Green Tea Weight Loss
86Anyone who has looked into herbs and teas for health problems may have stumbled across green tea at one point or another. Green tea comes from the Camellia sinensis family, the same family as black and oolong tea. The only difference is how the teas are processed. Green tea originated in China where it has been used for hundreds of years and touted for its health benefits.
Clinical studies have backed up many of the health benefit claims including a study showing that green tea does in fact increase weight loss. While it is not the end all for weight loss, adding green tea to your diet can aid in reducing weight and can be incorporated into most diets.
Green Tea Weight Loss Studies
According to a study by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,
"Green tea has thermogenic properties and promotes fat oxidation beyond that explained by its caffeine content per se. The green tea extract may play a role in the control of body composition via sympathetic activation of thermogenesis,fat oxidation, or both."
In layman's term, the above study's conclusion is saying green tea can help you lose weight and caffeine is only part of the story. While caffeine can speed up the metabolism and green tea has about half the caffeine of coffee, researchers now believe that the catechin polyphenols, mainly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), is the trigger mechanism for the health benefits. EGCG is a powerful antioxidant that makes up a large part of green tea leaves and works on the body in preventing cancer and other conditions as well as weight loss.
Other studies have added weight to the benefits of green tea and shown that weight loss is possible from drinking a couple cups of green tea daily or incorporating a green tea extract. Even so, green tea is not the end all for weight control. It still takes exercise and a more balanced diet to create lasting body change. Green tea merely helps increase the body's ability to burn weight during these other activities.
Green Tea and Your Diet
Green tea and green tea extracts can both contribute positively to your health and can be added to a diet easily. However, green tea as a drink is believed by many more beneficial than extracts. When I say green tea, however, I do not mean refrigerated drinks labeled green tea that are available in your local grocery store. While the drinks may be better than nothing most of the benefits are minimized due to processing and refrigeration. What you really need is tea you brew yourself from tea packets.
The amount of green tea to drink a day is subject to debate, but effects can be seen after as little as one or two cups. Others have recommended that you drink up to ten cups daily to see maximum results. One or two cups a day can easily be introduced into your routine by replacing coffee with green tea. Instead of bringing a thermos of coffee to work, bring a thermos of green tea. Green tea has about half the caffeine of coffee without the side effects.It also goes well with meals.
Taking a green tea extract will give you a concentrated dose of ECGC and health benefits but drinking and brewing green tea offers the added benefit of being more filling than a supplement pill. Tea takes more time and can be used if you're changing a diet to try and help yourself cut back on the amount of food you eat.
Whether a cup of hot tea or taking an extract capsule or tablet, the health benefits of green tea have been proven. The aid in losing weight coupled with the added health benefits make it a wonderful addition to any diet program you may be following.
Other Health Benefits of Green Tea
Here is a short but not all-inclusive list of many health benefits people have seen from drinking green tea or extracts:
- Increased metabolism
- Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease
- Reduced risk of various forms of cancer
- Improved ability to fight infection
- May help prevent bad breath
Disclaimer:
This article details how to make green tea work for you and is for educational purposes only. You should consult with your doctor if you have any specific health conditions, medicines or are regulating caffeine intake. Remember that green tea as a weight loss tea is not a miracle drink and requires other steps to effectively manage weight loss. While it would take an excessive amount of green tea to trigger even minor effects, green tea leaves may contain fluoride (depending on where grown) and caffeine. People advised not to take one or the other should consult a doctor for how much green tea they can intake.
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- Interesting
I know that green tea is good for you and that it's quite popular now but did not know that it helps you lose weight. Time to drink more green tea, then, warm weather is coming, haha.
I dirnk green tea and it has become a part of my daily regimen. It has so many positives that I could not do without. Another great hub! :)
good hub. I know green tea is good ,but it never ooccured to me that green tea can lose our weight.I learened a lot. thanks.
nice hub, green tea is a part of my daily routine because of its health benefits, mainly its weight loss properties.
i used to drink green tea everyday for its caffeine content (i treated it as a substitute for coffee). After some time, i found that i became resistant to it and it didnt perk me up. However, seeing that green tea can bring so many other benefits, i switching back to it again! thanks
Boost my metabolism so high i had to cut down a little. It works great! Lost 100lbs!
