Stomach & Belly Weight Loss & Tea

The tea break, a tradition in many cultures, has become a health fad. Teas of all kinds have many positive benefits, including boosting metabolism. Losing belly fat is a bonus.

Benefits

• Various studies by Dr. Swen Wolfram found that "drinking green tea decreases weight and fat mass." Caffeine and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) help the body lose weight by controlling blood sugar, burning belly fat and increasing metabolism. (Wolfram 2006)

Misconceptions

• It is has not been proved that green tea suppresses appetite. Laboratory rats that were injected with green tea did show a decrease in appetite but those that drank green tea did not. A decrease in appetite would require drinking excessive amounts of green tea. (Green Tea Weight Loss)

Effects

• The effect of green tea can be increased when accompanied by regular exercise. Laboratory experiments showed that mice that exercised and drank green tea lost 89 percent of weight gained while those that drank green tea lost 47 percent. Exercise increases the weight loss effect and helps burn stomach fat. The same study showed that drinking green tea produced better results than exercise alone. (Wolfram 2006)

Time

• Don't expect fast results. Eight pounds of weight loss per year is realistic for the normal increase in metabolism that green tea provides.

Warning

• Using a high amount of caffeine can interfere with the benefits of green tea. Using small amounts of caffeine help reap the benefits of higher metabolism and fat burning.