Does green tea help you lose weight?

Several studies have confirmed that green tea can speed up the metabolism and stimulate the oxidation of fat, not only due to its caffeine content, but especially due to catechins. In fact, one study showed that overweight people, who drank green tea extracts rich in catechins everyday, decreased their body weight and waist circumference by about 5%.

The mechanisms responsible for the fat burning potential of green tea

What does green tea do exactly? The food we eat every day is converted into substances called triglycerides. Triglycerides are used as an energy source, but any excessive amount of triglycerides gets converted into body fat. Green tea contains high amounts of polyphenols that activate an enzyme responsible for the dissolution of the excessive triglycerides and enhance the burning of fat. Green tea also boosts metabolism. Due to the EGCG (Epigallocatechin gallate), green tea stimulates the central nervous system and causes fat to be released into the bloodstream to be used as fuel. Tea and health are also closely connected. Numerous studies have shown that green tea can reduce the risk of cancer, decrease cholesterol levels and improve cardiovascular activity.

So, how do you reap the benefits of green tea?

Do you have to drink a special weight loss tea or fat loss tea or something called spearole tea? Do you have to choose specific green tea brands or follow a green tea weight loss diet? No, drinking special teas or following a tea diet is certainly not necessary. In fact, drinking bottled beverages may not be the best choice. A research presented at the American Chemical Society in Boston, found that a bottle of green tea drink usually contains a much smaller amount of polyphenols as compared to a cup of brewed tea. The researchers analysed six different brands of green tea and concluded that in some cases you would have to drink up to
20 bottles of the product to get the same benefits you would get from one single cup of homemade tea. The best and most cost-effective solution would be to simply drink two to three cups of brewed green tea per day.

How much weight can I lose with green tea?

By consuming three to five cups, you will be able to burn about 50 extra calories per day, so the green tea effects on weight loss are rather small. Keep in mind that in order to lose just one pound of fat, you will need to create a calorie deficit of
3500 calories. This means that you will have to wait for about two months to lose just one pound of fat. In conclusion, green tea can be helpful but is not a magical way to lose weight.