In today's world, many individuals seek rapid yet safe and effective methods for burning fat and losing weight. Essential oils have gained popularity as potential aids in this pursuit. While essential oils are not a magical solution for weight loss, they can complement a healthy diet, regular exercise, and medical advice. This article explores the potential benefits of essential oils in supporting weight loss efforts.
The Basics of Essential Oils
Essential oils are concentrated liquids extracted from various parts of plants, including flower petals, resin, tree bark, and roots. These oils, also known as "essences," capture the plant's scent and some of its beneficial compounds. Essential oils contain fragrant molecules that evaporate easily. For thousands of years, people have touted the healing abilities of essential oils for everything from minor aches to major depression. Although research on the efficacy of these oils is often limited, there’s evidence to suggest that certain oils do have medicinal properties. Essential oils are distilled and pressed from plants and left in their purest, rawest form.
How Essential Oils May Support Weight Loss
Essential oils cannot directly promote weight loss, but they can enhance your diet and workout plan in multiple ways. For example, essential oils such as lavender can promote better sleep and relieve insomnia. When you get the proper amount of sleep, you’re more likely to have a productive day. This includes having more energy to exercise and less desire to eat sugary foods. People who are tired are generally more likely to reach for unhealthy snacks or fast food that can provide an instant sugar rush. Some oils may also help reduce anxiety, relieve tension, reduce feelings of depression, ease aches and pains in the body, and improve digestion. The idea is that if you’re feeling mentally and physically well, you’re better positioned to stick to your weight loss goals. This may mean keeping up with your exercise routine or reaching for fruit instead of sugary sweets. More directly, essential oils may help curb food cravings, energize your workout, correct cellulite, and correct stretch marks.
New research suggests essential oils may hold promise in improving wellness and thus helping fight health-related problems, based on studies in both cells and living organisms.
Key Essential Oils for Weight Loss
Several essential oils have shown potential in supporting weight loss efforts. Here's a look at some of the most promising options:
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Grapefruit Essential Oil
Grapefruit essential oil works with your body in activating enzymes that help your body break down brown body fat. When applied topically to the skin in small amounts, grapefruit essential oil is an excellent diuretic and lymphatic stimulant. When mixed with patchouli oil, grapefruit oil is known to lower cravings and hunger, which makes it a great tool to lose weight fast in a healthy way.
The rind from where the oil is extracted, contains high concentrations of nootkatone, a component which activates AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). AMPK stimulates the body to use up sugar and reduces the accumulation of fat which leads to increased weight loss. Inhaling grapefruit essential oil has been shown to decrease appetite and stimulate the breakdown of fats, called lipolysis.
Cinnamon Essential Oil
Cinnamon oil has been shown time and time again to help regulate blood glucose levels and something in your body called GTF, glucose tolerance factor. It helps balance blood sugar, which long term will help with weight loss and help reduce those cravings for sugar.
Essential oil made from cinnamon bark is rich in compounds that improve blood sugar and insulin. A University of Miami team found that cinnamon essential oil (in 200-mg capsules taken twice a day for 12 weeks) helped people with prediabetes decrease blood sugar and insulin as they lost nearly an inch from their waist.
Ginger Essential Oil
Ginger works because it also reduces sugar cravings and helps reduce inflammation in the body. The compounds in ginger are called gingerols. Gingerols have been scientifically proven to reduce disease-causing inflammation in your intestines and overall improve absorption of the vitamins and minerals you’re consuming. A 2013 study published in the Indian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology concluded that ginger essential oil possesses antioxidant activity as well as significant anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive properties. After being treated with ginger essential oil for one month, enzyme levels increased in the blood of mice.
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Lemon Essential Oil
Lemon oil has detoxifying properties and may support metabolism and digestion, as shown in animal models. Extracted from the lemon rind and containing the medicinal compound limonene, lemon oil is a natural fat dissolver.
Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint oil may help with digestion, reduce appetite and increase energy levels. Considered a mild stimulant, peppermint essential oil has been studied for its ability to improve athletic performance and endurance. As a digestive herb, the peppermint plant has been enjoyed with meals in many cultures and for countless generations. As an inhaled essential oil, it has another suggested digestive purpose: affecting appetite, sugar cravings, and caloric intake for weight loss.
