Green Tea for Weight Loss

I had been gaining weight from months of working from home. That led me to research ways of losing weight using green tea, and I got exciting findings, which led me to write this post for people on a similar journey.

How many cups of green tea should you drink in a day to lose weight? 2-3 cups daily is a good aim while combining it with a healthy diet and regular physical activity. There are several people I know who religiously took green tea for 60 days and managed to get rid of their ever-stubborn belly fat.

Nonetheless, I have also met those on the other side of the spectrum. Such people have taken green tea virtually all their lives with no measurable success. The love-hate relationship with green tea is one of the things that make this topic of discussion lively. Does it actually work, or is it just a case of a placebo effect?

Did you know…

• Green tea has active ingredients which increase one’s energy output while simultaneously elevating his/her metabolism?
• There are clinical uses of green tea in patients who are overweight or obese
• Green tea has proven to be beneficial in managing four types of dangerous lifestyle diseases. (Hint: it has anti-cancer properties!).
• Taking green tea without maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle is counterproductive.
• Consuming over 5 cups of green tea can trigger heart-related complications in those who are predisposed to such diseases. (Now this is shocking, right?)

Well, I thought you should know.

If you decide to take your first cup of green tea today, don’t be over-excited; you will just be joining over 158 million Americans who start each day with a cup of the magical beverage. Studies estimate that in any given year, over 80 billion cups, yes, 80 billion cups are consumed each year. It turns out that the drink is more popular than most people tend to believe.

What Is Green Tea?

Green tea is an indigenous Chinese beverage. It is obtained from Camiella siensis leaves and buds. Processing is done using a similar technique used in making other tea varieties I like to call “special tea” such as ooling and black tea. Through that, the final product retains most of the nutrients and antioxidants the plant contains.

Most people serve it hot, while others prefer taking it cold. I also know of a few who sniff it, as you would do with coke. Kidding though, what I mean is that, some people consume it in powder form, by infusing it in other foods. 

Composition of Green Tea

I am aware that I am going to lose 1% of my audience in this section with the long list of scientific terms, but I will do it anyway. Green tea has polyphenols, flavonoids and catechins. I won’t go deep into specifics, as this is not a science class. However, these are the main contents that make green tea to have tons of health benefits.

Warning: Consumption of raw unprocessed green tea can cause liver damage. Chew the leaves at your own risk!

Green Tea for Weight Loss

In the past decade, green tea has been praised highly for its potent weight loss properties. In 2015, studies show that green tea alone raked over $140 million in the global supplement industry. Furthermore, it is presently the most consumed beverage, second to water.

A cup of green tea has two calories only – so zero caloric content. Did you know that by substituting regular calorie-filled drinks with tea, any kind, can lead to a significant weight loss of up to a pound a week?

Green tea also has active ingredients such as flavonoids, caffeine, catechins, and several others. Flavonoids are a robust oxidative agent which triggers fat loss. Apart from that, it increases the body’s responsiveness to insulin, which helps in regulating sugar level in the body. Better insulin function is vital in the weight loss journey since it controls fat deposition in the body.

Apart from that, findings from several studies show that green tea is an excellent natural diuretic. That is good news, especially for those whose weight gain occurs due to fluid retention. Individuals suffering from this condition can reduce their weight by up to 19% by taking three cups of green tea daily.

The caffeine content in green tea is sufficient to make the beverage a mild stimulant. What that means is that, taking green tea before performing a physical activity, such as hitting the gym or going for a cardio session, increases energy output. Therefore, combining green tea with a regular exercise program is a dual strategy against body fat, more so the stubborn belly fat.

Findings from a study on green tea concluded that those who combined green tea with an intensive exercise program were able to lose up to 17% of their body fat. The research leads to the conclusion that most of the people who agree that green tea works are those who combine it with a healthy lifestyle, with proper dieting and regular exercise. Anyway, onto the next point.

For most people, however, green tea tends to have a modest result in weight loss. It is not the “magical formula” as portrayed in the media. Although, the bulk of the fat that green tea burns is that in the mid-section. That is good news since belly fat is known to increase insulin resistance and can trigger diabetes type 2, to those who are predisposed to the medical condition.

Best Time to Take Green Tea for Optimal Results

We have already established that taking three cups of green tea is optimal for those on a weight-loss mission. But how can you incorporate the three cups in your diet to ensure you get the maximum benefits?

After Breakfast

Taking green tea on an empty stomach is a grave mistake, more so if you suffer from acidity, since it triggers the release of gastrointestinal acid. Some people claim that taking the tea first thing in the morning makes the beverage most effective for weight loss. While that may be true, it is safer to take it after the first meal of the day since the active ingredients in the tea are highly potent, and the last thing you want on a beautiful morning is to deal with stomach complications.

Before Sleeping

Nighttime is another good time to take green tea, especially if your end goal is to lose some few pounds or maintain your current weight. The body metabolism slows down at night, and that is why most of the fat gains occur at night. However, you can change this by taking a cup of green tea, which will ensure that your metabolism remains elevated as you sleep.

30 Minutes Before Exercise

Much of the fat burning takes place while you are exercising. Why don’t you maximize this by including a green tea to your pre-workout meal?

Apart from that, the caffeine content in green tea is sufficient to increase activity levels. By taking the tea before exercising, you will be able to bump up your intensity, which will burn even more fat.

If you were to take only a single cup in a day, then this would be the time.

Little Sips Throughout the Day

I saved the best for last. It is the real deal, ladies and gentlemen, secret to our magic portion- if you may.

Little sips throughout the day are highly rewarding. Unlike the other studies on the internet, this is the first study that I officially approve. I have done it, and the results were terrific.

I usually fill my water bottle with water and add the green tea. You will always find this water bottle next to me, during my cutting phase. I won’t take all the credit for this discovery, since it is not mine. You too can join the winning team by trying this.

Cupping it up, I would like you to re-read the section starting from the last point to the first. That is the order of preference if you want to get real results.

Other Health Benefits of Green Tea:

• Reduces cholesterol
• Improves heart function
• Managing diabetes type 2 diabetes
• Has anti-cancer properties

Green tea has an array of health benefits which include an increase in mental alertness, reduction in anxiety and depression.

Medical practitioners recommend taking green tea for patients suffering from stomach disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease and diarrhea. Additionally, it has proven benefits to patients suffering from alcoholicfatty liver disease and bone loss.

The anticancer property in the tea is beneficial in managing prostate cancer, breast cancer, gastric cancer, skin cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer and tumors.

Related Questions

Am I risking my health by taking too much green tea?

While green tea is safe for the general population, taking too much may risk one’s health. It is for this reason that children are advised to take green tea intermittently, with breaks after 90-day intervals. The following groups of people should consult with their healthcare providers before taking green tea:

• Anemia and bleeding disorder patients.
• Individuals with heart-related conditions.
• Those who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
• Liver disease patients.

What are the side effects of taking green tea?

 Most of the side effects related to green tea result from over consumption of the beverage. They include dizziness, nervousness, headache and sleeping problems.

However, if you stick to two to three cups per day, you will not experience any side effects.