Green Tea For Weight Loss
How could I not make an article about my favorite drink? You read that right. I just love green tea! In this post, I’m going to tell you why you should start using green tea for weight loss, if it really works like a fat burner and helps men and women lose belly fat, the benefits of green tea, the right time to drink it and a simple recipe that you can try out. That sounds like a lot of stuff happening in one article so I’ll make sure that I break it down and provide you with only the important stuff that matters. I know your time is valuable so let’s jump right into it!
What is Green Tea?
Green Tea is derived from the leaves of the tea plant known as Camellia Sinensis.
While this plant is now cultivated all over the world, it started out in India and China where the people used it in traditional medicine.
Many people think that green tea is a magical drink that comes from a special plant but the truth is that all teas (like green, black, oolong and white) come from the leaves of the same plant. So why are they all different then?
This is because of the production process. Unlike black tea, to produce green tea, the leaves are just harvested and pan-fried or steamed to retain the green color similar to that of the plant. Black tea leaves follow a slightly different process as they are oxidized in the process.
This post is about green tea and its benefits because green tea has even been designated as the healthiest drink in the world.
Is this claim true? I leave that on you to decide by the time you reach the end of this article.
Is It Effective To Drink Green Tea For Fat Loss?
Yes and no. Most people judge its effectiveness based on the wrong reasons.
Let me make this clear. You can’t just start melting fat if you start drinking green tea.
This means that you can’t expect it to work for you unless you are already taking the other important steps that are necessary for weight loss (like eating in a caloric deficit).
As I said above, people expect the benefits to be a lot more direct when in reality they indirectly help you lose weight.
For example, swapping sugary drinks with a green tea can help create a calorie deficit which will help you lose weight and get rid of belly fat.
The same way, if you substitute your next donut with a green tea, you have indirectly consumed lesser calories which leads to weight loss.
The main point here is that green tea all by itself won’t be a magical potion that will turn you into a fat-burning machine.
But this doesn’t mean that green tea has no standalone positive benefits.
What Are The Benefits Of Drinking Green Tea?
1. Helps With Weight Loss
While you can’t rely on the weight loss aid provided by green tea as the only way of creating a calorie deficit to lose weight, research has shown that green tea can help increase the body’s metabolic rate.
The caffeine and catechins in green tea, along with the antioxidants help increase metabolism and fat burning abilities.
One reason this happens is because caffeine and catechins are natural ways to boost energy.
Some studies show that these components of green tea can help with fat oxidization and increasing metabolic rate.
To what extent? We don’t know for sure.
Is it significant? We don’t know for sure.
One study even concluded that those who consumed green tea and caffeine burned an average of 2.7 pounds within 12 weeks, given that they followed their regular diet plan.
Do you see the problem here? There is too much unsurety and a lot of things that need to be factored in to be able to take these results as something set in stone.
This doesn’t mean that these benefits don’t exist. They definitely do but we don’t know to what extent.
This is why I said you shouldn’t rely solely on green tea to lose weight and use it as a tool to boost results when your diet and nutrition is in place.
2. Boosts Your Immune System
The green tea catechins help prevent cell damage and help your body fight viruses like common cold and influenza.
This makes green tea a great tool to boost your immune system.
3. Helps Prevent Diseases
Green tea contains many antioxidants that can help you protect your body from oxidative damage.
High exposure to oxidative stress and damage can lead to different types of cancer.
This is the reason why few studies conclude that green tea drinkers are less likely to develop certain forms of cancer.
Green tea also helps lower cholesterol LDL levels and can help reduce risk factors related to cardiovascular diseases like stroke.
The antioxidants present in green tea also help remove free radicals from our bodies that can cause diseases like premature aging and Alzheimer’s.
Just like the weight loss section, we can’t know to what extent we reap these benefits until more studies are conducted.
All we know that there are benefits, which means that there is no harm in adding it to your routine.
4. Detoxifies your body
This is controversial which is why I kept it as the last benefit.
Firstly, this isn’t the typical detox that comes to your mind when you hear the word ‘detox tea’.
They conducted a study on rats which showed that green tea can eliminate dangerous toxins.
Again, we can’t know to what extent this could benefit us but there’s no harm in trying.
Why Is Green Tea My Favorite Beverage?
This might make you wonder if there is any proof that supports drinking green tea at all, why is it my favorite beverage?
It helps you stay full without consuming any calories. Satiety is the most important factor to consider while creating a diet plan.
Even if you consider green tea to other low calorie beverages, it takes the win.
Don’t get me wrong, I love black coffee. But there is only so much you can consume without overdoing your caffeine intake.
At the same time, green tea doesn’t contain any artificial sweeteners like the diet sodas.
Not that they are inherently bad, but it’s just that green tea is the healthiest option which even has some scientific support along with it.
I just consider the benefits as an added bonus!
When Should You Drink Green Tea?
Some people suggest having it right after your meals for weight loss purposes. Others say it is best having it right in the morning or before bedtime.
You should drink it in a way that supports your schedule.
Keep in mind that you shouldn’t be consuming too close to your bedtime if you already have sleep issues.
The caffeine in it, though not much, can affect your sleep schedule.
How Should You Make Your Green Tea?
The best way to make green tea is to keep it as simple as possible.
You can use green tea leaves or readymade tea bags for brewing your tea at home.
If you plan on buying tea bags, check the box to make sure that the extra flavors and things aren’t adding up unnecessary calories.
Also, don’t brew the tea in boiling water. Let it cool down for 5 to 10 minutes before you dip the tea bag!
If you are consuming green tea to help you lose weight;
1. Don’t put sugar.
2. Don’t put honey. Though it is a much better alternative than sugar, it is very easy to spike up the calories of your drink with honey. If fat loss is the goal, you aren’t helping yourself by drinking a 200 calorie green tea. If you really want to, then make sure you use it in moderation and account for it in your total calories.
3. Put Lemon or Spices (if needed). There have flavor and have almost no calories. They can help you add a twist to your regular drink if you feel bored.
Recipe Idea: Iced Green Tea
Iced Green Tea
makes 3-4 servings
1. Take a large jar or pitcher.
Throw in 2-3 large tea bags or 3-5 small tea bags.
2. Pour in 2-3 cups of hot water.
You want to make the green tea strong which is why you will be using just this much water.
After it brews for 2-5 minutes, remove the tea bags.
Add in sweetener of choice. (if required)
3. Directly pour in the ice cold water.
Doing this locks in the flavor and color of the green tea.
4. Refrigerate and drink within 24 hours.
Serve with a slice of lemon and additional ice cubes. (if required)