Green tea is an ancient Chinese tea that has become very popular in the last few years. It is made from the Camellia sinensis plant.
Black tea and oolong tea are made from the same plant. However, unlike the the black and oolong varieties which are fermented, green tea is made by steaming young, fresh leaves.
This causes it to retain more antioxidants and nutrients than other teas, and is why green tea offers so many health benefits.
Benefits of Green Tea
It is claimed that green tea can help treat a large number of ailments including headaches, depression, high cholesterol, heart disease, arthritis, infections and even cancer.
A study by Purdue University concludes that a component of green tea actually hinders the growth of cancer cells! Because of all these health benefits, green tea has become a phenomenon that has reached around the world.
The reason green tea is so effective in aiding loss is due to the powerful antioxidants it contains, called catechin polyphenols.
One of these antioxidants in particular, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has the ability to stimulate the metabolism and help the body burn more fat.
This is a huge benefit for anyone trying to lose . One recent study shows that drinking green tea can boost the metabolism by up to 4% overnight.
Green Tea ingredients
Although green tea contains caffeine, it has about one-fifth the amount of coffee. This lower amount of caffeine, when combined with the other ingredients of green tea, produces great loss benefits without the negative side effects that can be caused by too much caffeine.
Another benefit green tea provides for those trying to lose is that is slows the rise of blood sugar in the body. This helps regulate glucose levels and makes it harder for the body to store fat.
Green tea is also an effective appetite suppressant and helps lower stress.
But the benefits of green tea don’t end there. Several studies have shown that green tea can boost your energy and increase endurance by up to 24%.
This means green tea can provide the energy to help you exercise longer.
The ability to exercise more leads to building more muscles, which boosts your metabolism even higher! The end result is more calories burned which translates into greater loss!
How to take Green Tea
So, how do you get these great results for yourself? Studies reveal that regularly drinking four to five cups of green tea every day can produce excellent results.
In fact, this can help your body burn an extra 70-80 calories per day (or about seven pounds a year), without exercise. Now, you certainly can’t depend on green tea, alone, for all your loss, but it can provide a significant boost to your efforts.
Although green tea provides a wealth of great benefits, it certainly isn’t a magical drink! However, with consistent use, a healthy diet and a good exercise program, green tea can definitely help you achieve your loss goals.
Related Blogs
- Related Blogs on Fitness