Green Tea Benefits: How To Use Green Tea For Weight Loss
By Urban Company
4 min read
Dec 06, 2018
Of all the green tea benefits listed on the internet, the bit about this tea being a weight loss aid is the most talked about. But what are exactly ...
Of all the green tea benefits listed on the internet, the bit about this tea being a weight loss aid is the most talked about. But what are exactly are those health properties that make many use green tea for weight loss. What exactly is green tea anyway and how is it different from black tea?
In this post you will learn:
• What is green tea?
• Green tea for weight loss: why does it work?
• Green tea for belly fat: Why and how does it work?
• How to follow a green tea weight loss plan?
• What is the green tea diet?
• How to drink green tea for weight loss?
Green Tea for Weight Loss: Why it Works
What is green tea?
This is the key difference between green tea and black tea. Amongst all kinds of tea, green tea leaves go through the least amount of oxidation process, and retains most of the original properties of the fresh tea leaves. On the other hand, black tea leaves are made to oxidise completely, transforming most of the catechins (the compound responsible for weight loss), into tannins which contribute to its distinct flavour.
How does green tea cause weight loss?
The catechins preserved in the green tea leaves, specifically epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), contribute to weight loss by boosting metabolism i.e. your body’s ability to burn fat. These catechins are also responsible for flushing out toxins from the body.
Another compound that contributes to weight loss is caffeine. Did you know that a cup of green tea has a quarter of the caffeine content than a cup of coffee? Green tea has just the right amount of caffeine to stimulate your exercise performance and help burn fat better, without inducing an superficial burst of energy that coffee gives (and takes away!).
Green Tea for Belly Fat: Why and How Does it Work?
If you remember your biology classes, you might recall a lesson on the different kinds of fat deposits in your body. Belly fat is very different from the fat in your thighs. Belly fat comes in two broad types – the subcutaneous fat settles right under the skin of your abdomen, and the dangerous visceral fat that collects around your organs. High amounts of visceral fat can cause inflammation and build a resistance to insulin, even leading to type 2 diabetes and heart conditions.
Research has proven that the catechins in green tea significantly reduce the percentage of harmful visceral fat. Amongst the many health benefits of green tea, this is the most important.
The Green Tea Diet: How to Follow the Ultimate Green Tea Weight Loss Plan?
In the green tea weight loss plan, all you have to do is the follow the green tea diet. What is that? The green tea diet is starting your day with a cup of green tea, having another cup mid morning, and one last time, in the evening.
The green tea diet can be coupled with the paleo diet, keto diet, Atkins diet, and the GM diet and improve the results of your weight loss plan.
The point to remember is that green tea is a stimulant, which means it can improve the results of your diet and overall fitness plans. There’s little to lose by just sipping green tea, and we don’t mean that in a positive way.
How to Drink Green Tea for Weight Loss?
Of the many methods out there, we found this to be the simplest and best way to make green tea:
• Add half a teaspoon of green tea leaves to a regular sized cup.
• Heat water till it just about to boil i.e you see a few tiny bubbles forming.
• Add the water to the cup and let it steep for at least a minute.
• For a stronger cup, steep longer, but don’t steep for too long. Doing this will release extra amount of tannins into the tea, making it bitter. The extra tannins can also make you feel ill.
• You can add lemon and honey to add flavour, if you like.
Last Words on Sipping Green Tea for Weight Loss
What are some common green tea side effects?
High intake of green tea can cause headaches, nausea, vomiting (rarely), diarrhea heartburn, and dizziness. This mostly due to the caffeine present. In extreme cases, green tea has been known to cause liver and kidney problems.
To maintain a healthy balance and make your weight-loss programme more productive, we recommend going off green tea every two weeks. This would prevent your body for growing resistant to its green tea weight loss effects.
What is the best time to drink green tea?
The best times to drink drink green tea between 9 and 10 in the mornings after breakfast, in between your meals throughout the day, or in the night, an hour before dinner.
Can you drink green tea on an empty stomach?
Drinking tea on an empty stomach increases stomach acid due to the tannins in the tea. Having green tea on an empty stomach could lead to headaches, nausea, vomiting, and heartburn.