Are you looking for a green tea weight loss guide? You’ve come to the right place!
In this article, we’re going to be showing you how to use green tea for weight loss, how to use green tea as a fat burner and more.
Let’s get started, and answer once and for all does green tea help you lose weight. 🏋️
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Green tea weight loss 101
In this green tea weight loss guide, we’re going to answer all the most common questions like is green tea good for weight loss using green tea for dieting and how to use green tea as a fat burner.
It’s important to mention that green tea isn’t a single bullet when it comes to weight loss.
You can use green tea to lose weight but it should be part of a balanced diet and active lifestyle.
So does green tea help with weight loss? Absolutely!
Can green tea help you lose weight? Absolutely! Green tea can potentially aid in weight loss or even bloating due to its bioactive compounds, particularly catechins and caffeine.
According to a 2015 study 12 weeks of treatment with high-dose green tea extract resulted in significant weight loss, reduced waist circumference, and a consistent decrease in total cholesterol and LDL plasma levels without any side effects or adverse effects in women with central obesity.
By the way, if you are interested in finding which green teas are best for losing weight, you're going to want to read this article 👉 What’s the Best Green Tea To Lose Weight? Find Out Here
How does green tea help you lose weight
So now that we’ve covered can green tea help you to lose weight, let’s talk about why does green tea make you lose weight. There are a few compounds in green tea that make it beneficial for weight loss.
By the way, if you want to find out more about the different chemicals inside the tea leaf, you may like this article here 👉 Chemical Composition of Green Tea
Catechins
Another reason you can get weight loss from green tea has to do with catechins. Catechins are a group of natural polyphenolic compounds found in green tea, with epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) being the most prominent. EGCG has garnered attention for its potential role in weight management.
Studies have indicated that EGCG can enhance metabolism by increasing the rate at which your body burns calories. It does this by promoting a process called thermogenesis, where your body generates heat and burns energy, primarily in the form of stored fat.
Caffeine
The caffeine can also help green tea lose weight when you drink it. Caffeine, albeit in a moderate amount compared to coffee, is another component of green tea that supports weight management.
Caffeine acts as a mild stimulant, leading to increased alertness and energy expenditure. It can stimulate the release of norepinephrine, a hormone that plays a role in breaking down fat cells, releasing them into the bloodstream for energy production.
If you want to become an expert on the caffeine in different types of green teas, we recommend you read this guide 👉 Does Green Tea Have Caffeine? We Reveal the Truth
Antioxidants and Polyphenols
When it comes to green tea and weight loss, polyphenols are another huge benefits. These antioxidants and polyphenols offer multiple health benefits, including potential assistance in weight control.
These compounds can help regulate blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity. When your body responds to insulin more efficiently, it can reduce cravings for sugary or high-calorie foods, helping you maintain a balanced diet. By stabilizing blood sugar and minimizing fat storage, green tea's antioxidants and polyphenols play a role in weight management and preventing excessive weight gain.
Benefits of green tea weight loss
So now that we’ve covered how green tea helps in weight loss, let’s go through of the tangible benefits of green tea weight loss. You’ll find that not only does green tea assist in weight loss, it can also have some far-reaching benefits for the entire body.
By the way, if you want to learn more about the benefits of green tea, we put together a whole guide to explain it 👉 Green Tea Benefits and Why You Should Drink it Everyday
Cholesterol
In addition to using green tea for weight loss, you can also use it for cholesterol. Green tea can help with cholesterol levels primarily by reducing the amount of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, often referred to as "bad" cholesterol, in the bloodstream.
The catechins in green tea have been shown to inhibit the absorption of cholesterol in the digestive tract, thereby lowering LDL levels. Additionally, green tea can help raise the levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, often termed "good" cholesterol, which has a protective effect on the cardiovascular system. By regulating cholesterol levels, green tea promotes heart health and lowers the risk of atherosclerosis and heart disease
Fat Oxidation
So how does green tea assist in weight loss? One answer comes down to fat oxidation. Green tea's high catechin content, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), supports fat oxidation. These compounds promote the breakdown of fat stored in fat cells and facilitate its release into the bloodstream for energy production.
