Green tea is not only a great beverage to start your day with but it can also remove some of the extra pounds that you may have accumulated over the years. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition green tea extract increases your metabolism rate by 4%. This means that you burn more fat when you sip green tea.
The research attributes this fat-burning quality to the high concentrations of catechin polyphenols in green tea. These chemicals intensify fat oxidation and thermogenesis, that is the rate at which your body burns calories.
Green tea also inhibits fat absorption and helps in glucose regulation. This is the work of catechins present in green tea. They inhibit the movement of glucose into fat cells, and can be said to work like glucose regulators. The tea also helps to slowdown the rise in blood sugar after meals, preventing high insulin spikes and the subsequent fat storage.
Another way that green tea helps you to control weight is by affecting appetite. Studies conducted on rats at University of Chicago showed that rats consumed up to 60 percent less food after seven days of daily green tea injections. This may be due to the blood sugar regulating effects of green tea.
Green tea can help you switch from coffee to tea. Such a switch can lower calorie intake while still giving you your daily caffeine dose. However, for people with heart trouble, high blood pressure or stimulant sensitivities, the caffeine in green tea may not be the greatest idea. They should go for the green tea extract, which is usually made from decaffeinated green tea. This gives you the weight loss benefits without the caffeine factor. Similarly, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding must consult their doctors before moving to green tea.
Green tea works best when it is taken in the right amounts. Three to 5 cups of green tea per day is considered optimal. It helps you burn an extra 70 calories per day, amounting to 7 pounds per year. But if three to five cups is too much for you, you may consider green tea extract, green tea pills or a green tea patch.
However, you must remember that green tea is not a magic bullet: You cannot make 5000 calories go away in a day by drinking a cup of green tea. A healthy diet and increased exercise are required to help you lose weight.