Liked your hub. Green tea is any day the best beverage which packs in itself a host of health benefits.
green tea is great, there are so many benefits.
Great hub.
I love to drink tea, but I don't think what I usually have is "green tea". I think it is more of a China black tea (I'll have to check).
Does this only apply to GREEN tea, or does it work with all teas?
Thanks, Steve
Great Hub - healthy life style is becoming very popular and green tea can improve your health. thanks for sharing
Great stuff - I've linked to this article here: http://hubpages.com/t/141cb9
Once a had a herbal medicine tell me, to be careful where your tea is grown and packaged. Some tea processing places use polluted dryers to dry the tea. So try to aim for all-natural or organic teas from stores. Or a reliable company.
Good to know. Alot of helpful info.
I'm guessing this hub was featured or something as I never had this type of traffic before, especially from HubPages.
@CarpetDiem - I don't know about all teas but Black Tea is from the same tea family as Green Tea and Oolong Tea so it wouldn't be surprising that they have similar benefits. The difference between those teas is simply how they are prepared.
@SuperChix 143 - Makes sense. Finding certified producers or verified sellers and using organics are a good way to get the best quality tea.
Thanks everyone else for your comments.
I love green tea! I add some milk to it for a smoother taste.
hey N. Ramius,
Thanks for answering my question! :)
Pete's "China Black Tea" is what I'm currently drinking so it sounds like I get the benefits. Awesome!
And again, thanks for the great hub. Steve
congratulations and this is a great hub, Maita
Excellent hub. I really need to start drinking more green tea.
I absolutely love this hub! Green tea is healthy for so many reasons. I've heard that it whitens your teeth and lower cholesterol, but I've never heard that it also helps you lose weight.
Great hub!
very useful information, that is great.
I am a big green tea fan myself and am currently finishing a hub on it, great hub and deservedly number 1 !
Nice Hub. Thank for sharing
good write up. I am a Green Tea fan and yes it does help in weight control.
I love tea.
I started drinking green tea a few months ago and it's definitely helped!
Great hub! Green Tea does have some amazing health benefits.
Interesting hub.Can green tea make you more hungry because of increase in metabolism? or does it actually reduce the rate and make you less hungry? it takes soemtime to get to like gree tea.
Thanks for the posting
Ramkkasturi
I have started drinking green tea because of all of the benefits that I have read over the years.
Green tea is healthy.. i already prove it for my health and my family health.. thank you for great hub
I have used green tea in the past and did experience weight loss.
Nice hub. Green tea is really helpful in weight loss.
Interesting information, I have heard of its beneficial effects but not regarding weight loss...
What a nice and soothing hub. I just loved it and Im joining your fan club to be updated with your upcoming writings.
Liked your hub.
I'm drinking a cup of green tea now! Great hub, it made for a nice morning read.
Well written article, thanks.
They say it is best not to eat just before going to bed, but I don't know if this includes drinking tea or not. Nevertheless, my wife and I both drink a cup of green tea nightly, before retiring. I believe that it is a good aid in maintaining good health. Thanks for the information.
Great Hub! You have shown an easy and effective way to reduce over body weight which has become great problem among many people these days!
Nice hub. Green tea is fastest growing Energy Drink.
Really helpful in weight loss.
I didn't know that there could be lots of benefits of drinking green tea. Great hub and very interesting too.
I love green tea and i use to drink at least two cups daily, at least green tea is much much better than other teas and coffee. the information you have given is very good.thanks for sharing it.
Water and green tea. That's all you should drink. Great hub, very informative. The health benefits alone make green tea worthwhile for anyone, not just those looking to lose weight. It's a no-brainer!
I drink green tea at least three times a day and have been watching all I eat, low or no fats, low or now salt and I have not lost a pound, but I will say I have been healthier, no colds or flu or viruses.
