Green tea is widely believed to help with weight management due to its composition, which is roughly made up of 35% polyphenols, specifically catechins. These natural antioxidants have been shown to have various health benefits, including aiding in weight loss. Don your lycra, pop the kettle on, let's get shredded!
Chemical constituents of green tea leaves (% of dried leaf) The science behind green tea and weight loss. Source
In researching this article, we found a video essay that delves into the topic of green tea and weight loss. It's well worth a watch if you have nine minutes to spare.
The short version is that green tea has a small but favourable benefit for weight loss. Here’s how:
Increasing your metabolic rate
The grossly over-simplified version is that the catechins in green tea help to increase the presence of a chemical called norepinephrine. This, in turn, slightly increases the number of calories our body uses. Additionally, green tea contains caffeine, which is known to raise the metabolic rate. Together, these components might raise energy expenditure by about 4%, according to this study:
Catechin- and caffeine-rich teas for control of body weight in humans
Enhancing fat oxidation
Chemicals such as catechins, norepinephrine, and caffeine present in or enhanced by green tea send a message to the nervous system telling it to mobilise more fat as an energy source. This process is usually activated in our fight or flight response, specifically targeting the abdominal area. Increased fat oxidation means your body is more efficient at burning fat for energy, which can help reduce body fat over time.
Limiting nutrient absorption
Green tea catechins inhibit one of the key digestive enzymes that help break down carbohydrates. One study found that drinking tea while eating a carbohydrate-rich meal, like rice, reduced glucose absorption by 25%. Essentially, if the carbs aren’t absorbed into your blood as glucose, you’ll poop them out, avoiding the dreaded glucose spikes that are often problematic for those struggling with weight.
Suppressing appetite
This might be the benefit you're more familiar with, especially since ‘green tea’ is often mentioned alongside ‘intermittent fasting’. In layman’s terms, ghrelin is the hunger hormone – the more ghrelin you have in your system, the hungrier you’ll feel. The catechins in green tea are known to reduce ghrelin levels. A study showed that 12 weeks of treatment with high-dose green tea extract resulted in significant weight loss, reduced waist circumference, and improved lipid profiles without any side effects or adverse events in women with central obesity.
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial
Practical tips for using green tea for weight loss
If you’re looking for a tailwind in your journey towards losing a few kilos of fat, particularly from the more health-problematic belly area, why not try drinking a few cups of green tea per day? The benefits seem to stack high against any risks. Here are some tips to get the most out of your green tea imbibing:
- Consistency is key: Drinking green tea regularly can help you maintain a steady level of catechins and caffeine in your body the things that might enhance the weight loss benefits.
- Timing matters: Drinking green tea before meals can help reduce your appetite and limit the absorption of carbohydrates.
- Choose quality: Opt for high-quality green tea to ensure you’re getting a good dose of catechins. We have you covered with our great range of green teas.
Final thoughts
Green tea offers a variety of benefits that can aid in weight loss but it’s by no means a magic bullet! Incorporating a few cups into your day seems to be an easy way to give you a shove in the right direction.