Honest Supplement Reviews: Yucon Root


Yacon Root Extract

Yacon Root Extract

Product: Pure Yacon Root

Best Price: £29.99 (free p&p) from Holland and Barrett or £18.36 from Nuvivit.

What does the PR say: Brace yourself, it’s quite a bragging list:

  • Caffeine has a stimulating effect on the body. It gives energy. Caffeine is also a stimulator of lipolysis – it is believed that it may accelerate the processes of fat cells decomposition.
  • Capsaicin found in cayenne peppers has strong anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, but primarily it is a thermogenic – it is considered one of the best fat burners of plant origin.
  • Bitter orange is a source of synephrine, another natural fat burner, whose effectiveness is comparable to the effectiveness of ephedrine. Synephrine from bitter orange is much safer, though.
  • Yerba mate is a source of antioxidants and flavonoids that protect the cardiovascular system. It has slightly refreshing and energizing effect. It also supports weight loss by reducing the absorption of fats contained in foods.
  • Carob improves digestion, lowers bad cholesterol levels and additionally contains many vitamins, minerals and antioxidants supporting metabolic processes.
  • Cinnamon improves the metabolism and helps in cleansing the body of toxins, it also warms up and energizes the body and strengthens the immune system.
  • Saffron, similarly to cinnamon, has a positive effect on the metabolism. Research has shown that it also has anti-cancer effect.
  • Zinc is a mineral essential for metabolizing proteins, fats and carbohydrates properly. It is responsible for the metabolic rate.
  • Chromium is essential for maintaining proper blood glucose levels. In a large percentage of persons using chromium, it has proven effective in reducing sweet cravings

Reviewed by: Adam Barrett.

Although the marketing bumpf has a lot of claims for the yacon root all of the ingredients are natural. So it’s difficult to substantiate because the amount of research is endless really. A simple google search for the claims for each ingredient will show results for plenty of research papers. It’s like wading through deep water though – how much of it is factual and how much is nonsense? I decided to try it – a pill in the morning and a pill in the evening for a month to see how it worked for me.

Did it work?

My weight when I started taking the Yacon Root was 22 stone 5lb, when I finished it was 21 stone 13 lbs, so something was working. You should note that obviously I was dieting and losing before I started taking Yacon. Having to take the tablet 30 mins before food can be quite annoying first thing in the morning, although the evening dose is easier.

I didn’t really feel any different after the first three days and on the fourth day started to feel some benefit. My appetite, which is huge like my belly, dropped through the floor. I couldn’t be bothered even secret eating. I had lost my interest in eating all types of food, including cake and ice cream! What is this magic tablet you gave me! However there were some strange side effects.

At times I felt a bit wired, I’m guessing from the caffeine in the product. I’m not a big coffee or tea drinker so I felt this more than other consumers I guess. On the plus side my motivation to get household chores done was 10 fold! Another of the side effects I experience between days 4-7 was I had a nasty case of the shits! I don’t know whether this was all the junk escaping my body in one go, but it didn’t feel nice.

Would I buy it again?

It certainly helped with my food choices, because I was not wanting to eat anything really. Whether this is a positive is up for debate, as when you come off them your appetite comes back with a vengeance. If eating for comfort is one of your problems I would definitely recommend you try them. I found that they suppress the need to stuff high calorie items into your mouth so your overall food intake is much lower than usual.

I will be giving it another go as I want to do a spring clean over the next few weeks! In all seriousness, I would buy this product again. The natural ingredients is a big attraction for me, knowing I’m not pumping my body full of fat fighting chemicals was not something I wanted to do. I suppose it makes you realise as well the benefits of certain foods around us and how effective carefully-planned meals can be to boost your weight loss. I’m forever putting ladles full of turmeric and cayenne pepper into my curries to burn the fat right off my bones.So if your appetite is huge and you struggle with housework and constipation this might be the pill for you!

What do you think? Have you tried Yacon Root before? What supplements are you currently taking? Any good ones we should review? Let us know in the comments.