Will Green Tea Help You Lose Weight? Learn Some Facts
If you have kept up with all the ads lately about the fat burning effects of green tea, you would without a doubt believe it to be true. It’s important to learn some more about the benefits of drinking this healthy tea before jumping to any weight loss conclusions.
First, what is green tea?
Green tea is grown in Asia from a plant with the botanical name camellia sinensis. What makes this one different from other teas including black tea, is the way it is processed. Black tea comes from the same plant but the processing is more involved.
Most people understand that the processing of foods destroy many of the health giving benefits so it’s comforting to know that green tea is the least processed of all of them.
A powerful constituent of the green variety are polyphenols which include antioxidants. Antioxidants are known to fight free radicals in the body and help us fight cancers, high cholesterol, heart disease and more. The way that this tea is processed preserves the polyphenols.
It also contains caffeine and something called EGCG. These two constituents have been said to be what helps with weight loss and fat burning.
How much green tea should you drink?
The answer depends on the research studies you read. They vary from just two cups to ten cups per day. You might choose to apply the ‘more is better’ rule for yourself but the studies vary in their recommendations.
Adverse effects
The only adverse effect has to do with the caffeine. If you have difficulty tolerating caffeine and its side effects, then keep your consumption lower. The amount of caffeine however, is less than that found in coffee.
Green Tea and Weight Loss
Japanese studies report that weight loss from this tea is due to an increase in thermogenesis. It is reported that if one was to consume five cups of green tea every day that would amount to about 80 extra calories burned.
Now, if you understand that you need to burn 3500 calories for every pound of weight you want to lose… how many cups of tea would you need to drink to burn 3500 calories? This is over simplified of course, but hopefully you get the picture. It is just one of the tools you’ll need to burn fat and lose the extra weight.
It might very well help over time with your weight loss goals but in and of itself won’t do the job. The other reported health benefits though might be reason enough to enjoy a cup or five of green tea every day.