How Will Green Tea Help Me Lose Weight?

Yes. Green tea contains powerful antioxidants called catechins that boost metabolism and burn fat (1). The most important of these is epigallocatechin gallate, EGCG, a substance that can boost your metabolic rate and makes it a powerful ally when trying to lose weight. 

These unique polyphenols from Green Tea are small enough to be absorbed into the bloodstream and body tissues more readily, meaning they can reach the liver directly to affect energy metabolism in a way that promotes weight loss.

Unlike other caffeinated drinks like coffee, it’s the unique combination of Green Tea EGCG and caffeine that work together to burn more calories, and lead to weight loss. 

Green Tea inhibits the effect of enzymes that aid in digestion, which reduces the rate of sugar and fat absorption and reduces the calorie load of a meal. A study in 2008 found that people who drank Green Tea regularly lost approx 3 kg’s more weight than those who didn't.

Overall, studies indicate that by drinking green tea you can burn an additional 75–100 calories per day. (2)

When you combine drinking green tea with intermittent fasting, you get expanded and optimized weight loss results.

Lose Belly Fat Fast

The real bonus and shining highlight of Green Tea is that these powerful and unique catechins particularly impact visceral fat, also known as ‘belly fat’.   High amounts of belly fat is associated with inflammation and insulin resistance, both of which are strongly linked to type 2 diabetes and heart disease.  Several studies on green tea catechins have shown that a significant percentage of fat loss, due to green tea, is that of harmful belly fat. 

So if you’re looking to get rid of that stubborn belly fast (and improve total health!) Green Tea should be your best friend.

Fasting With Green Tea

Green tea is a great support while intermittent fasting.  Here are our recommendations for fasting with green tea.

Drink a cup of green tea before each meal

Drinking a cup of green tea before each meal will help you feel full longer and reduce cravings. This is an age-old trick that will help you eat less without feeling deprived.  Additionally if you're in ketosis ie. 'fat burn zone', it may focus your fat burn on that visceral fat, that's so stubborn to move!

Drink When The Hunger Pangs Hit

One of the hardest parts about intermittent fasting are the hunger pangs. Authentic or not (i.e. sometimes you're not really hungry, it's just a reaction to a trigger), the hunger pangs are physically and mentally challenging.  There’s nothing like a sharp hunger pang, to remind you that you’re not enjoying your usual morning tea snack.

Green Tea has an effect on ghrelin (the ‘hunger hormone’) which can help suppress appetite and get you through until your next meal. At the very least, a big cup of green tea is the perfect distraction and added weight loss boost, that you can’t go wrong with.

Drink Iced And Keep Hydrated During Excercise

Green Tea is great pre, during and post workout drink.  The synergistic combination of caffeine and l-theanine give a calm energy boost, and one study showed that men who took green tea extract before exercise burned 17% more fat than men who didn’t take the supplement.  It’s the unique polyphenols, EGCG, that help increase caloric burn, and because it tastes so good you’ll be inclined to drink more and re-hydrate faster.

Green Tea is especially appealing post-workout for professional endurance athletes or those training for marathons or triathlons, as studies have shown that green tea can be beneficial for muscle recovery following strenuous workouts, as it helps slow down your heart rate and encourages relaxation post-workout.  It is also packed with antioxidants that can help combat exercise-induced free radicals, helping reduce muscle soreness, inflammation, and support faster muscle recovery.

Sip & Enjoy

One study found that tea catechins increased fat burning, both during exercise and rest. So, whether you’re out and about or got your feet up in front of the tv, fill a flask and sip Green Tea throughout the day, and let those powerful Green Tea catechins keep on doing their good thing.   

How Do I Get The Best Results?

Like brushing your teeth, it’s the long term, cumulative effect . Don’t expect to drink a few cups of Green Tea and get immediate results. 

Our favourite way to enjoy Green Tea hot, is our signature blend (for the added benefit of a post-fermented tea) or on its own, and we just keep re-steeping throughout the day.

Our favourite cold Green Tea is an Iced Green Tea Spritzer.

What Green Tea Is Best For Losing Weight?

Choose a premium, loose leaf tea. These are the least processed and will contain all goodness without nasty chemicals or bleach used in growing, processing and packaging tea.

Our No #1 Tip 

Its' the small daily healthier habits, done consistently over time that will bring real, sustainable results.

We challenge you to swap your 15 gram carb latte, for a .1 gram carb Green Tea, and live smarter!

 

References

1 - http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07315724.2006.10719518#.U2tMX_l_t8E

2 - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK299060/