Brazilian Diet

The Brazilian Diet is a widely-touted combination of two non-prescription diet pills that is purported to cleanse and detoxify the body while suppressing appetite and promoting weight loss.

Brazilian Diet: Part One

"Yellow" is the part of the Brazilian Diet (or Emagrece Diet) that cleanses and detoxifies the system. Included in the pill are carqueja, cat's claw, erva tostao, artichoke extract, chanca piedra, sarsaparilla, magnesium, and selenium.

Each ingredient has a specific function, and, in combination, just about every possible physical disease or ailment is covered. Several of the herbs specifically target the liver, gallbladder, and/or kidneys.

• Erva tostao (or punarnava in ayurvedic practise) is one such liver and gallbladder cleanser. It is also a diuretic. It should be avoided by people with high or low blood pressure and by heart disease patients.
• Chanca piedra targets kidney and gallstones and should be used with great caution. It has been shown to have abortifacient properties as well as diuretic properties. It also seems to act on blood sugar and should be avoided by hypoglycemics and diabetics. It is also not recommended for those who have heart conditions or hypertension.
• Carqueja is another liver-affecting herb. As it can be abortifacient and may interfere with glucose metabolism and with blood pressure, carqueja should be avoided by pregnant women, diabetics and hypoglycemics, hypertensives, and those with heart problems.

Brazilian Diet: Part Two

"Orange" is the part of the Brazilian Diet that is designed to enhance weight loss. The components in this pill are cha de bugre, yerba mate, and guarana.

• Cha de bugre is high in caffeine. It acts as an appetite suppressant and diuretic.
• Guarana is chemically identical to caffeine, which accounts for its reputation as an aid to thermogenesis. Guarana is also a diuretic; it should be avoided by those with heart trouble or hypertension.
• Yerba Mate is a stimulant, very high in caffeine. It has been shown to interfere with MAO inhibitors, and should not be used by anyone taking MAOI drugs. It has also been implicated in an increased risk of upper digestive-tract cancers.

Other Components

Also recommended while following this plan are Yerba Mate tea for replacing snacks and for dealing with cravings, and protein shakes. The dieter is also required to drink a minimum of 64 ounces of water daily. While taking the pills, the dieter is expected to eat three balanced, nutritious meals per day, but snacking is discouraged.

Serious Health Concerns

Because many of the herbs used in the pills are known to be dangerous to people with chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypoglycemia, heart disease, and hypertension, and because some of the herbs have an adverse effect on pregnancy and fertility, extreme caution should be used in considering these pills as a weight loss aid.

Furthermore, the FDA has issued a number of warnings about the capsules that form the backbone of the Brazilian Diet system, as testing has shown the capsules to be contaminated with both prescription drugs and unapproved drugs that mimic illegal drugs. The most frequently reported contaminants are:

• Librium is a controlled substance in the benzodiazepine family -- the same group of drugs as Xanax.
• Prozac is an antidepressant that has been linked to serious side effects and should be used only under a doctor's care.
• Valium (diazepam) is a tranquilizer that has serious side effects and should be used only under a doctor's care.
• Fenproporex is a stimulant that is converted in the body to amphetamine. At least one person has failed a drug screen (and lost employment) after taking these pills and testing positive for amphetamines.

Related Diet Links

• Diet Pills
• Non-prescription Diet Pills
• Hoodia
• What Are Fad Diets
• Eating a Healthy Diet: The Basics