Tea, Weight Loss, and Health
Sponsored Links
Tea has been credited with being able to boost metabolism to burn more calories. I’ve also seen claims that it can “melt” belly fat. Are these claims true? Can tea really make a difference for weight loss? And what about the other health benefits? One of the best reasons for drinking tea might surprise you. After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world. (Wikipedia, 2009) Beyond the soothing comfort a warm cup of brewed tea can provide, there may indeed be good reasons to make tea a preferred beverage. Teas are a source of many healthful compounds including antioxidants. But you will want to know what to purchase and how to properly prepare tea to gain the greatest benefits. Image via Wikipedia Many products are marketed as tea; however, “true tea” comes only from the plant Camellia sinensis. There are a variety of forms. Some of the more commonly known in the United States are black, green, and white tea. Each of the teas differs in the way they are processed. Black tea is the most highly processed, green tea somewhat less, and white tea the least. (Herbal teas such as peppermint or ginger are not considered to be true teas. These teas may have antioxidant properties as well but there is little in the way of research results to compare or contrast the benefits of herbal tea with tea made from the plant Camellia sinensis.) There may be a link between the amount of tea a person drinks and reduced risk for heart disease, stroke, certain kinds of cancer, and osteoporosis. The caffeine in tea along with another compound called epigallocatechin (EGCG) may in fact slightly increase your metabolism. Tea may also reduce the secretion of cortisol and improve your immunity. But just how significant are these benefits? 1. Whereas there are a number of research results that support the theory that tea reduces risk for disease, there are other well-designed studies that do not. Only time and more research will tell. My opinion is that tea can provide significant health benefits. The benefits come from the antioxidants and other healthful compounds in tea. However, the specifics of who benefits and under what circumstances has yet to be clearly determined. The benefits are not necessarily the same for everyone. 2. Although the caffeine in tea and EGCG may elevate metabolism the effect is minimal and the number of extra calories burned is small. What’s more is that many people may unconsciously compensate for the additional calories burned by eating more food. Also, it is not clear if the effect of boosting metabolic rates persists over time with continued consumption of tea. 3. Keeping cortisol levels in check is beneficial. Tea has been shown to reduce cortisol levels but the mechanism by which tea influences these levels is not yet clear. Cortisol is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands. This hormone plays an important role in protecting your body when it is released at the appropriate time (such as a temporary crisis either physical or emotional) by influencing your blood pressure and immune system. However, it can wreak havoc on your body if you are experiencing too much stress over a long period of time. Chronically raised levels of cortisol can have a negative impact on your immune system, cause sleep problems, affect blood sugar levels, and cause abdominal weight gain. 4. Tea is a source of an amino acid called theanine, which can promote a feeling of calmness. 5. As for abdominal body fat, in a recent Tufts University study (Journal of Nutrition, 2/09) overweight adults who engaged in moderate exercise (such as walking or biking) and consumed a beverage with green tea catechins (antioxidants) experienced significantly greater abdominal fat loss than those who exercised but did not consume the catechin containing beverage. Catechins are found in many plant foods but the best source of catechins is tea. Among the different forms of tea the highest concentration of catechins are found in green tea. An average cup of green tea has about 150 to 250 mg of these antioxidants. The study participants received a daily dose of 625 mg (the equivalent of about 3-4 cups of green tea). Keep in mind that exercise was an integral part of the study. The green tea catechins enhanced exercise-induced abdominal fat loss. Catechins may not have the same effect without exercise. 6. The best reason to drink tea is that it is a healthy, low calorie, and relatively low cost alternative to drinking plain water. Women need about 11 cups of water a day (read Water Wisdom! to learn more) with an average of 3 of those cups coming from food (such as fruits and vegetables). Beverages other than water can be a good source of the remaining 8 cups, without additional calories, if you choose wisely (see The Beverages you Drink May be Making You Fat! or Healthy Low Calorie Beverages) For several years or more, I had the intention of drinking 8 glasses a day of plain water. At some point I realized that I often forgot to drink the water. Plain water had lost its appeal. Then I switched to drinking 3-4 cups a day of tea in addition to plain water to help meet my needs. I’ve enjoyed exploring the many different flavors of tea and given that I like it, I have found I am more inclined to actually drink it! Here are some suggestions to help you get the most from the tea you drink: 1. Black tea is the most highly processed tea. To derive the most benefit from the antioxidants in black tea, pour boiling water over the tea leaves. 2. Both green and white teas are less processed and more fragile than black tea. Allow boiling water to cool for a minute or two before pouring it over green or white tea leaves. This will preserve more of the antioxidants. 3. Steep all teas for several minutes. Some experts suggest removing the tea leaves after 4-5 minutes to prevent the formation of a bitter flavor in the brewed tea. 4. Two to three tablespoons of citrus juice (lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit) added to a cup of tea may improve the stability of the antioxidants. Add the citrus juice after brewing the tea for 4-5 minutes to ensure the highest levels of antioxidants. 5. Adding milk to tea may interfere with antioxidant activity. 6. If you enjoy drinking iced tea, make the initial brew extra strong so you do not dilute the availability of the antioxidants when you add ice. 7. Think twice about purchasing bottled tea beverages. Research suggests commercially sold bottled tea has significantly lower levels of antioxidants than freshly brewed tea (10 to 100 times less). Tip: Carry a tea bag or two in your purse and you can easily make up a cup of tea with some hot water wherever you go. Plain tea without added sugar or other sweeteners is a healthy low calorie beverage. Whether or not drinking tea provides direct benefits for weight loss will require more research. In the meantime, there are many good reasons to choose tea. It can be an important source of fluid to meet your body’s need for water. It will help to fill you up and may reduce the tendency to snack too often or otherwise overeat. You may also derive other benefits for your health at the same time. Give it a try! Till next time, watch those calories and eat healthy food! Health weight loss Health, weight losstea true tea weight loss dieting burn fat abdominal fat health tea benefits