Bergamot Essential Oil
Bergamot oil is often used in aromatherapy to boost mood and reduce stress-related eating. Bergamot naturally contains polyphenols (the same compound found in green tea) and it can help the body to naturally melt fat and sugar. Having large concentrations of limonene (also found in grapefruit oil and lemon oil), bergamot oil can help to dissolve fat.
Fennel Essential Oil
Fennel essential oil may help suppress appetite and promote a feeling of fullness. The sweet, earthy scent of fennel essential oil is extracted from fennel seeds that are steam distilled. Fennel contains melatonin, a hormone responsible for regulating circadian rhythms and triggering the brain's wake and sleep cycles. Fennel seeds have been used for hundreds of years to support digestion, and there's good reason why. In a study rats were administered fennel oil for eight weeks via inhalation in 10 minute sessions, twice a day.
Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender oil can help reduce stress and emotional eating. A 2010 study published in International Clinical Pharmacology showed that participants taking 80 mg per day of lavender oil displayed significantly less anxiety than those receiving a placebo.
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Patchouli Oil
Patchouli oil may assist in curbing emotional eating and reducing appetite.
Juniper Oil
In one 2014 study, researchers studied the chemical compounds found in juniper essential oil. They found that the oil has rich antiobesity and antioxidant properties. Although there isn’t any research directly assessing the use of juniper essential oil to lose weight, this evidence suggests that it may be a useful tool in weight loss management. The oil is thought to reduce water retention, so topical application may be the best approach.
Sage Oil
Long used in Asia for its medicinal effects, sage essential oil may also help treat or prevent obesity. A 2013 study found that sage essential oil can help protect the body against oxidative stress. This stress can lead to conditions like obesity, diabetes, a weakened immune system, and more.
A 2018 study found that sage could inhibit lipase production, resulting in less absorption of dietary fat. It concluded that sage essential oil could be important in helping manage diabetes and obesity. The herb that flavors traditional turkey and stuffing “helps with our stress response. One test demonstrated that smelling sage oil can slash the stress hormone cortisol by 36 percent in 5 minutes. That translates to far fewer comfort food cravings.
Garlic Oil
In a 2014 animal study, researchers found that garlic essential oil offers many protective properties. This includes helping reduce body weight gain.
Cardamom Oil
Indicated in traditional and folk uses to support weight loss goals, one suspected reason behind this may be cardamom’s gastroprotective effects. As a digestive oil, cardamom has been known to protect the stomach against ulcers and damage. Weight loss and appetite control begins and ends in the stomach, not only what you eat, but how your body uses it. Damage in the stomach and the gut can put a damper on even the best diet.
Cumin Oil
The whole herb, for example, is often used to combat inflammation and diabetes. In evaluating the chemical composition of cumin seeds, the study was able to pinpoint specific ways in which cumin - notably, some of the compounds found in the essential oil - affects the body’s blood sugar response.
Black Pepper Oil
In the 1990s, black pepper essential oil was used via inhalation to help reduce the symptoms of withdrawal for people as they quit smoking. The spiral of food addiction is often part of weight management problems, especially related to sugar cravings. Taking care of your body as you adopt a more balanced diet is important - going “cold turkey” on anything can create problems.
Sandalwood Essential Oil
If you are an emotional eater and eat when you're stressed out, sandalwood essential oil can help suppress feelings of negativity and bring a sense of calm. It has a wonderful woody scent, and has a natural therapeutic effect on the limbic system of the brain (the area of the brain that controls primal emotions like pleasure and anger and drives power, hunger and more).
Eucalyptus Oil
With its refreshing minty scent, eucalyptus oil is great for invigorating the senses, reducing stress, boosting energy and alleviating mental fatigue. Eucalyptus oil helps alleviate stress and anxiety which are directly connected to overeating and weight gain.
Frankincense Oil
Frankincense oil is extracted from the resin of a tree native to Somalia, in Africa, and is wonderful for calming anxiousness and low moods that can trigger the need to turn to food to feel satiated. Frankincense oil can facilitate digestion by speeding up the rate at which bile and gastric juices are secreted which positively affects the metabolic rate and helps weight loss.
Jasmine Oil
Extracted from the sweet-smelling jasmine flower, a study suggests that the smell of Jasmine is 'as calming as valium.' Jasmine oil has been used for centuries to remedy anxiety, low sex drive, insomnia and depression and research proves that jasmine can help to relieve depression and uplift the mood.
