Green Tea and Weight Loss

We all know the general consensus for losing weight is to consume fewer calories than we burn off in a day to help us lose weight. But it can take time so a lot of people are looking for a helping hand to help speed up the process.

One weight loss aid that is very beneficial in helping people lose weight is the traditional Green tea. Green tea is shown to have an effect on our insulin levels and help regulate them and help to lower bad cholesterol and triglycerides. It is also thought that Green Tea increases the speed of our metabolism making us burn fat quickly and even switches off the receptors in the brain that gives us the urge to eat.

Furthermore, Green Tea is overall very healthy unlike a lot of other weight loss aids. Green tea contains very potent antioxidants that help to keep our bodies healthy and free of disease by fighting harmful free radicals. A diet that is rich in Green Tea and other antioxidants has been linked to a reduction in the risk of cancer and heart diseases. So Green Tea not only helps you shed the fat but it has health benefits galore which will keep you not only slim, but healthy too.

So how does Green tea work? Studies have shown that there are three main fundamental elements in Green Tea that has been proven to have a dramatic effect on weight loss.

Caffeine

Green tea contains a much lesser amount of caffeine than Coffee or Black tea. The amount of caffeine in Green tea does not appear to have the same effects that transpire with other caffeinated products. Green tea does not cause heart palpitations or the shakes, it does however help to speed up the metabolism. Studies have shown that people who are on a low calorie diet who include caffeine in their diet on a daily basis will lose more weight than those who do not include caffeine in their diet.

Catechins

Are the antioxidants that are found in Green tea. Catechins are Polyphenolic antioxidant plant metabolites, to be specific, flavonoids called flavan-3-ols. They can be found in many plants including the coffee plant and the cocoa plant, but the best origin of catechins is from the tea plant Camellia sinensis. Green tea is considered a much better source of catechins than those from Black tea because Black tea is fermented and this changes the catechins. Green tea on the other hand, is unfermented which leaves the catechins in their natural state. Catechins are very beneficial to weight loss because they are believed to help suppress lipid (fat) absorption from food. This also helps reduce cholesterol but also helps to combat the build up of body fat.

Theanine

Is the core amino acid found in Green Tea. Theanine has a natural ability to alter mood and a sense of calm and balance in the body, it helps to release Dopamine, the chemical produced by the brain that provides a sense of tranquillity in the body. It also minimises the side effects that Caffeine can have on the body, which is why the caffeine found in Green Tea does not seem to have a great effect. While Theanine is not in itself a weight loss aid but by inducing a relaxing mood it may stop people eating as a result of feeling stressed.