Drinking green tea for weight loss may work better for some than others. The reason being everyone’s body is unique, and so are our diet needs.
Green tea can help you lose weight as it contains compounds that speed up metabolism and increase calorie burning.
Some studies show that the caffeine in green tea helps improve metabolism which helps in weight loss.
This article will answer many of your questions surrounding whether green tea is good for weight loss. We’ll also include findings from various studies so you can make an informed decision on this matter.
Is Green Tea Best for Weight Loss?
Green tea is among the healthiest beverages. It contains catechins and caffeine, which research suggests boost metabolism and increase fat burning.
Catechins are polyphenols with potent antioxidant properties.
According to a recent study, green tea’s compounds impact weight management. This study found green tea to stimulate weight loss in overweight people.
So for successful weight loss results, you should use green tea alongside other weight loss strategies.
How Green Tea Can Help You Lose Weight
Green tea contains several health-promoting compounds, including caffeine, catechins, flavonols, and theaflavin. These compounds promote weight loss by:
- Elevating your metabolic rate
- Increasing fat oxidation
- Stimulating energy expenditure
- Improving insulin activity
When it comes to weight loss, consistency is crucial. Those who consume green tea for 12 weeks are more likely to lose an average of 2.9 pounds.
Alternatively, drinking green tea over 24 hours equals about 75 to 100 calories. While you can, you can lose weight through working out and eating healthy; including green tea to your weight loss regime works wonders.
Green tea works as a very effective natural stimulator to speed up the weight loss process.
The numerous antioxidants and nutrients present in green tea come in handy in improving your body’s ability to burn energy.
A high concentration of energy of vitamins and minerals present in green tea provides plenty of health benefits to your body.
Unlike black tea, green tea does not undergo an oxidation process; hence it’s healthier. The compounds present in green tea help combat cell-damaging free radicals in the body.
This boosts your immunity while catechins boost mentalism that aid in weight loss.
Benefits of Green Tea for Weight Loss
The health benefits of green tea have made it a popular beverage globally in recent years, especially as a weight loss product. Here’s how green tea can help you lose weight.
Boosts Your Metabolic Rate
Green tea contains catechins, a vast range of antioxidants that act as metabolism boosters.
The human body performs many activities that require energy, and taking green tea extracts makes your body burn more calories at an enhanced rate.
One study shows that green tea intake increases the metabolic rate by 3 to 4%. However, the rate at which green tea boosts metabolism may vary from one person to another.
Increases Fat Burning
The effect of green tea is relatively fair when it comes to losing fats. The caffeine in green tea stimulates the fat-burning process and improves exercise performance, and caffeine also burns subcutaneous fat that lodges under your skin.
Continuous use of green tea helps the loss of harmful visceral fats. Reduced fat reduces the risk factors for type 2 diabetes and systolic diabetes.
Metabolizes Fats from Fat Cells
Before the fat moves into the bloodstream, your body must first break the fat down into fat cells.
Green tea’s active antioxidants and nutrients help significantly mobilize fats into fat cells, and green tea does this by increasing the activity of fat-burning hormones.
The green tea catechins increase the effect of the noradrenaline hormone to promote the breakdown of fat, and eventually, the fat cells released into the bloodstream convert into energy that aids in weight loss.
Contains Substances That Can Help You Lose Fat
One study found that people who consume green tea before exercise are at an advantage of losing more than 17% fat.
Green tea catechins increase fat burn during exercise and while resting.
Green tea elevates the body’s metabolic rate hence increasing fat oxidation. This whole process improves the body’s insulin activity.
Makes You Consume Fewer Calories
Consuming green tea makes you consume fewer calories, leading to weight loss as your appetite decreases gradually.
Green tea has the effect of increasing calorie intake and making you lose more fat.
As much as this may not affect your food intake routine, it reduces the amount of fat in food by a considerable percentage.
How Much Green Tea Should I Drink for Weight Loss?
How much green tea one should drink varies significantly from one individual to another, and it majorly depends on their natural metabolism and how much caffeine they take.
However, drinking 2 to 3 cups of green tea within 24 hours is sufficient to trigger weight loss.
Although green tea is a natural diuretic ideal for your body’s overall wellness, you should take it in moderation.