There's a lot more to it than that Pollyannalana. Green tea can help, but it won't be noticeable if you don't combine it with a completely healthy lifestyle.
It's great when you like green tea anyway - Jasmine, gunpowder, Chun Mee,...
Very good contribution. I like it and I think that
the Green Tea should be one of the most performing
weight loss solution. Furthermore, also if you do not
have to lose weight, green tea can be a good supplement
to enhance your health.
I love green tea, and not only because it helps you lose weight ... has many important qualities!
But be of biological origin and the water not too hot not to burn his property
very interesting hub!
Guess I will start drinking green tea, you just convinced me!
I enjoyed the hub, and i was wondering if Japanese green tea is the same. And would adding any sweetening substance take away to Green Tea's beneficial effects?
You have inspired me to brew up some green tea right now... YUMM
@Carmell - As far as I know sugar, honey, milk, lemon and the like added to Green Tea will not take away the beneficial properties. The thing you really have to watch out for is overheating the water. You want to add your tea leaves or tea packet in warm that is not fully boiling. Full boiled water will take away some of the health benefit.
I think Japanese Green Tea is the same. It originated in China but Green Tea has spread all over Asia so it should be very similar.
Interesting. It's important, of course, not to take it too far--the key is moderation. But it's hard to argue with natural opportunities to improve one's health.
Thanks for the hub, and feel free to stop by and check out one of mine if you get the chance (please)!
Jacob
I don't know it's true, but I read somewhere that tea can give you stretch marks. I don't know how it would, but like I said, it's just something that I read.
I can't remember where it was now but I read that if you add milk to herbal teas like green tea it takes away some of the good properties. And I agree on the boiling water point, it also makes it taste really bitter.
Green tea is a great way to get plenty of antioxidants, lose weight, and help get your 8 glasses of water a day! I find the taste of green tea a little too bitter by itself, but green tea with jasmine is lovely!
The benefits of drinking Green Tea outweigh any risks. I swear by it. There is always skeptics out there also did anyone know their finding out Green Tea helps with sleep apnea AWESOME!!
great hub - must try this green tea - its new to me......Irish
Nice Hub. You should make some nice amazon sales from this.
Very informative hub! I will try to drink green tea more regularly from now on. Thanks!
The supermarket where I live has a tea bar. They (Wegmans) have had it since 2007. I have had green tea. I definitely feel it's extremely refreshing, especially when the weather gets warm outside.
I am going to have to try it out. GBY
I got into drinking green tea after I moved to Japan. Do not know if it has helped my health, but I have learned to really enjoy the drink regardless. Certainly better for you than coffee!
I never know that green tea has so much of benefits. Thanks god I know it now.
i agree with you Green tea is really helpful in weight loss.
Love green tea, this hubs just makes it better. I have the Bigelow Organic Green tea at my local Safeway, going to try some of that this week :)
Im reading SuperHealth now and it says drinking 1 to 4 glasses of tea will do wonders to you. Green tea, even more so! Thanks, N. Ramius.
Interesting hub, never tried green tree so im going to try it out
grat hub i like it
I read that green tea can boost your metabolism by 38% which is pretty cool. I try to drink at least 3 cups per day
Reduced risk of disease? I'm sold. It's worth a shot! Plus it tastes great.
Needs something to help the taste, please :) GOod info!
I drink copious amounts a green tea everyday, and I think it has improved my health a lot.
Dear N.Ramius, Thanks a lot for presenting this great informative Hub which would help a lot for the people who want to reduce their body weight and unnecessary fat! Thumbs Up!
Green tea is not only healthy but tasty as well!
Great hub the Weight literally falls off
Green tea is a great addition to your diet for many reasons, that is to say it has a lot of health benefits (supposedly). Couple this advice with more healthy eating habits and a great exercise routine, and weight loss should definitely be possible.
Wasnt much of a tea fan untill I read this!!!!! Sweet deal!!!
Green Tea is very effective i guess!
