Raclettes, potato gratins, tartiflettes … Winter and the drop in temperatures encourage the desire for hot, comforting, but often … caloric dishes. Result: we not only forget to take care of our health, but we also tend to gain weight.
What if we chose healthier options for warming up during this cold weather period? To do this, nothing like hot drinks. Tea, infusions, decoctions, broths… The possibilities are endless and the benefits too!
Draining drinks: a helping hand to lose weight
What drinks to consume when you want to drain and eliminate? "It is essential to keep in mind that drinks are just complementary tools for weight loss", recalls Catherine Lavigne, naturopath. To start a dietary rebalancing or a detox, there are first three essential pillars: diet, physical activity and mental. "The management of stress is important because it is very complicated to lose weight when you have a significant emotional load ", emphasizes the naturopath.
Once these three components are in place, it is possible to bet on certain detox and slimming drinks in addition. Among them, we find the unmistakable green tea! It is rich in antioxidants and therefore helps fight free radicals, which is essential when it comes to draining and eliminating.
Infusions are also very interesting when you want to slim down or detoxify your body. It is for example possible to bet on an anti-bloating mixture based on lemon balm, peppermint and fennel, or even to fight against water retention thanks to an infusion composed of Reine-des-près, orthosiphon , quackgrass, piloselle and birch.
Infusions, tea … How to properly prepare hot drinks?
To make the most of the therapeutic effects of these plants, it is advisable to avoid consuming them in sachets. Better to buy them in bulk in organic stores, pharmacies or herbalists. The idea? Make your own little mixture!
What about quantities? "We put two to three teaspoons of the chosen herbal mixture in a liter of water and drink three to four cups a day", explains Catherine Lavigne. And if the plant is in the form of roots, mix 30g with a liter of water.
The preparation of the drink depends on the part of the plant selected. If these are flowering tops, an infusion should be made. "We simmer water, heat it to 80 or 90 degrees and pour it on the plants. The active ingredients are very available, they are soluble in water", adds the naturopath.
When you want to consume a hot drink made from the roots or bark of the plant, you should make a decoction. "We put cold water on the plants and bring the mixture to the boil. We then let it heat for about ten minutes, in order to soften the plant and take advantage of its benefits. The last step is to filter the mixture. ! ", explains Catherine Lavigne.
⋙ Discover draining drinks that help eliminate
thanks to Catherine lavigne, naturopath in Paris.
Read also :
⋙ Detox: 10 easy-to-prepare drinks to eliminate toxins
⋙ 8 (really) effective anti-cellulite infusions
⋙ Kombucha: can this drink help you lose weight?