• Complementary and Alternative Medicine
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Green Tea and Weight Loss: How Antioxidants in Tea Can Improve Weight Loss

Weight loss can often feel like an uphill battle, especially when diets and workouts don’t seem to show results. However, natural beverages like green tea could help boost your efforts.

Green tea has been enjoyed for centuries. The powerful antioxidant compounds in green tea may support fat-burning, enhance your metabolism, and strengthen your immune system.

If you’ve been struggling to shed those extra pounds, adding green tea to your daily routine could help you meet your weight loss goals.

In this article, we’ll explore how green tea may help with weight loss and its other health benefits.

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What is Green Tea?

Green tea is made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. This plant also produces black and oolong tea. What sets green tea apart from these other varieties is how the leaves are processed. 

After harvesting, the leaves are quickly steamed or pan-fried, which preserves their natural green color and maintains more of the plant’s beneficial compounds. 

Some of the main compounds in green tea include:

• Catechins: A type of antioxidant and polyphenol that helps prevent cell damage and prevent the development of certain cancers.

• Caffeine: Green tea contains a moderate amount of caffeine, although less than coffee. A cup of green tea contains around 25 to 45 milligrams (mg) of caffeine.

• L-theanine: This is an amino acid that promotes relaxation without causing drowsiness.

• Vitamins and minerals: Green tea contains vitamin C, B vitamins, folate, potassium, magnesium, and manganese.

• Antioxidants (flavonoids): This tea is rich in flavonoids, powerful antioxidants that help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in the body.

Green tea comes in several different forms that you can consume: 

• Green tea leaves: These are the most traditional and widely available forms of green tea. Several popular varieties are differentiated based on how they are processed and where they’re grown. Green tea leaves are typically steeped in hot water to make a tea you can drink.

• Green tea extract: Green tea extracts are concentrated forms of green tea available in capsules, powder, or liquid form. It’s made by isolating catechins and other key active compounds from green tea leaves. This promotes the effects of beneficial compounds in green tea.

• Green tea bags: This form of green tea offers a convenient way to enjoy green tea. They are made from finely chopped green tea leaves that are packaged for convenience. Green tea bags can be steeped in hot water for a quick brew.

• Ready-to-drink green tea: Bottled green teas are pre-made beverages — often sweetened or flavored —and available for purchase in stores.

Does Consuming Green Tea Help with Weight Loss?

Green tea consumption has been linked to weight loss due to its unique combination of antioxidants — particularly catechins and caffeine  — both of which can contribute to weight loss.

Boosting metabolism

Green tea may increase the body’s metabolic rate — which can help you burn more calories throughout the day — even while the body is at rest. This is due to the catechin epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). 

EGCG can help boost thermogenesis — a process where your body generates heat by burning calories. By increasing thermogenesis, green tea helps the body use more energy which can contribute to fat loss over time.

Enhancing fat oxidation

You may experience an increase in the body’s ability to oxidize fat while drinking green tea. The caffeine in green tea works with EGCG to enhance fat oxidation. This helps the body break down fat and use it as energy. 

This is particularly beneficial during exercise. Those who consume green tea before physical activity may burn more fat during workouts, which can help with overall fat loss and improve body composition (the percentage of fat and muscle in the body).

The active compounds in green tea help to increase the effectiveness of certain fat-burning hormones, which can break down more fat.

Increasing energy levels

Green tea has been linked to enhanced physical performance that can help with weight loss.

The caffeine content in green tea increases energy levels, allowing you to have longer, more intense workouts. When combined with its fat oxidation benefits, drinking green tea before exercise can improve the body’s ability to use fat as fuel.

Reducing appetite

While the exact mechanism isn’t entirely clear, catechins in green tea may influence the hormones that regulate hunger to help reduce overall food intake. Green tea may reduce your appetite, which can help with calorie control and weight loss. 

Providing a low-calorie alternative

Green tea is a low-calorie beverage, making it a great substitute for sugary drinks like sodas or juices. 

By swapping out calorie-dense drinks for green tea, you can reduce your overall calorie intake, which helps with weight loss over time. 

Additionally, green tea’s moderate caffeine content can provide energy without the added calories from sugary drinks.

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Other Health Benefits of Green Tea

Green tea offers a wide array of other health benefits. This makes it a popular beverage not just for its flavor, but also for its positive effects on the body.

Regulating blood sugar

Green tea has been shown to regulate blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity. Health experts believe catechins in green tea have a beneficial effect on glucose metabolism and enhance the body’s response to insulin.

Protecting bone health

Green tea may also help you maintain stronger bones and guard against osteoporosis, particularly as we age. This is due to the anti-inflammatory properties in the vitamins and minerals in green tea.

Preventing heart disease

Regular consumption of green tea may lower your risk of cardiovascular diseases — including heart attacks and strokes — particularly because it reduces cholesterol levels in the body.

Managing blood pressure

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Green tea has been shown to regulate blood pressure levels.

Improving brain function

The caffeine and L-theanine in green tea may improve brain function by enhancing mood, reaction time, and memory. The combination of caffeine and L-theanine results in a more stable energy boost without the jitteriness associated with coffee.

Supporting gut health

Green tea has mild antimicrobial properties that may support gut health by preventing the growth of harmful bacteria. It may also reduce gastrointestinal inflammation and discomfort.

Who Should Avoid Green Tea?

While this tea is generally considered safe and beneficial for most people, certain individuals should avoid or limit their green tea intake due to potential side effects or medication interactions. 

People who should exercise caution when drinking green tea include:

• People with caffeine sensitivity: Those sensitive to caffeine may experience insomnia, anxiety, or heart palpitations because of the small amount of caffeine in green tea.

• Pregnant women: Due to its caffeine content, pregnant or breastfeeding women should limit their intake of green tea. Excessive caffeine consumption during pregnancy can increase the risk of miscarriage or preterm labor. Additionally, excessive green tea consumption may interfere with the absorption of folic acid — an essential nutrient during pregnancy.

• People taking blood thinners: Vitamin K in green tea can interfere with the effectiveness of blood-thinning medications like warfarin. It promotes blood clotting which can work against the action of blood thinners.

• Individuals with iron deficiency or anemia: Tannins in green tea can interfere with the absorption of iron found in plant-based foods. Drinking too many cups of green tea may worsen iron deficiency or anemia.

Where Can I Learn More About Weight Loss?

If you are struggling with weight loss, the LifeMD Weight Management Program can help. 

The LifeMD Weight Management Program offers access to licensed healthcare providers, weight loss medications like GLP-1s, and lab testing, if clinically appropriate.

Schedule your appointment today to learn more about how to get started on your weight loss journey.

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