17 Safe and Natural Appetite Suppressants ...

1. Coffee

Natural appetite suppressants aren’t all food products! Coffee consumed in moderate amounts with minimal sugar and cream can act as a natural appetite suppressant and help rev up your metabolism! The caffeine in coffee is the key ingredient to helping you feel full longer and some studies show that caffeine can help relieve headaches and improve your mood!

2. Nuts

Nuts are known for being a healthy snack food but they're also a fab appetite suppressant! Most nuts are high in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, fiber and vitamin E, which make them an ideal snack for ladies who like their foods to multitask. Rely on nuts to fill you up, promote healthy skin and help keep you healthy. Try eating almonds, walnuts, peanuts or natural peanut butter or hazelnuts!

3. Vegetable Juice

I have never been a huge fan of vegetable juice but if it’s a safe way to help suppress my appetite and take in more veggies, I’m all for it! Studies have found that drinking vegetable juice before a meal can help you take in less calories overall. If you’re not into veggie juice, the same can be said for vegetable broth or any clear soup, just make sure they’re low in sodium so you don’t end up retaining water.

4. Oatmeal

For years I’ve heard that oatmeal is the ideal breakfast because it sticks to your ribs and keeps you full all morning, so it’s no wonder that it’s on the list of foods that suppress your appetite. Oatmeal is rich in fiber, which helps you feel full longer, normalizes bowel movements and keeps digestive problems away. Try oatmeal for breakfast, it’s easy to make and tastes great!

5. Apples

An apple a day can keep the snack cravings away? Maybe! Apples are packed with fiber and antioxidants to keep your belly happy and they help fight diseases. While the apple’s high content of fiber is the superstar ingredient to suppress our appetites, they also contain pectin, which helps keep our blood sugar in check. Try an apple as an afternoon snack and pick-me-up or mix it with your morning oatmeal!

6. Cayenne Pepper

Cayenne pepper might not be your spice of choice when you’re cooking but it should be! In addition to providing our bodies with detox support and helping stimulate our digestive system, it’s a hot weight loss aid! Spicing up your breakfast dishes with cayenne pepper can help keep you take in less calories throughout the day, boost your metabolism and help your body burn excess fat!

7. Tea

There are two teas in particular that you should sip if you’re looking for an appetite suppressing effect. Mint and green teas are both known for their many health benefits, but they’re also excellent teas for curbing your appetite. Teas are also a great alternative if you get bored of water and don’t like coffee. Green tea contains catechins and caffeine that help slow down blood sugar spikes and boost the metabolism. Studies have shown that drinking peppermint tea can help curb cravings also.

8. Seeds

Flaxseeds and chia seeds are hot right now and for good reason! In addition to providing us with lots of omega-3s, fiber and protein, both seeds are known to be a weight loss aid. Flaxseeds also contain omega-6 fatty acids, which have been known to increase levels of cholecystokinin that helps suppress our appetite, and chia seeds have lots of soluble fiber to help suppress hunger!

9. Apple Cider Vinegar

ACV is such a great buy, you can use it for so many things and now you can add it to the list of foods that suppress your appetite! This tart cooking aid helps suppress your appetite by releasing glucose into your bloodstream. It also aids in digestion, provides you with lots of vitamins and minerals and helps with exhaustion. Some people actually take shots of ACV but you can use it in your meals by mixing it in your dishes or making a salad dressing with it!

10. Ginger

Ginger root has been used for its digestive benefits for centuries! You can make a smoothie, an Indian dish, or a you make a tea, ginger can work as a stimulant to energizesthe body and improve digestion. These awesome benefits also make you feel like you're less hungry than you are.

11. Avocado

Avocados aren't just delicious. They're also full of fiber and heart-healthy monounsaturated fat. They work to suppress your appetite when eaten in moderation. The fats in avocados send signals to your brain that tell your stomach that it's full, which is why you don't need to eat a lot of them to be full.

12. Water

In an August 2010 study, people who drank two glasses of water before a meal ate between 75 and 90 fewer calories at the meal than those who didn't drink water. So suppressing your appetite can be as simple as drinking extra water everyday. Filling your stomach with water will help keep your appetite at bay.

13. Sweet Potatoes

Potatoes have a type of starch that resists digestive enzymes. This makes them stay in your stomach longer which keeps you full longer. Sweet potatoes are just all around better for you than regular potatoes, so make sure that if you're using this method you look for the sweet ones! They're also filled with vitamins A and C.

14. Dark Chocolate

Sounds too good to be true right? Well, this may not be a method that works for everyone, but if you're a chocolate junkie this is a great way to nip it! Try having a piece or two of dark chocolate with at least 70 percent cocoa. The bitter taste signals the body to decrease your appetite and the steric acid helps slow digestion to help you feel fuller longer.

15. Tofu

Tofu is high in something called genistein, which has been shown to suppress appetite and lower food intake. You may be thinking that tofu seems like something you wouldn't want to eat, but there are a lot of great recipes out there to try.

16. Oatmeal

Oatmeal may be high in carbs, but the type of carbs are actually slow-digesting and keep you feeling full for hours after breakfast. These special carbs in oatmeal suppress the hunger hormone ghrelin. If you're looking to use this, make sure to get steel cut oats as they will give you the most benefits.

17. Whey Protein

This may not be the best choice for everyone. A lot of people don't like the taste of whey protein, but it is known for suppressing appetites. Research has shown that people who have a liquid meal with whey protein will consume fewer calories at their next meal.

I hope you discovered some new ways to incorporate some of these natural appetite suppressants into your daily meals. Why bother with unnatural, unsafe supplements that promise to help suppress your appetite when you can the same effect plus a boatload of other health benefits from these foods?

This article was written in collaboration with editor Lydia Sheehan.