, Ozempic comes with a lengthy list of annoying side effects including headaches, nausea, constipation and diarrhea. For some, these side effects seem to dissipate over time, while for others they do not. 
3. This is a long-term commitment – Studies clearly indicate that those who use Ozempic and lose weight and then stop taking it quickly regain most, if not all, of the lost weight. 
4. There are no long-term safety studies for Ozempic – Ozempic has been in widespread use for only a few years so there hasn’t been time for any long-term safety studies to be completed. The last time there was this much hype for a weight loss drug was for fen-phen which was approved by the FDA in 1996 and then pulled from the market less than 2 years later when users started to exhibit severe cardiovascular problems in significant numbers. 

In consultation with your doctor, I always encourage you to try natural nutritional supplements first, because I think for most of us they are the best way to achieve healthy, sustainable results. 

Keep reading to learn about my top four recommended weight loss nutrients that not only support your weight management efforts but also your overall health.

My Top 4 Healthy Weight Loss Nutrients

So, what are the best nutrients for weight loss? Here are a few natural options to support healthy weight management as well as overall health.

1. Spicefruit 

How it works:

Whenever I'm asked about healthy weight loss supplements, one supplement always springs to mind—the West African spicefruit. Known specifically for supporting healthy weight management and body fat percentages, the incredible spicefruit is packed with antioxidants and known to support metabolic health, which I discovered when I read a mind-blowing study about its use and then traveled to Cameroon to learn more.

Evidence of its effectiveness:

According to the study, when participants took 300 mg of spicefruit daily for eight weeks, they experienced the following:

• Average weight loss of 13.8 pounds 
• Decreased waist-size by 1.5 inches and hips by 1.7 inches
• Reduced body fat by 5.3 percent

These results, although we always recommend combining exercise and a healthy lifestyle along with supplementation, occurred despite no concerted efforts to change any diet or exercise habits, speak for themselves and confirm why I consider spicefruit to be one of the best natural supplements for weight loss.

2. Berberine

How it works:

Another one of my top healthy weight loss supplements is berberine. This powerful compound is an excellent metabolism booster by way of its blood sugar supporting effects, which is why I often recommend it for those wondering how to lose weight.

Evidence of its effectiveness:

Berberine made the list of my top natural weight loss nutrients because it’s been scientifically shown to turn on the enzyme 5' AMP-activated protein kinase, also known as AMPK, which is known as the “metabolic master switch.” By igniting thermogenesis, a process responsible for burning more fat than what is being produced, turning on AMPK supports healthy weight management.

3. Mediterranean Fat Burning Blend 

How it works:

We can’t discuss weight loss nutrients without discussing the body’s ability to burn stored fat. Inspired by the Mediterranean diet, there is a blend which combines grapefruit, blood orange and sweet orange extracts with energizing guarana seed extract that has been scientifically shown to help the body break down stored fat deposits, especially around the abdomen, help improve body composition and support overall cardiovascular health.

Evidence of its effectiveness:

Backed by 10 years of research and gold standard clinical studies, this proprietary blend of citrus fruit extracts and guarana seed extract helps shrink unhealthy mid-section fat.

Your mid-section stores a type of body fat called white adipose tissue (“white fat”) which has been scientifically shown to threaten your health when it accumulates. Brown adipose tissue (“brown fat” or “thin fat”), on the other hand, is good for your health and waistline. With its concentration of energy-producing mitochondria, these “thin fat” cells can transform fat-storing white fat into fat-burning brown fat. 

Clinical studies on this Mediterranean extract blend reveal a powerful solution for shrinking belly fat and controlling weight in 12 weeks:

• Lose up to 2 pant sizes  
• Increase fat-to-energy conversion by 329%
• Decrease body fat percentage by 9.73%
• Melt 2.5 pounds of unhealthy body fat  
• Significantly improve hip-to-waist ratio

4. Saffron

How it works:

The last item featured on my list of the top healthy weight loss supplements is saffron. An ancient Middle Eastern golden spice, saffron is known to act as an appetite suppressant and help reduce cravings. And it’s these effects that make saffron one of the best natural supplements for weight loss. Why? Because a strong appetite for unhealthy, processed foods is a common struggle for many, often leading to weight gain.

Evidence of its effectiveness:

Numerous studies have shown that adding saffron to your daily diet can suppress appetite resulting in reduced intake of calories to support healthy weight management and healthy body fat percentages. 

Multiple studies reveal benefits from a 176 mg daily dose:

• 69% reported feeling less hungry between meals
• 53% experienced improvements in mood balance
• 80% of participants reported an improvement in sleep quality 
• Lost significantly more weight than the placebo group

Each of these healthy weight loss nutrients are hard-to-nearly impossible to get in research-based doses through diet alone. 

So, I recommend that you give one or more of them a try with a high-quality nutritional supplement to support healthy weight loss. 

In Summary:

• When you’re trying to lose weight, it can be a very long, very difficult road. In addition to a healthy diet and exercise, taking healthy weight loss nutrients can go a long way to help.
• When choosing nutrients for weight loss, make sure they're potent, pure, and support whole-body health.
• My absolute favorite nutrients for healthy weight loss include: spicefruit, berberine, Mediterranean citrus fruit extracts and guarana seed extract blend and saffron.