Ultra Green Tea Diet

While green tea is celebrated for its health benefits and powerful antioxidant properties, it is also noted for its assistance with weight loss. Lester A. Mitsche and Victoria Dolby, authors of "The Green Tea Book: China's Fountain of Youth" claim that the tea's caffeine boosts the metabolic rate, which aids weight loss. Brands like "Ultra Green Tea" offer a supplement which claims to be a nearly miraculous diet aid.

The Pros

• Being on the Ultra Green Tea diet has its advantages. For one, you're not busy brewing and drinking tea all the time, but instead taking an appetite-suppressing supplement that comes in a convenient mix form once a day. There is no dietary or exercise component of this diet. According to the manufacturer, you can eat what you like, skip exercise, and yet still lose weight.

The Cons

• The ultra green tea diet has not been approved by the FDA. The active ingredients of Ultra Green Tea are Citrimax or Advantra Z, which claim to affect your metabulism and the way that fat is burned, yet there is a lack of scientific evidence to prove that they have any effect whatsoever on weight loss. Ultra lean green tea also costs significantly more than a box of tea, averaging around $27.99 for a box.

Risks

• Keep in mind that while some people have had success with the Ultra Green tea diet, it is not approved by the FDA, which makes it an "unregulated supplement." Taking unregulated supplements could pose a potential risk to your health, so always speak to your doctor before starting this diet or any other diet plan.

  Also beware of signing up online for "free trials" of the ultra green tea diet. Some customers have had difficulty getting their money back if dissatisfied.