Is Weight Loss Your Resolution? Cut the Right Carbs and Consider Adding Saffron to Your Diet.

If you have ever tried to lose weight you probably know that food craving is one of the hardest things to overcome especially if you have a sweet tooth. Eating foods that contain carbohydrates can really cause food cravings. These include foods:

1.  high in fructose, and refined sugar- almost 100% carbohydrate
2. drink powders, hard candies, gummy candy-98-99% carbohydrate
3. sugary cereal-  90-93% carbohydrate
4. dried fruits (apples, prunes, dates)- 88-90% carbohydrate
5. low fat crackers, rice cakes and potato chips- 81-83% carbohydrate
6. flour cakes and cookies- can be up to 84% carbohydrate
7. jams and preserves- 64-68% carbohydrate
8. potatoes (hash browns, French fries, baked potato)- 35%, 27%, 21%- carbohydrate
9. sweet pickles, sauces, and salad dressings- 35%- 32%
10.  pizzas- 22-30%[1]

Looking at the list you might wonder what you can do. One is to read the carbohydrate content on the package before you purchase food in your local store. Some cereals are low in carbohydrates such as oatmeal which can contain as little as 10% carbohydrates.  Another important idea is to monitor how many carbohydrates you are eating to help lower your craving for food.

Dr. Oz recommended Saffron as a natural weight loss product.  Saffron extract is a supplement that stops you from feeling hungry. A study done in 2010 with 60 women showed that the group that received saffron significantly reduced binge eating and actually lost weight. [2]The supplement will help you say “NO,” to potato chips or chocolate chip cookies without any hesitation. If you are a binge eater Saffron will help you deal with the urge to eat.

Emotional eating is tied to low levels of serotonin. Serotonin can make you feel anxious or depressed when levels are low. Carbohydrates often help you feel better temporarily. Carbohydrates increase brain levels of tryptophan, the amino acid that converts to mood-calming serotonin in the brain. Processed carbohydrates like cake, candy, cookies and sugary processed foods instantly spike your blood sugar, leading to sugar rushes and crashes. The key is balancing your carbohydrates with small servings of complex carbohydrates several times a day, always paired with healthy fats and proteins to keep your mood even.[3]

Saffron contains an active ingredient satierial. Satiereal will trigger a response that is similar to the brain receiving carbohydrates, all the while bypassing the urge for unhealthy foods or additional unnecessary calories.[4] Another benefit to women is that Saffron has been shown to a particular benefit specifically to women and has shown to help with depression, insomnia, asthma, and pre-menstrual symptoms.

Whatever you decide the bottom line is you cannot just take Saffron and hope to lose weight. While it will help you have to add healthy diet and exercise to get the full effect.  What Saffron should do is to help you to avoid the desire to eat the wrong types of carbs, and to avoid mood swings often experienced when people try to diet.