Green Tea has long been heralded for its' fat fighting powers, however over the past decade, black tea polyphenols have been studied for their anti-obesity effects, and there is increasing evidence to demonstrate that black tea polyphenols have a significant effect on preventing obesity and can help fight unwanted pounds.
Why is black tea good for weight loss?
When tea leaves incubated to ferment, the polyphenol oxidase converts the original polyphenols (found in un-fermented green tea) to a number of other natural compounds such as theaflavins, theaflagallins and thearubigens.
These unique black tea polyphenols have excellent anti-obesity activity, interfering with multiple processes in lipid (think fat molecules) synthesis, metabolism, transport and storage.
How can black tea help with weight loss?
#1 Boosts Energy Metabolism
Black tea typically contains the highest concentration of caffeine among the true teas at anywhere from 50 to 80 mg of caffeine per cup. Caffeine has long been linked to boosting energy and increasing the bodies metabolic rate, helping the body to shed pounds faster and potentially keep weight off for a longer period of time.
Caffeine raises the body temperature in a process called thermogenesis, which raises the bodies temperature and triggers reactions in the human body that results in fat burning and improved metabolism of nutrients.
Additionally, caffeine encourages the body to undergo lipolysis (the break down of stored fat) and stimulate cycles that metabolize fats.
According to a study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, caffeine in black tea may increase basal metabolism by 6 percent.
A word of caution, drinking more caffeine does not mean better metabolism. Consuming 5 to 10 cups of up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day is the maximum to be safe.
#2 It's A Prebiotic
A healthy gut is a important part of a healthy metabolism and your bodies ability to break down and process fat. Studies have revealed that black tea decreased gut bacteria associated with obesity and increased gut bacteria associated with lean body mass.
Researchers have discovered that black tea increased a healthy gut bacteria called Pseudobutyrivibrio and that black tea works as a prebiotic to improve digestive processes.
Black tea molecules are larger than green tea molecules and spend more time in the intestines. Researches believe this longer presence of black tea molecules in the intestines helps to increase good microorganisms in the gut microbiome., which signals liver tissues to burn fat deposits more efficiently, contributing to weight loss and good health.
#3 Improves Fat Distribution
Black tea is packed with polyphenols known as flavonoids. These specific mechanisms can help improve body weight and fat distribution. A study published in the medical journal Food & Function examined the effect of black tea polyphenols on weight management. The group that drank black tea demonstrated inhibited weight gain and a significant reduction in waist circumference compared to the placebo group.
What black tea is best for weight loss?
Post fermented Pu'erh tea has long been popular in China as a weight loss tea. It's long fermentation process, past that of regular black tea, increases the potency of the naturally occurring compounds that have been linked to fighting fat and preventing obesity.
Our Recommendation
Yah Cha is our signature blend of the 2 weight loss power houses; Green Tea and Pu'erh.