Have You Tried Green Tea for Weight Loss?

Green tea is not only tasty, but it helps dieters with their weight loss goals. Most types of teas are rich in antioxidants, but green tea has been shown to have extra benefits.

A study was run on Japanese men as to the effects of the green tea on their weight. They were separated into two groups. The first group was drinking tea fortified with green tea extract. The second group drank simple oolong tea without the green tea extract.

There was a significant difference between the two groups after three months. The first group lost twice as much weight as the second, where the only difference was the green tea extract. In addition, cholesterol levels went down.

"These results suggest that catechins contribute to the prevention of and improvement in various lifestyle-related diseases, particularly obesity," wrote researcher Tonomori Nagao of Health Care Products Research Laboratories in Tokyo.

Catechins are part of a class of chemicals called flavonoids, which are natural anti-inflammatories. In fact, this class of chemicals used to be called Vitamin P, but that term fell out of disuse. It was first found in cocoa, and has also been found in peaches, acai berries, and many types of berries. However, the highest concentrations are found in unoxidized green tea.

Green tea extract is flooded with catechins. 27% of all the compounds in green tea are catechins. Oolong tea delivers almost the same benefits at 23% composition. However, black tea loses most of these compounds, with only 4% remaining.

Inflammation is considered to be a contributing factor in obesity, heart disease, and several other major diseases. Thus, green tea can be a major tool in your weight loss journey. Not only that, but these compounds also inhibit an enzyme that breaks down norepinephrine, a hormone that increases your metabolic rate.

How to maximize the weight loss benefits of drinking green tea

Drink enough tea

The University of Maryland medical center recommends that people drink at least 2-3 cups of green tea every day to start seeing the health benefits accumulate. However, The Weight Loss & Obesity Center thinks that should be increased to 5-8 cups every day for the purpose of weight loss, though agrees that other major health benefits can be realized at the lower level.

Bottom line, drink as much as you like but don’t drink too little!

Drink it hot

Hot green tea will give your stomach the feeling that it's getting fuller faster. It takes the 'edge' off of the signals that your body is sending to you. Since your stomach is fuller you eat less, which can push your daily calorie count down to weight loss levels.

Maintain Mindfulness

Tea is something which should be fully appreciated, not guzzled down like a camel dipping its head at the only oasis. Ponder and contemplate your tea while you are drinking it, savor each sipful and notice the subtleties that your tea has to offer. Once you get good at that, try it with your food. You may find that you automatically start to eat less.

So drink up! Try one of our excellent green tea varieties today and start losing weight with green tea today.