The Best Green Tea Tablets

Green tea tablets are nutritional supplements made from dried and powdered green tea leaves and sold over-the-counter at many health food and diet stores. Though the benefits of taking these supplements has not been proven, they have been used to promote weight loss and cardiovascular health. Choosing the best green tea supplement for you is dependent on what you want to take the pill for and how often you want to take it, in addition to the amount of caffeine and polyphenols it contains. Discuss your interest in taking green tea tablets or any herbal supplements with your doctor.

Uses

• Though the benefits of green tea pills have not been scientifically proven, these tablets are commonly used for their antioxidant benefits, weight loss assistance, cancer risk reduction and potential for reducing cholesterol and preventing infections. The active ingredient in green tea and green tea tablets is called polyphenol, particularly the polyphenol EGCG. EGCG is a powerful antioxidant that may assist in creating the benefits associated with green tea and green tea supplements. Additionally, EGCG and the other polyphenols contained in green tea is thought to increase your metabolism while decreasing your appetite, encouraging weight loss.

About

• Green tea tablets are made to contain the essence of green tea without having to drink it as a tea. This helps people who take the supplement get the amount of polyphenols and EGCG they desire without having to drink multiple cups of caffeinated tea daily. Green tea tablets are made from the dried leaves of the green tea plant which are crushed and put into a capsule to take as a supplement. The concentrated tablet, which contains a large amount of polyphenols, EGCG and caffeine, can help increase weight loss potential by encouraging thermogenesis, the process which promotes fat oxidation.

Criteria

• The best green tea tablet will vary based on what you are looking to achieve with the pills. Some green tea pills contain only small amounts of green tea, which is then supplemented with a more common, less expensively grown tea leaf. When selecting a pill for its possible antioxidant and weight loss benefits, consider the amount of polyphenols in each pill. The best green tea tablets contain 400 to 800 mg of polyphenols in each pill, or have a make up of about 95 percent polyphenols. Additionally, consider whether you want additives such as ginseng or yerba mate which may also assist in weight loss -- and whether you want caffeinated or decaffeinated pills. Most green tea pills contain less caffeine than a cup of green tea.

Considerations

• The benefits of taking green tea supplements have not been medically proven. Taking any nutritional supplement while taking other medications can reduce the effectiveness of prescribed medicines. A common side effect of green tea pills is insomnia, due to the caffeine contained in the tablets.