Green Tea Weight Loss

Getting the most out of green tea

Tea drinking had its origins in China more than 4000 years ago. Green tea itself has been drunk as a beverage and used in traditional medicine throughout Asia. It has been used to help a number of ailments, including controlling bleeding, healing wounds, regulating blood sugar and even assisting digestion.

Green tea contains polyphenols which are considered to improve health, especially catechins.

Now most green tea drinkers will tell you that that the best-tasting green tea is brewed for under one minute with hot water that hasn’t reached the boiling point yet.

photo credit: Rachel Strohm

It is also steeped for a short period of time. Boiling water and longer steeping times tend to give the tea a more bitter taste.

However his may not give you the best results for your health.

Researchers have discovered that using boiling water and longer steeping times actually increases the amount of polyphenols in the tea.

These studies suggest that the following guidelines can boost the polyphenol level in your green tea:

The tea leaves themselves - small loose leaf green tea is the best choice, because its infuses quicker. Tightly curled or large leaf tea require longer infusion times.

Teabags are not as effective - loose leaves are preferable to teabags. If you use tea bags they continuously dunked in the teapot to aid the extraction of the polyphenols

Temperature – boiling water may unfortunately increase the bitter flavour but it does aid the extraction of polyphenols

Steeping Time – tea should be steeped for more than two and less than five minutes. The polyphenol content of tea increases with steeping time.

Now this research raises a dilemma for green tea drinkers.

Should I extract the most from my green tea and live with the not so sweet flavour or should I just enjoy my tea and not consider the benefits of green tea?

I think the best answer is to see if you can acquire a taste for the loose leaf green tea that is brewed for longer and thus extract as many health benefits as possible from the drink. If the taste is too difficult I would suggest sweetening it with some natural honey. Nevertheless if you drink green tea weight loss can happen.

So why not treat yourself right now with a hot cup of green tea, a slice or two of mango and a relaxing detox foot spa?

Here’s the facts about green tea and your health

Today there is a huge emphasis on good health. Governments are promoting healthy lifestyles. Parents are encouraged to raise their children with healthy eating habits. Exercise is a multi-million dollar industry as communities strive to improve their health. People are attending a wellness spa or a detox clinic.

Now here’s an easy way to assist you in your journey to better health. Drinking green tea not only aids weight loss it will help you reach your health goals.

So let’s get the facts about green tea and your health right now!

Fact # 1 Green tea does not suppress appetite

Green tea is not the product you need if you want to suppress your appetite. Although there are products in the market place that will do this for you green tea is not one of them. So don’t believe every marketer’s line.

Fact # 2 Green tea boosts metabolism

Studies show that green tea can boost metabolism by 3 to 4% and increase fat burning by up to 35%.  Drinking half a dozen cups of tea a day will have an impact upon your health.

photo credit: talliskeeton

Fact # 3 Weight loss abilities of green tea are backed by research

Swen Wolfram’s paper Anti-obesity effects of green tea: from bedside to bench reveals that weight loss due to green tea consumption has been clearly shown in laboratory studies involving cell culture and animals. Other Japanese studies have shown the positive impact green tea has upon weight loss endeavours. It’s true that if you drink green tea weight loss can become a reality.

Fact # 4 Green tea aids endurance

No one doubts that weight loss is is greatly assisted by exercise. Exercise burns kilojoules, increases metabolism and builds muscle mass. All these effects combine to aid the loss of weight. Imagine if you could exercise longer and thus promote even more weight loss and in turn be healthier? Amazingly green tea can increase your endurance levels by up to 24%. Studies have shown that mice exercised and drank green tea burned more energy and fat both while exercising and resting.

Fact # 5 Green tea is a healthy alternative to soft drinks

One of the genre of drinks that is undoubtedly bad for your health is soda or soft drinks. Invariably packed with sugar they are damaging to your dental health and your fitness and weight goals. Green tea is a refreshing alternative that lacks the calories and sugar so prevalent in soda drinks. Plus it can be drunk hot or cold thus making it an easy alternative whatever the season.

Green tea Q & A?

People have a variety of questions about green tea. Also there are quite a few urban myths about green tea and questions about how it can help with weight loss now. So here’s some answers to common questions about green tea.

What is green tea?

Like all teas, green tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. Unlike black tea and oolong tea, green tea is unoxidized and thus retains much of its antioxidants and nutrients. Most of the planet’s green tea is grown in either China or Japan. There are many different varieties.

Does drinking green tea assist weight loss?

Various studies both on lab rats and mice and on people have shown that green tea can positively assist with weight loss. A key extract of green tea, catechins, provides a boost to metabolism and increases the burning of fat. There have been many scientific studies that have shown that green tea is very beneficial. It’s important to know that if you drink green tea weight loss can become a reality

Are there any side effects from drinking too much green tea?

Green tea does contain caffeine, so excess consumption can cause restlessness and sleeping problems. All things in moderation is too be remembered when consuming all helpful products like green tea.

How much caffeine is in green tea?

Green tea contains about 20 mg of caffeine per average cup. This is much less than coffee (100-120 mg), and less than Oolong tea (30 mg) and black tea (40 mg).

Are there any health benefits from drinking green tea?

Yes! Green tea is actually healthier for you than drinking water. Why? It contains powerful antioxidants that fight free radicals that cause cancer, diseases and aging. Green tea also improves digestion, promotes healthier skin, boosts the immune system and much more. These facts are attested to by the various research studies conducted by scientists.

How many cups of green tea should I drink per day?

This comes down to personal choice. However, most research indicates that drinking 4 or more cups per day yields the maximum weight loss and health benefits.

Does iced green tea have the same health benefits as freshly brewed green tea?

If you brew it yourself, yes. Just remember that the healthy antioxidants are reduced over time if the tea remains unrefrigerated.