According to Green Tea Pills it's also being used to combat Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease - Michael J. Fox Foundation is looking into it's properties
I'm a big green tea drinker (as well as overweight), so this is very informative to read!
Great article on green tea weight loss!! You included some good tips..
Thanks for a very informative article. After just finishing a weight loss program where I lost a total of 30 pounds, I can tell you that I definitely saw a difference in weight loss from drinking green tea.
I've never heard of this before. Sounds like a good reason to drink more green tea! Thanks for the info.
I have heard this concept "Green Tea For Weight Loss".It was nice and informative hub for me to read.Keep updating.
Also green tea helps people with HIV to increase their count of CD4.
To learn more about green tea health benefits, we have to know its roots and its content. Green tea has been used by Chinese as a staple drink for hundreds of years. It was also used by people in ancient China and India for medicinal purposes. Green Tea was used to cure simple headaches, help in digestion, aid in curing food poisoning, and many others.
Other teas are known to have medical benefits too but green tea health benefits far exceed the rest. The basic difference of green tea from other teas is the preparation. Green tea is made from boiling fresh leaves of the plant while the also famous black tea is made from fermented leaves. The fermented leaves used in making black tea do not contain as much EGCG found in fresh leaves. The anti-oxidants found in black teas are far lesser than those found in Green teas. So far, green tea health benefits have been proven by several studies showing hard evidences.
Green tea is mainly focusing on proper functioning of metabolism thus helping for weight loss.Nice hub.
not only that... it tastes so yummy too!
i love green tea! glad it has so many health benefits...
I used green tea as a substitute for soft drink (not too similar i know) and the switch plus the benefits have me feeling great! Plus a few lost kilos. This article has just excited me with some more facts I didn't know!
I like green tea!specially produced from china.
Green tea is the most beneficial supplement to aid weight loss as well as giving other health benefits. I drink it because it is also very refreshing!
I like green tea. It taste good. This could be one of simple ways to lose weight. For those who are looking for other simple method to lose weight, maybe you can try Slim Spray method. Visit below URL for more info.
wow....never realize that green tea could help....awesome....thanks...
I wanted to let people know that green tea is good for you. But becareful in taking suppliments and or too much caffine. Because too much caffine can cause nerve damange in some people and some diet pills that are loaded with caffine can do that too...so be aware of what your doing
I am green tea lover. Well written info. Thanks a lot!
I drink one cup of green tea a day, and dislike regular tea. It's high in antioxidants and good to know that it helps weight loss as well.
I have actually never heard of this method before. But after reading all about it here, it makes sense. Thanks for sharing.
Very nice hub! I like drinking green tea. It makes me feel good and I also want to lose weight. so kudos! to your article..
Its been said before but...great hub!
good hub!
i love green tea and suggest it to everybody to be in good body :)
I drink a lot of Green Tea. I only drink it because I like and not for the weight loss benefits. It is a great added tool for someone looking to lose weight but doesn't want their foods and drinks to lack any taste.
I drink a lot of green tea not only to increase metabolism, but for overall health. I read that it is also good for the skin and also for my long hair. Very informative hub!
I agree with you completely about the benefits of green tea, and i like it, but there are other drinks helping in weight loss like coffee and milk
Green tea is a great source of the anti-oxidants that our body needs, and is in fact a great weight loss tool. Great article with factual based evidence!
Green Tea > Coffee anyday. Green Tea gives me just enough of a boost to get going, but also seems to help with focus. Now if only it didn't stain your teeth. Oh well, that's what straws are for.
I have been losing weight since Christmas. About 1 to 2 pounds a week, which is a healthy loss. I hit a plateau 2 weeks ago and started to drink green tea (make from the extract capsule)and in a week 4 pounds had literally dropped off me. I have not changed anything...just started on the tea. I can only guess it is the tea that is doing it. Please also keep in mind that I am drinking 2 cups a day but making it from the capsule so it may be a mush higher dose. Still fabulous though!
Very nice hub and good information.Keep it up.
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fastfreta Level 5 Commenter 23 months ago
I like this hub, I like any hub dealing with weight loss, and this is a good one.