Chamomile for weight loss: decoctions, teas

Common indications for pharmaceutical chamomile, known for its anti-inflammatory and antispasmodic properties, include diseases of the stomach, gallbladder, and liver. Chamomile helps with flatulence and intestinal colic; with a decoction of flowers, rinse your mouth with stomatitis and throat with tonsillitis.

Also drink chamomile tea for weight loss.

How does chamomile for weight loss?

For medicinal purposes, people began to use  chamomile  (Matricaria chamomilla, Matricaria recutita, Chamaemelum nobile) of the Asteraceae family in antiquity, and today it is a pharmacopoeial plant of almost three dozen countries of the world and is widely used in complementary and alternative medicine.[1]

Studied the composition of the plant, which includes a number of phenolic compounds, primarily flavonoids and glycosides: apigenin, apigenin-7-O-glucoside, apiin (7,5,4-trioxyflavone), herniarin, quercetin, patuletin, luteolin, myritin; azulene (including chamazulene); proazuleny (matricarine and umbericon); terpenoids (α-bisabolol and its oxides); sesquiterpene lactones; coumarins; phytoestrogens (genistein), glycosylated organic acids, etc.[2]

We study the pharmacodynamics of biologically active substances, including those that provide the effect of weight loss with excessive deposition of fat. Although, like most medicinal plants, the mechanism of action of active substances, which contain chamomile flowers for weight loss, can be synergistic, that is, joint or complementary.

The ingested chamomile decoction for weight loss soothes the nerves and improves sleep, which is provided by the flavonoids apigenin and chrysin, which are supposed to bind to receptors of the CNS inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). [3], [4]Full night sleep is very important for losing weight, since it is in a dream that the synthesis of appetite suppressant serotonin occurs - the “good mood hormone” produced by enterochromaffin intestinal cells and serotonergic neurons of the central nervous system.

In addition, lack of sleep increases the level of cortisol in the blood and, accordingly, the synthesis of the regulating appetite hormone ghrelin, and the level of leptin - a hormone that suppresses hunger, while decreasing. Determining the level of ghrelin in people who are overweight has shown that it is below normal, but the content of leptin has been increased since morning. [5]

True, information about the effects of chamomile on the appetite is contradictory. Some researchers note that chamomile contains bitterness, stimulating the production of gastric juice, and thereby increases the feeling of hunger.

Others convince the opposite: tea from chamomile for weight loss not only helps to improve food digestion, helps with nervous dyspepsia and irritation of the intestines, but also reduces appetite - due to an increase in serotonin levels. [6]

As a result of foreign studies in vitro, it turned out that chamomile tea - due to the effects of the polyphenols of this plant - reduces metabolic stress, weakening postprandial hyperglycemia and carbohydrate absorption, prevents the oxidation of low density lipoproteins (LDL).

Chamomile polyphenols (apigenin and apigenin-7-O-glucoside) inhibit the protein enzyme of saliva and pancreatic juice α-amylase, which hydrolyzes food polysaccharides. It was also found that flavone apigenin (a derivative of 2-phenylbenzo-γ-pyrone) can reduce the phosphorylation of the catalytic enzyme acetyl CoA carboxylase, inhibiting lipid accumulation.

Dosage and administration

Basic recipes with chamomile for weight loss: tea and decoction for ingestion

Tea is brewed at the rate of - a teaspoon of dried flowers (or one filter bag) per 200 ml of water (the raw material is poured with boiling water and infused in a closed container for a quarter of an hour). To prepare the broth, a tablespoon of raw materials is taken in a glass of boiling water, boiled for 5 minutes, the dishes are covered with a lid and kept until cooled.

Hot or cooled tea (150-200 ml) or decoction (100 ml) should be drunk in the morning before breakfast or before the main meal (lunch).

To improve the taste of the drink, chamomile with lemon is taken for weight loss (a slice of lemon is put in the tea), chamomile with mint or rosemary.

Some herbalists recommend a combination of plants such as chamomile, St. John's wort, immortelle, and birch buds for weight loss (in proportions 2: 1: 1: 1).

Flavonoids, terpenoids, glycosides, saponins and tannins of Hypericum (Hypericum perforatum) help reduce cholesterol and triacylglycerides in the blood by inhibiting their absorption during hyperlipidemia. Hypericum tea is drunk for neuralgia, increased anxiety and depression. Due to the presence of hypericin and hyperforin, this plant has a pronounced sedative effect.

Flowers of immortelle sandy (Helichrysum arenarium) have a choleretic effect, and due to the flavonoid naringenin reduce blood cholesterol. And phenolic compounds of birch buds increase the secretion of bile and increase diuresis.

Application for children

Chamomile is considered safe for a child of any age and is used for  functional disorders of the stomach in children, for colic or bladder problems.[11]

Chamomile flowers are part of the natural  sedatives for children.

But if a child has asthma or is prone to allergies, it is advisable to avoid chamomile, as this can aggravate the symptoms.

Use during pregnancy

Given the lack of evidence of absolute safety of chamomile for the fetus, this medicinal plant is not recommended for women who are carrying a child, as well as breastfeeding. [7]Studies have shown that chamomile stimulates childbirth in post-term pregnancy [8]. A high level of threatened miscarriage and preterm birth was recorded using chamomile and licorice during pregnancy.[9]

Read more -

• Chamomile during pregnancy
• Breastfeeding Teas and Herbs

Contraindications

A decoction or chamomile tea for weight loss is contraindicated in case of hypersensitivity to this plant or its intolerance due to allergy to flower pollen of plants of the Asteraceae family; with gastritis and gastric ulcer with low acidity; in chronic bowel disease with diarrhea and painful periods with an increased amount of discharge.  [10]

Chamomile is not used for mental disorders.

Side effects

Possible side effects include contact dermatitis with redness and itching of the skin, and (very rarely) an allergic reaction with anaphylaxis.

Overdose

With prolonged use of chamomile or the use of more concentrated decoctions, symptoms of overdose in the form of headaches, dizziness, general weakness and depression of the central nervous system can be observed.

Interactions with other drugs

A decoction of chamomile or chamomile tea can not be used simultaneously with anticoagulants and sedatives, because it can enhance their effect.

Storage conditions

Dry raw materials are stored in a closed container at room temperature, ready decoction - in the refrigerator.

Shelf life

Dried chamomile can be used for 12-24 months, and the prepared broth is suitable for use only for 48 hours.

Analogs

Chamomile analogues can be considered plants containing apigenin or apigenin-7-O-glucoside, and these flavonoids are present in the composition of passionflower or passionflower (Passiflora), curly curly parsley (Petroselinum crispum), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), thyme or thyme (Thyme) (thyme) or thyme (Thyme thyme) (Thyme thyme) or Rosemary (Thyme) or Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), Thyme or Thyme (Thyme Thyme) (Thyme Thyme or Thyme Thyme), Origanum vulgaris (Origanum vulgare), marjoram (Origanum majorana), Salvia officinalis (Salvia officinalis), Lovage medicinal (Levisticum officinale).

Reviews

The main reviews from dietitians are that chamomile, of course, cannot be considered a comprehensive solution for weight loss, and weight loss requires a combination of a healthy diet - with a decrease in calorie intake - and regular exercise that burns calories.