Orange Oil
Orange oil can help to curb the appetite and prevent overeating. It contains Vitamin C and also has antioxidant benefits. The sharp citrusy scent is also a powerful mood enhancer and can help those suffering from depression. There are countless studies which prove that depression leads to weight gain and this one shows its direct correlation with actually leading to a higher risk for obesity.
Rosemary Oil
According to a 2007 study conducted in Japan, rosemary oil has the ability to decrease cortisol (the stress hormone) levels in saliva. High cortisol levels lead to high stress levels, which can lead to emotional eating and weight gain.
How to Use Essential Oils for Weight Loss
Essential oils can be used in various ways to potentially support weight loss:
- Aromatherapy: Inhaling essential oils through a diffuser or directly from the bottle can help curb cravings, reduce stress, and boost energy levels.
- Topical Application: Diluting essential oils with a carrier oil (such as coconut or olive oil) and applying them to the skin may help reduce water retention, cellulite, and stretch marks.
- Internal Use: Some essential oils, such as grapefruit, cinnamon, and ginger, can be ingested in small amounts by adding a drop or two to water. However, it is crucial to use only therapeutic-grade essential oils that are safe for internal use.
Safety Precautions
Essential oils are potent and should be used with caution. Here are some important safety guidelines to keep in mind:
- Dilution: Always dilute essential oils with a carrier oil before applying them to the skin.
- Patch Test: Perform a patch test on a small area of skin before using essential oils topically to check for any allergic reactions.
- Ingestion: Only ingest essential oils that are labeled as safe for internal use and in very small amounts.
- Pregnancy and Nursing: Consult a healthcare professional before using essential oils if you are pregnant or nursing.
- Sun Sensitivity: Some essential oils can make your skin more sensitive to the sun, so wear sunscreen when using them topically.
The Importance of a Holistic Approach
While essential oils may offer some support for weight loss, they are not a substitute for a healthy lifestyle. The most effective way to lose weight is to follow a balanced diet, exercise regularly, manage stress, and get enough sleep. Essential oils can be a valuable addition to a comprehensive weight loss plan, but they should not be relied upon as a sole solution.
The Science Behind Essential Oils and Weight Loss
Research has shown that essential oils may exert anti-obesity effects. A 2021 review found that essential oils may counteract the effects of increased fat in the body. These include developing chronic conditions such as: type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular issues.
According to one research review, essential oils may exert an anti-obesity effect through the following actions: anti-lipase activity, which is the blocking absorption of dietary fat, by increasing the plasma glycerol concentration, which is a marker of lipolysis, or the breakdown of dietary or stored fat, and by suppressing the accumulation of fats and triglycerides.
Some of the other ways essential oils may support weight loss include: stimulating metabolism, improving digestion, curbing appetite, increasing energy, and decreasing blood glucose levels.
In addition to helping with weight management, essential oils may have other benefits that improve how people feel. This may help them keep up with a weight management program. They include: reducing feelings of anxiety and depression by influencing GABA, serotonin, and dopamine receptors, relieving tension, easing bodily aches and pains, and increasing energy levels.
Some researchers believe that essential oils may also help counteract more than 20 chronic diseases and health conditions that obesity may contribute to. These include: hypertension, diabetes, osteoarthritis, coronary artery disease, obstructive sleep apneas, and some cancers.
Essential oils may also help people avoid or limit other avenues of weight management that may have adverse side effects, such as: over-exercising, fad diets, unsafe dietary products or supplements, and certain weight loss medications.
Essential Oils and Appetite Regulation
From a biological perspective, appetite refers to the internal driving force or inclination to seek, select, and consume food, which is often influenced by physiological, psychological, and environmental factors. Appetite is mainly tuned by homeostatic and hedonic mechanisms. Homeostatic control refers to regulating food intake to maintain energy needs. In addition, the homeostatic appetite mechanism also involves gut hormones such as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and cholecystokinin (CCK) that regulate appetite and food intake by reducing hunger and increasing satiety. Contrarily, the hedonic mechanism refers to reward, emotional, and cognitive factors and is driven by visual cues and the smell, or taste of palatable food rather than metabolic signals.
Once appetite is dysregulated, it may result in eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, leading to obesity, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, cardiovascular disturbances, or gastrointestinal disorders. One of the potential materials for appetite regulation is essential oils.
Major components of essential oils are volatile lipophilic compounds, which favor their straightforward absorption via the blood-brain barrier (BBB) or stimulation of the olfactory system. Signals conveyed to the limbic and hypothalamic regions by olfactory sensory neurons can be projected to higher circuits such as the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, hypothalamus, basal ganglia, and HPC. These regions play critical roles in mood and emotional processing.