Green tea is possibly not safe when consumed in high doses, and it can cause the following side effects due to caffeine.
- Irregular heartbeats
- Insomnia
- Headaches
- Nervousness
- Ringing in the ears
- Diarrhea and vomiting
- Convulsions
- Heartburn
- Dizziness
However, these side effects affect individuals sensitive to caffeine or tannins.
Best Time to Drink Green Tea for Weight Loss
The numerous compounds present in green tea prevent the absorption of essential minerals. Therefore, it is best to drink green tea between meals.
Some people prefer to drink their green tea at the beginning of the day, while others take it late before sleeping.
It all narrows down to one’s personal preference. You can drink green tea depending on your routine.
All you need to remember is that it inhibits mineral intake, and it can cause insomnia when absorbed right before going to bed.
Drinking green tea right after meals is not correct. Since green tea interferes with the process of protein digestion, you should also avoid having green tea while on an empty stomach.
Green tea contains potent polyphenols that increase stomach acid production, resulting in ulcers.
Which is the Best Green Tea for Weight Loss?
If you’re drinking green tea for weight loss, it’s imperative to note that some green tea varieties have better results than others.
If you intend to lose weight, you might want to consider using Matcha green tea.
Matcha green tea contains a large amount of theanine antioxidants. This antioxidant helps control and regulate the production of the hormone cortisol (the stress hormone) this aids in the weight loss process.
Other reasons why the Matcha green tea is best for weight loss are:
- It enhances the burning of fats
- Cuts on cravings
- Reduces calorie intake
- Balances blood sugars in the body
- Matcha enhances metabolism.
Matcha is a good choice for weight loss as it is effective. For more details, see our comprehensive guide on the best brands of green tea for weight loss.
Can Green Tea Help You Lose Belly Fat?
Unfortunately, green tea does not enhance spot reduction. When you take green tea for weight loss, it burns calories in your entire body and not only the belly. Apart from your midsection, you will notice fat loss in different body parts.
However, it does not mean that you cannot lose belly fat by drinking green tea. Having the correct weight loss diet alongside green tea will make you lose weight and lose fat in your midsection.
Green tea has excellent health benefits as it has many nutrients. Catechins in green tea inhibit carbohydrate digestion absorption, which plays a huge role in losing belly fat.
After How Long Will You Begin Losing Weight After Drinking Green Tea?
After using green tea for weight loss, most individuals look forward to positive results. In 2010, researchers found out that people who take up to 4 cups of green tea within 24 hours are more likely to lose 5.5 pounds over eight weeks.
Preparing and using your green tea also plays a significant role in your weight loss journey.
It would be best if you choose the right additions for your green tea as they can hinder the effectiveness of this beverage.
In addition to drinking green tea, you should also exercise and practise healthy eating for faster results.
Conclusion
From being used as a medicinal herb to being the world’s healthy powerhouse, green tea extract is among the most popular weight loss supplements.
Green tea will always be a great start if you have difficulties sticking to a healthy eating plan.
Skipping meals will not help you lose weight. Incorporating other weight loss plans alongside green tea will help you cut off unnecessary weight.
- Healthline.com. (October 15, 2018). How Green Tea Can Help You Lose Weight. healthline.com/nutrition/green-tea-and-weight-loss.
- Timesnownews.com (March 25, 2019). How Many Cups of Green Tea Should You Drink to Lose Weight? timesnownews.com/health/article/green-tea-benefits-weight-loss-tea-how-many-cups-should-you-drink-per-day-to-lose-belly-fat-tips-to-brew-it-the-right-way/388144.
- Medical News Today. (January 8, 2018). Does Green Tea Help Weight Loss? medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320540.
- Time100.com. (March 8, 2018). Should You Drink Matcha Tea? time.com/5188377/matcha-tea-benefits/
- National Library of Medicine. (July 7,2015). Green Tea, Intermittent Sprinting Exercise, and Fat Oxidation ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4517022/.
- Utah Family Pharmacy. (January 12, 2022). Does Drinking Green Tea Cause Weight Loss?utahfamilypharmacy.com/2022/01/12/does-drinking-green-tea-cause-weight-loss/
- PubMed. (April 26,2010). Green tea catechins, caffeine and body-weight regulation pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20156466/