Weight Loss Benefits of Green Tea

If you are looking for an easier and healthier way to lose and maintain your weight, the answers may lie in your own kitchen cabinet. Green tea, associated with cultures such as Asia and the Middle East, is known to have many healing properties, including both the ability to increase metabolism as well as weight loss.

History

• Although it has recently become very popular in the West, green tea originally became popular in China many centuries ago--and over time it has been used for medicinal purposes in China, Japan, India and other Asian countries for centuries. Green tea is known to assist the digestive tract, increase energy and cure other physical ailments.

Types

• Camellia sinensis are the leaves that form green tea. A variety of green teas exist on the market today--all depending on the areas in which the green tea is grown as well as the climate. However, the most popular consumable green teas in the Western Hemisphere include Chinese Green Tea, Japanese Green Tea (including Bancha and Sencha), Green Tea from Ceylon and Kahwah.

Benefits

• In addition to weight management, green tea is known to have many other benefits for the human body. Increased immune support, cognitive functions and anti-cancer benefits are just a few advantages of green tea. Various clinical trials show that green tea actually increases metabolism by speeding up fat oxidation and improving insulin sensitivity. The catechin polyphenols that are in green tea also speed up thermogenesis--the rate in which the body burns calories.

Expert Insight

• Both local and international studies have been administered to prove that green tea has an effect on weight loss. These studies included both sipping tea as well as the green tea pill. It is recommended, however, that green tea is not the cure for obesity. Proper diet and regular exercise must accompany green tea in order for it to be effective.

Misconceptions

• There have been many scientific studies completed using green tea. Web MD references a number of studies performed on mice--studies in which consumption of up to seven cups of green tea had significant effect on weight loss in mice. Nonetheless, many of the results are inconclusive and need more studies to prove its effects.