Examples of Use
- Drink it: Add 1-2 drops of therapeutic-grade grapefruit essential oil in water (one glassful) and drink it as soon as you wake up in the morning.
- Inhale directly: Have a sudden craving? The fresh scent of grapefruit oil can do wonders. Inhale directly from the bottle or add a few drops to a cotton ball and breathe deeply.
- Reduce cellulite: Blend the grapefruit oil with coconut oil and store in a glass jar.
- Drink it: To support fat loss, add 1-2 drops of cinnamon oil in a tea cup of warm water with a touch of honey (raw honey is best). Doing this everyday will help reduce cravings.
- Inhale directly: When a sudden craving hits, or to prevent overeating before a meal take a few deep breaths of cinnamon oil straight out of the bottle. Doing this can also potentially make you feel more full and improve your mood.
- Diffuse: Add a few drops of cinnamon oil to your diffuser.
- Drink it: You can add 1-2 drops of ginger oil to a glass of warm water with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and some raw honey.
- Drink it: Safe to take internally as per the FDA, 1-2 drops of peppermint essential oil can be added to a glass of water and had before meals to serve as an appetite suppressant.
- Inhale directly: Take a deep whiff of peppermint oil directly from the bottle or from a cotton ball soaked in a few drops of the oil to suppress your appetite and trigger a sense of feeling full.
- Diffuse: Add a few drops of peppermint oil to your diffuser. The minty fresh oil will uplift your mood and inhibit cravings.
- Massage: Blend lemon oil with a carrier oil such as coconut oil or moringa oil (an excellent skin moisturizer) and massage into the areas that have cellulite build-up.
- Inhale it: Inhale the oil deeply directly from the bottle or from a cotton ball soaked in a few drops of the oil. The citrusy scent of limonene can help suppress your appetite, reduce how much you eat and in turn help you lose weight.
- Add it to your shower: Add a few drops of bergamot oil in your shower and cover the drain.
- Inhale it: Inhale the oil directly from the bottle or from a cotton ball soaked in a few drops of the oil.
- Apply topically: When you feel the urge to run to the vending machine, rub a couple of drops of sandalwood oil directly on the wrists and ankles to curb cravings and get through a stressful day.
- Diffuse: Add a few drops of sandalwood oil to your diffuser.
- Inhale it: Rub 2-3 drops of lavender essential oil in your palms and cup them to your face or take a few deep breaths directly from the bottle. The fresh scent enters the amygdala, the brain's center for emotions, and helps to relax feelings of anxiety and stress.
- Drink it: Add 1-2 drops of fennel oil in a glass of water and drink it before meals to prevent overeating.
- Apply topically: Having sweet cravings?
- Inhale it: Take a few deep breaths of eucalyptus oil directly from the bottle. This will bring on a feeling of calm and relaxation and keep you from emotional eating.
- Add to your shower: At the start of the day add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to your shower and cover the drain. Inhale deeply to feel instantly refreshed.
- Inhale it: When you feel a hunger pang coming on, inhale a few deep breaths of frankincense oil directly from the bottle. This will induce a feeling of calm and relaxation and keep you from emotional eating.
- Use in a diffuser: Add a few drops of frankincense oil to your diffuser and let the earthy, sweet aroma fill the air.
- Inhale it: Before eating, inhale jasmine essential oil, which will calm the senses and help prevent overeating. You can also put a few drops of jasmine oil on a handkerchief and keep it with you throughout the day. Anytime you feel anxious or stressed you can put it to your face and take a few deep breaths.
- Use in a diffuser: Add 2-3 drops of jasmine oil and 4-5 drops of grapefruit oil to your diffuser.
- Inhale it: Take a few deep breaths of orange essential oil directly from the bottle or from a cotton ball dabbed in a few drops of the oil before eating. This will help perk you up, energize and stimulate the senses, and prevent mindless overeating.
- Drink it: Approved by the FDA to consume, add 1-2 drops of orange oil to a glass of water and drink it before you sit down for a meal.
- Inhale it: Inhaling rosemary oil for 5 minutes taking long, deep breaths has claimed to reduce cortisol levels. The logic is that when you feel less stressed, you eat less (especially binge eat less). Take a few deep breaths of rosemary essential oil directly from the bottle or from a cotton ball soaked in a few drops of the oil when you feel stressed.