Lose Weight with Ginseng

The Chinese and native Americans have used ginseng as a medicinal ingredient for centuries. In modern-day research, ginseng has been scientifically proven to strengthen the immune system, improve memory, increase male libido, lower choresterol levels and decelerate the progression of Alzheimer's. These therapeutic benefits of ginseng have been widely studied in major health institutes, all over the world. In the past few decades one other significant advantage of ginseng that has been increasingly discussed is its ability to facilitate weight loss.

Ginseng can accelerate weight loss in two ways. First off, it can rev up your sluggish metabolism. With a faster metabolic rate, you can eat the same amount of food but have less excess calories to be converted into fat. Aside from that, ginseng is a fantastic energy booster that makes you feel more vigorous and helps you maintain physical stamina during a strenuous workout. Accordingly, you will be able to participate in a more active exercise routine for a longer period of time.

Keep in mind, however, that you should not use ginseng as your sole weight-loss regimen. Healthy food and regular exercise are key to effective, long-term weight control. True, ginseng allows you to lose weight faster, but without a healthy lifestyle, ginseng alone won't suffice. Sprinkling ginseng powder over a Big Mac or two pounds of bacon every day won't make you slim. Drinking ginseng tea while sitting on a couch all day won't help you get rid of that stubborn spare tire.

Light brown and knobby, a ginseng root usually resembles a wrinkly little human with ropey arms and legs. As odd as they might seem, these stringy roots are the only part of the ginseng plants that is highly beneficial. All ginseng products are made from the roots, not the leaves or the flowers. You can buy ginseng in various forms, including powder, capsules, tablets, liquid extracts, dried roots and fresh roots. However, only certain types of ginseng contain weight-loss properties. According to the University of Maryland medical research team, Panax ginseng is the one that can help you shed those extra pounds. Siberian ginseng might be a great nerve tonic but does not have much potential to facilitate weight loss. The types of ginseng that belong to the Panax species include Chinese, Korean and American ginseng.

Although both American and Asian ginseng can promote weight loss, they have opposite ways of working, like yin and yang. Regarded as a yin herb, American ginseng cools down the body, relieves stress and works better than its Asian relative when it comes to increasing physical stamina. Asian ginseng, with its yang properties, warms the body, keeps the brain alert and beats American ginseng at enhancing metabolism. So before buying ginseng, "listen" to your own body first. If you tend to feel hot or become restless easily, forget Asian Panax and opt for American ginseng instead. But if you have a slow metabolism and often suffer from mental fatigue, Asian ginseng is your best choice.

Most medicines are like double-edged swords. Before heading to a natural food store to buy ginseng, you should make sure your body can handle it and you're not on any medication that might counteract with ginseng. Since it is a stimulant, ginseng is not suitable for those who have insomnia or anxiety problems, as it might worsen the symptoms. Other rare yet possible side effects of ginseng include high blood pressure, diarrhea, headache, nausea and breast pain. In addition, you should avoid ginseng if you are taking blood thinners, anti-psychotic drugs, antidepressants, diabetes medications and calcium channel blockers. Ginseng might hinder the effects of these medicines and cause other undesirable interactions.

University of Maryland Medical Center suggests that ginseng should not be used for more than 3 consecutive weeks. After the third week of daily ginseng consumption, you should stop using it for 2 weeks and then restart the cycle. Due to its stimulative properties, ginseng is not recommended for young children.

The most convenient way to use ginseng is to take it as a supplement in the forms of capsules or tablets. But here I will discuss how we can use ginseng powder, liquid extracts and roots in beverages and food, which is a bit more economical and absolutely more delicious! One important thing to remember: don't take ginseng supplements or consume ginseng around dinner time unless you want to stay awake all night.

Besides dipping a tea bag in hot water, there are 3 other ways to make ginseng tea.

Making tea with ginseng powder: Dissolve 1 tsp. ginseng powder in one cup of hot water. Add honey or another sweetener of your choice.

Making tea with ginseng liquid extract: Add 2 - 3 drops of ginseng extract to a cup of hot water. Sweeten it a bit and enjoy.

Making tea with dried ginseng root: Boil 4 cups of water in a saucepan. Add 2 oz. of sliced ginseng root to the water. Let simmer for about an hour. Remove from heat and spice it with honey and cinnamon.

Ginseng Tea Tips: Honey is a better sweetener for ginseng tea than white or brown sugar. Ginseng tea tends to have a bitter aftertaste and strong aroma. Honey can help reduce that aftertaste, and cinnamon can nicely subdue the earthy smell of ginseng root. You can drink ginseng tea in the morning to wake you up from slumberland or have it after lunch to prevent an afternoon energy slump instead of running to a soda machine or grabbing some sugar-loaded snacks.

We hear again and again that skipping breakfast is a bad idea for people who are trying to lose weight. First of all, breakfast can help stimulate your metabolism after a whole night of idle time. And secondly, it might stop you from getting too hungry later in the day. In other words, people who regularly eat breakfast are not inclined to binge at lunch and dinner. Knowing all this, some of us still don't have a big enough appetite or adequate time to eat real breakfast in the morning. That is when ginseng breakfast smoothies come in handy. The preparation is very simple. Just add 2 - 3 drops of ginseng liquid extract or one teaspoon of ginseng powder to your favorite breakfast smoothie recipe. And voila! you have a healthy energy-booster on the go.

My favorite ginseng smoothie recipe: In an electric blender, mix together 1 large ripe banana, 1/2 cup low-fat milk, 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt, 1 cup frozen or fresh strawberries (thaw first if they're frozen), 1 tsp. ginseng powder and 2 - 4 ice cubes. Blend until smooth. Enjoy your healthy breakfast!

Ginseng has been used in Chinese and Korean cooking for ages. It is a hearty ingredient in a variety of Asian recipes including soups, salads and stir-fry dishes. One of the most popular dishes made with ginseng is stir-fried ginseng venison. Venison or deer meat is pretty hard to prepare, as it has a sinewy texture and harsh gamy taste. By adding fresh chopped ginseng root to the marinade, it is said to help tenderize the meat and neutralize the gamy flavor. To use ginseng for stir-fry, simply add a teaspoon of sliced fresh ginseng root or a tablespoon of ginseng powder to other ingredients in a sizzling saucepan, and the health quality of the dish will step up a notch. If you don't mind the earthy scent of ginseng, you can dice up a pinch of fresh ginseng root and sprinkle it on your salad without cooking it first. Last but not least, let me end this article with an easy Chinese recipe for ginseng chicken soup.

What you'll need: 1 small chicken, 2 - 3 small fresh ginseng roots, 10 dried red dates (jujubes), 1 cup rice wine, 1 - 2 green onions and salt to taste.

To prepare: Cut up the chicken and boil in a large pot. The amount of water should be just enough to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil. Add red dates, ginseng, rice wine and salt. Then continue to boil on high heat for another 10 minutes. Finally, lower the heat, cover and let simmer for about an hour. Skim off the fatty layer and sprinkle with chopped green onion before serving.