Green Tea and Weight Loss

Losing weight can be a challenge in a world where there are so many unhealthy temptations that can sidetrack even the best laid eating plan. If you're looking for a drink that can help you in your efforts to reach your target weight, you may want to consider adding organic green tea or green tea supplements to your diet as green tea and weight loss have been tied together.

Green tea health benefits continue to be discovered and range from the potential to prevent chronic disease to boosting metabolism and promoting healthy weight loss. Green tea antioxidants known as polyphenols, specifically a subgroup known as catechins, are thought to account for the metabolism-boosting, fat-burning effects associated with green tea.

In 2007 the Journal of the American College of Nutrition published a study that showed that the green tea catechin known as EGCG has the potential to increase fat metabolism in obese men. This study, along with many others, suggests that the health benefits of green tea include the natural promotion of weight loss.

Five Cups a Day
To achieve maximum fat-burning effects from green tea, it's believed you need to consume at least five glasses a day. Make it a habit to have a glass of green tea to sip on during your daily activities. Carry cold green tea with you in a thermos when you travel or when you go to the office or the health club. By continuously drinking tea throughout the day, you should be able to get sufficient quantities of green tea antioxidants needed to promote weight loss.

Substitute for Soda
This is a quick and easy way to cut back calorie intake while boosting fat burning potential. With most soft drinks containing anywhere from 100 to 150 calories per serving, those calories can quickly add up to excess weight. Green tea in its natural state has zero calories. This can add up to a significant caloric savings on a daily basis. Sipping green tea is a healthy and natural way to cut back on high-sugar soft drinks.

Combine Green and Oolong Teas
Oolong tea is another tea that's been shown to elevate the basal metabolic rate according to a study published in the American Journal of Nutrition in 2001. So effective is this tea that's it's been frequently dubbed the "weight loss tea." Drinking several glasses of oolong tea along with green tea throughout the day may further add to green tea's fat-burning capabilities.

Don't Add Sugar
One of the underappreciated health benefits of green tea is that it's calorie free. Don't offset this benefit by filling your tea glass with sugar. If you don't enjoy the taste without sweetener, add a little calorie-free sweetener. One natural, calorie-free sweetener option is Stevia, available at most natural food markets and some major grocery chains.

Drink it Caffeinated
While there are plenty of decaffeinated green tea products on the market, it's believed that caffeine works with green tea's natural antioxidants to further speed metabolism. If you tend to experience anxiety, restlessness or sleeplessness when you consume caffeine, try alternating between caffeinated and decaffeinated throughout the day, then stick with decaffeinated after 4:00pm.

Add Some Citrus
A study conducted by Purdue University and published in the Journal of Molecular Nutrition and Food Research showed that the adding citrus juice or other sources of vitamin C to green tea may raise the antioxidant levels in green tea up to five times. The addition of citrus may also help to prevent any breakdown of green tea antioxidants.

Brew it Fresh Every Time
To get the maximum dose of metabolism-boosting green tea antioxidants, drink green tea freshly brewed from tea bags or loose leaves. Avoid buying bottled green tea drinks, which are thought to have lower levels of the catechins believed to boost metabolism.

Start Your Day Right
The best way to maximize your levels of green tea antioxidants is to start your day with a hot cup of green tea. The earlier you start drinking it, the more opportunity you have to continue to sip it throughout the day, thus maximizing all its health benefits, including fat burning.

Take Green Tea Supplements
If you're finding it difficult to drink at least five cups or glasses of green tea each day, consider taking green tea supplements. Most of these supplements contain EGCG, the catechin thought to be most effective in boosting metabolism and promoting weight loss. Studies conducted using green tea supplements have shown the same green tea health benefits as drinking the actual tea.

Discover Green Tea Powder
Another way to add green tea to your diet is to use green tea powder, known as matcha. Matcha is a high quality form of green tea most known for its use in Japanese tea ceremonies. This versatile powder can be added to a variety of recipes such as soups, to ice cream or salad dressings and even used to make green tea smoothies and lattes.