A healthy diet is vital for seeing long term weight loss results, but sometimes there are gaps in your eating habits which may make it difficult to get all of the proper nutrients your body needs. Particularly if you follow a plant based diet or are lacking in protein and other vitamins, your body may react negatively to the missing nutrients, making it more difficult to lose weight. If you’re trying to boost your metabolism to achieve visible weight loss results, this is the best supplement to integrate into your diet to see changes that will stick around.
To speed up your metabolism, naturally enhancing your ability to lose weight, a chromium supplement is the ideal addition to your diet. A mineral which helps to break down macronutrients more effectively, this supplement will increase your metabolism and allow for an easier calorie deficit. Dr. Stephanie Redmond, PharmD, CDE, BC-ADM explains, “Chromium helps with insulin resistance, meaning IF you eat carbs (or protein that is slowly turned into carbs) - then you get LESS insulin spikes (remember insulin stores fat, so less insulin produced by the pancreas is good and means less fat storage and more fat burn!).”
Lowering your insulin spike will help to store less fat, improving your metabolism and increasing your chance of weight loss when paired with a reasonable calorie deficit. According to Healthline, chromium can also be useful for decreasing food cravings which will naturally help you to consume less. “Although limited evidence is available, some reports indicate that 600 to 1,000 μg/day of chromium picolinate may help reduce hunger, cravings and binge eating in some people,” they write.
If you prefer going the natural route and would still like to reap the benefits of chromium without consuming a supplement, this mineral can be naturally found in broccoli, turkey breast, potatoes and even red wine! According to Medical News Today, it’s important to take a look at the other medications and supplements you might already be taking before integrating chromium into your diet because it could potentially cause a bad reaction.
Zinc
One supplement that provides a wide variety of benefits to the body–including boosting your metabolism–is zinc. Zinc can be found naturally in foods like oysters, meats (like lobster), beans, and dairy, but you can also take it as a supplement. It can help speed up your metabolism, make your skin glow, and bring volume back to your hair.
"Zinc is an essential micronutrient that helps your metabolism function efficiently," Shafipour notes. "It stimulates hundreds of enzymes involved in cellular processes. Without it, we are at risk of decreased immunity, gut issues, problems with our hair, skin, and nails, or underactive sex glands in men."
The best way to make sure you're getting all the benefits you can from zinc is to pair it with a protein. That way it can be adequately absorbed by the body. "Eating animal proteins like beef, eggs, and cheese can improve the bioavailability of zinc from plant foods," Shafipour explains. While taking this supplement daily can be beneficial for your body, be sure to check with your doctor before you add it to your diet to make sure you're not overdosing (which can be very dangerous!).
While a well-balanced and nutrient-dense diet composed of whole foods is going to be your best bet for natural weight loss, supplements such as chromium and zinc may be a good addition to your routine to give your metabolism an extra boost. Sometimes your body needs a little extra help to properly utilize food as fuel, and it’s in these cases that a supplement may work well to help your body run more effectively. As always, check with a medical professional before throwing a new supplement into the mix, but chromium and zinc can be great tools to see lasting weight loss results.
