A Brief History of Green Tea
Green tea has a long history of use in Chinese medicine.Green and black tea comes from the same plant Camellia sinensis but the difference is in the processing. Green tea is dried, but not fermented. The shorter processing gives green tea a lighter flavor than black tea. Green Tea’s special processing is what helps keep all the beneficial chemicals intact, which is why green tea is so good for you.
Benefits of green tea for weight loss
In this particular green tea weight loss study, oolong tea or green tea extract (an extract is more concentrated than just drinking it on its own) resulted in an increase in energy used by the body of 3-4% (on average). The Linus Pauling Institute say this effect of green tea weight loss is "apparently due to increased fat oxidation and thermogenesis". Thermogenisis refers to energy used in heat production that is not related to resting metabolism or physical activity.
This increased fat metabolism is what is of most interest to people wanting to lose weight. It simply means the rate at which you burn calories and the body's ability to burn fat. The studies seem to point to a connection between the caffeine in green tea and the epigallocatechin gallate which causes a boost in noradrenaline. Noradrenaline helps your body boost your metabolism and suppress your appetite.
Green tea may help reduce cavities and prevent tooth decay. Gargling with green tea may help ward off flu viruses.
Green tea may also help prevent some types of cancers, as well as prevent certain diseases. Green tea - as well as all teas, are natural, calorie free, fat free - as long as you don't add milk, sugar, honey, cream, artificial flavorings - etc. Tea is delicious and makes a great beverage whether hot or cold. And green tea, as well as oolong tea, just might help boost metabolism.
Weight is gained as excess sugars and fats are stored in the body as fat cells. Green tea catechins can help prevent obesity by inhibiting the movement of glucose in fat cells. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has been found to be especially effective. There is now good evidence that green tea catechins are related to reductions in body fat.
EGCG is a powerful antioxidant with positive qualities but a balanced diet and exercise, lots of it, are of paramount importance to any weight reduction program.
Regardless, 70-80 calories per day does not quite come close to the 500 calorie deficit needed per day to lose a pound a week, and for sure it's nowhere close to the calorie deficit needed to lose "inches per week" from one's waistline as some green tea web sites would have consumers believe. According to the research, if a person were to change nothing outside of adding five cups of green tea to their diet per day, then over the course of 43 days one could expect to lose 1 pound. Over the period of one year, one could expect a loss of about 8 pounds. Yes, there is some correlation between green tea and weight loss; unfortunately it's not on the level many would have you believe.
Your natural metabolism rate is largely determined by the amount of muscles you carry. Most diets fail because they help you lose the wrong kind of weight! Losing muscles cause your metabolism to slow down. When you finally start eating, you find yourself piling on fats more easily.