This process, known as thermogenesis, increases calorie expenditure, allowing the body to use stored fat for energy. Consequently, green tea enhances the body's ability to burn fat, making it a valuable component of weight management strategies and efforts to reduce body fat.
You may be wondering if green tea provides any calories of its own, and for that answer you can read our article 👉 What You Need to Know about Green Tea Calories
Metabolism
So how else does green tea help lose weight? It can also increase metabolism! Green tea can boost metabolism by increasing the rate at which your body burns calories.
The combination of caffeine and EGCG in green tea contributes to this effect. Caffeine acts as a mild stimulant, increasing energy expenditure, while EGCG enhances fat oxidation. The result is an elevation in the number of calories burned by the body, even at rest.
Insulin Sensitivity
Finally, is green tea good for weight loss when it comes to kicking those food cravings? Green tea's antioxidants and polyphenols can improve insulin sensitivity, a crucial factor in maintaining blood sugar levels.
When your body responds to insulin efficiently, it can transport glucose from the bloodstream into cells, helping regulate blood sugar levels. Improved insulin sensitivity also reduces cravings for sugary or high-calorie foods, promoting better appetite control.
Best green tea to lose weight
So now that we’ve talked about how you can get weight loss from green tea, let’s talk about the best green tea to lose weight! Here are two of our favorites:
Matcha
Of course no guide about green tea and weight loss would be complete without mentioning matcha powder. Matcha is essentially made from powdered tea leaves. This tea powder is mixed directly into water, making it very different from other tea types that are infused.
When you drink this tea, you are consuming the entire leaf, along with all of its caffeine, theanine and antioxidants. Now that we know these compounds are how green tea helps in weight loss, it’s easy to see why matcha is the top of our list.
For more information about matcha, you can read our complete encyclopedia 👉 What is Matcha? The one and only Matcha-Encyclopedia
Gyokuro
Because we’ve said that caffeine is one of the keys to green tea weight loss, we thought we’d mention another high caffeine tea on this list. Gyokuro is made from tea plants that have been shaded for 3 weeks before the harvest. During this time, the tea plant develops more caffeine and theanine.
People that drink gyokuro report having a longer lasting, calm alert feeling throughout the day. This of course can help you raise your metabolism and calorie expenditure throughout the day.
Gyokuro is a unique and fascinating type of Japanese green tea, and if you want to learn more about it, we recommend you read this article here 👉 Gyokuro Definition: Name Origins & What the Gyokuro Meaning is
How much green tea should I drink to lose weight
So How much green tea should i drink to lose weight? Anywhere between 1-6 cups of green tea per day is considered to be healthy. When it comes to green tea weight loss, t’s best not to overdo it.
In the end, using green tea for weight loss will take some time, so it’s best to stick to a routine you can enjoy and maintain for a longer time.
Green tea for dieting
It’s best to think of green tea as part of your diet. Instead of drinking a cup of soda or juice during the day, try drinking a cup of green tea instead!
This will not only lower your total calorie intake for the day, it will also help you take advantage of the many benefits of green tea weight loss.
Green tea as a fat burner
If you want to use green tea as a fat burner, it is easier than you think! All you need to do is drink a cup or two of green tea before moderate exercise, even something as small as a brisk walk.
There have been studies that have showed a significant increase in calorie burn and fat oxidation by simply drinking a cup of green tea before 30 minutes of moderate exercise.
Green tea weight loss pills
So we’ve talked about using green tea for weight loss, but what about green tea weight loss pills? It’s best to avoid these and stick to the real deal! Not only does green tea taste great, it might also have benefits beyond what a pill can provide.
When the compounds in foods are isolated, they often don’t have the same effect as when they are consumed in their whole food form. It also makes it easier to get too much of one compound, and the regulations are much looser when it comes to the supplement world.
