When it comes to natural appetite suppressants, you have three options: supplements, whole foods, or a combination of both. Supplements can be more convenient but they are also very expensive. Whole foods are excellent because they're inexpensive and provide additional nutritional benefits you can't get from a supplement. You need to decide which works best for you. Here is a list of some of the most effective natural appetite suppressants:



Hoodia Gordonii

Hoodia Gordonii is a cactus-like plant that has been used by the Bushmen of South Africa (where hoodia comes from) for centuries as a natural appetite suppressant. They eat a small piece of the plant before long hunting trips and their appetites are suppressed for hours.

There are supplements available that contain hoodia but you need to be careful as most of the hoodia supplements on the market contain very little to no hoodia gordonii. Those that do contain 100% pure hoodia gordonii can be convenient and effective in suppressing appetite. However, they are very expensive at about $60 per bottle at the time of this writing, and it can take several capsules per day for them to work.

Whey Protein

Whey protein powder has been used for years by dieters as an effective natural appetite suppressant. Whey protein powder is also excellent for muscle growth, which is crucial as muscle burns fat. Whey protein powder is also very cheap, convenient, and comes in a variety of flavors. You can drink it as a delicious shake or add it to smoothies or any variety of food recipes.

Water

This is probably the least expensive option of all the natural appetite suppressants you can choose from. Drinking plenty of water throughout the day will do wonders to curb your appetite. Often times hunger is mistaken as thirst so simply drinking water at the first sign of hunger can quickly keep your appetite in check. Another technique is to drink an eight ounce glass of water before each meal. You'll be surprised at how much less you eat.

Green Leafy Vegetables

Lettuce, spinach, cabbage, and bok choy are terrific natural appetite suppressants. They are remarkably low in calories and are a good source of fiber. And here's a bonus - these are considered "negative calorie" foods because it can take more calories for your body to digest these foods than there are in these foods themselves!

Pickles

I know what you're thinking, pickles? Yes, pickles - but not the popular commercial brands you're used to. They often contain artificial colors and sugar. You want to look for the natural organic pickles found in health food stores or in the health food section of your favorite grocer. Natural pickles, which are essentially small cucumbers, only have a few calories each. An entire jar will have less than 100 calories! You can snack on these powerful appetite suppressants all day long without any guilt.

Apples

Eat an apple a day to keep the doctor away. Now there's another reason why you should eat apples - they're great natural appetite suppressants. Apples contain only about 100 calories each, are a good source of fiber, and have very little carbs. Apples are perfect for a snack and make a great substitute for more calorie dense foods like candy bars and potato chips.

These are some of the most effective, "guilt-free" natural appetite suppressants you'll find. Using these along with a healthy, balanced diet and regular exercise, you'll have no problems losing weight and keeping it off over the long run.