Green tea is the most commonly used beverage in China.
For several centuries, the Chinese have recognized the numerous health benefits of this commoner’s beverage.
No natural beverage is healthier than green tea.
Green tea’s weight loss benefits were only recently discovered, as numerous studies have demonstrated its efficacy in fat burning.
David Nieman, Dr.PH., director of the human performance laboratory at Appalachian State University in Boone, says, “People think if you drink a few cups of green tea, you’ll see the fat melt away, but that’s just not going to happen.”
Let us look at some of the important weight loss benefits of green tea.
Green tea contains ingredients for fat loss
Every time we have a cup of green tea, our body receives some bioactive substances that are present in it.
The healthy ingredients in green tea may bring potential biological benefits to your body. The antioxidant properties in it are very good for the body, especially for the brain and heart.
It contains a healthy amount of caffeine, about 30 to 40 mg per cup.
The caffeine in it is a stimulant that helps in the faster burning of fat. Some studies show that caffeine makes it easier to burn fat, especially when you exercise or do other physical things.
This herbal drink also has a substance called EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), which is important because it speeds up the metabolism.
The EGCG substance belongs to an antioxidant group called catechins.
The catechins in green tea greatly affect body fat reduction and the relationship between oxidized LDL and body fat variables.
As a supplement, green tea extract is made with the most fat-burning ingredients possible.
This beverage also contains caffeine and antioxidants, but the amount varies according to the quality of the leaf used.
Green tea contains bioactive compounds like caffeine and EGCG, which are known for improving metabolism.
Green tea can help reduce calorie consumption
We all know that eating too many calories is one of the main reasons people gain weight.
Green tea suppresses appetite, especially the urge to have high-calorie foods like sugar and carb-rich grains.
Carbohydrate-rich foods that are high in calories can help people lose weight if they are eaten less often.
Some studies have proven the effects of this herbal beverage on appetite suppression. Of course, all studies did not show similar results, yet they all showed some effect on lowering the calories consumed.
Another weight loss benefit from this beverage discovered by the studies is its ability to restrict or reduce the fat we absorb from food. This was very evident in all animal studies, so it is expected to work the same in humans.
Its ability to suppress appetite and reduce fat absorption from food may be limited. Nonetheless, it has a significant impact on weight loss.
But the most obvious and solid weight-loss effect of green tea is its ability to accelerate the fat-burning process in the body. Increased fat burning is the golden rule of weight loss.
No evidence exists that this natural supplement makes people eat fewer calories, except in a few animal studies.
Green tea helps with weight loss and belly fat reduction
The green tea weight loss results could be more impressive when the total number of pounds lost is considered.
The weight loss results with this supplement are moderate or marginal.
Some controlled trial studies on green tea showed an average weight loss of 3 pounds.
The results also varied according to the specific fat conditions of the subjects of the studies.
It has been found that green tea has the best fat-burning effects on visceral fat (belly fat). However, it has little effect on shedding the subcutaneous fat normally lodged under the skin all over the body.
Visceral fat is the most dangerous fat storage in the body and leads to the development of many common health issues like inflammation, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases.
Green tea drinking is healthy as it can naturally reduce the risk of many fatal diseases. The impact may be limited, yet it is beneficial to the body.
Green tea may promote weight loss, especially the loss of visceral fat, the most dangerous fat deposit in the human body.
It boosts fat burning during physical exercises
Green tea extract is a commonly used ingredient in most natural weight-loss supplements.
It is a proven fact that it has properties that promote increased fat burning, especially while the person is exercising.
Some studies on green tea have proven that it is more than just an assumption.
For example, one study found that people who consumed this herbal tea had a 17% higher rate of fat loss during exercise than those who did not.
According to another study done for eight weeks, it was observed that higher fat reduction happened during exercises and rested in persons who took green tea supplements.
Many more studies have especially noted the tremendous increase in the fat-burning rate in green tea extract users. If you drink green tea regularly, your body will keep burning fat steadily.
It helps in faster fat breakdown
The fat breakdown is possible only when the fat is first broken down in the body’s fat cells. Secondly, the broken-down fat must be moved into the bloodstream and burned into energy.
Green tea includes an excellent component that has the ability to boost the activity of fat-burning hormones.
The EGCG catechin in this extract is good for inhibiting an enzyme that breaks down the hormone norepinephrine.
This leads to an increased release of the norepinephrine hormone. The increase in the levels of this hormone makes the nervous system in the hypothalamus sector of the brain signal the fat cells to break down more fat.
Each time we have this beverage or an extract supplement, it leads to increased production of the norepinephrine hormone, resulting in an increased breakdown of fat.
Caffeine, present in green tea, has a similar synergistic effect as EGCG in the same pathway.
With the help of these ingredients in it, more fat is broken down and burned for energy used by the body for various functions. As the fat deposits in the body diminish, there is a natural reduction in body weight.
It boosts the metabolic rate
As more calories are burned, less fat is stored in the body.
The body constantly needs energy, so calories are also burned constantly.
Substantial weight loss is possible only when a lot of the excess calories stored in the body are burned to meet the body’s energy needs.
Green tea can help increase the burning rate of calories even when a person is resting.
Many studies prove that with green tea intake, calorie-burning can be increased by 3–4% on average. Some studies have reported an 8% increase in calories burned with this supplement.
Normally, a person needs about 1500 to 2000 calories per day. Just burning an additional amount of 3-6% with the help of green tea will add up to 80 extra calories burned.
There is also clear evidence in the studies that green tea extract consumption increases metabolic activities.
The study results also showed that an increased boost in metabolism is not identical. In a few of the study subjects, the green tea supplement hardly boosted metabolism, whereas, in a few others, it greatly boosted metabolism.
It just means that the effect of drinking green tea for weight loss will vary from individual to individual.
How many cups of green tea should you drink?
The highest health advantages of green tea appear to be obtained when three to five cups are consumed daily.
While drinking three to six cups of green tea daily is proven healthy, green tea is not a miracle cure-all on its own. You’ll benefit even if you can only have one cup each day, so don’t feel obligated to drink six cups daily. Additionally, you are welcome to substitute matcha or green tea essence.
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, green tea can boost metabolism and fat burning to varying degrees in different users.
However, you should expect something other than substantial weight loss results from this supplement. Green tea helps you lose weight when combined with healthy diets and physical exercises.
Most natural weight loss supplements use this as one of their ingredients.
We should also consider the health benefits of green tea extract besides the weight loss effects. The antioxidants in green tea are very good for the heart and brain and can help fight cancer.
The truth about green tea and weight loss are over-exaggerated than actual results.
Recommended reading list: