Everything You Need to Know About Green Tea – 10 Best Weight Loss Tips

Everything You Need to Know About Green Tea – 10 Best Weight Loss Tips

Lost in our busy schedules and meetings, we don’t even realize how much of our time is consumed in the bustling chaos each day and what’s left for us at the end. We are too busy to take a break but have we ever stopped to think that our mind and body might need it badly? Imagine how relaxing it would be to unwind in the balcony with a cup of soothing green or herbal tea after a chaotic day of work? Sounds like pure bliss. The benefits of green tea are so many that it is difficult to list in a single article. Renowned for its antioxidant properties that works wonders for the skin, it also helps in weight loss and purifying the blood.

Everything You Need to Know About Green Tea 

Know Your Tea:

One of the most widely consumed beverages around the world, it ranks just after water. The basic variation of tea- green, black and oolong all come from the same plant Camellia Sinensis.

Green Tea:

Originating in China and India, this lightly brewed beverage has the highest level of antioxidants and polyphenols because it is least processed in comparison with black and oolong. Green tea is best enjoyed in mild form and therefore it should be brewed at lower temperatures of around 80-850C. It has very low caffeine content and its anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties help in fighting various diseases such as, Type 2 diabetes, tumors, breast, pancreatic, stomach and ovarian cancer, heart ailments and obesity.

Black Tea:

Black tea is more oxidized that green and oolong tea, with a high level of caffeine content and strong flavor. For those who enjoy strong tea, they can go for black tea instead of green. Black tea in pure form, without artificial sweeteners or sugar is very low in sodium and calories that help in weight loss and keeping it under control. The polyphenols present in black tea helps protect cardiovascular diseases and treat cases of brain injury and Parkinson’s disease.

Oolong Tea:

Produced more than 400 years ago in China, oolong is one of the richest and most famous teas around the world that is relished by tea connoisseurs. It is a semi-fermented form of tea that inherits the qualities of both green and black tea. It helps prevent obesity and accelerates weight loss. It is also useful in treating diabetes, heart diseases, skin irritations, and aging skin.

How Green Tea Works in Aiding Weight Loss:

Well, just knowing that green tea helps reduce the extra pounds and jumping to try it on yourself it not a very wise decision. It is always good to get an extensive in-depth idea about the entire thing and its workings before trying it. Here, I have tried to point out some of the basic ways in which green tea stimulates the body in shedding extra calories.

Pushes Metabolic Rate:

Research shows that the “thermogenic” properties of green tea helps in accelerating the metabolism and speed up fat oxidation in the cells that helps in cutting the excess fat from the body. “Thermogenesis” is the process of burning calories by the body during the process of digestion and absorption of food.

Accelerates Calorie Burn:

The catechins present in green tea such as, epicatechin, epigallocatechin and epicatechin gallate triggers the calorie burning process in the body. In addition, the detoxifying properties of green tea help the cells to release and flush out the “bad fat” that it tends to absorb and store for the mechanism of protection.

Lower Cholesterol Level:

The high level of EGCG or epigallocatechin gallate in green tea helps in effectively lowering LDL cholesterol in blood and prevents abnormal clotting. Research shows that drinking 8-10 cups of green tea per day has a powerful impact on blood cholesterol level. Green tea helps reduce LDL or “bad” cholesterol from bloodstream while keeping HDL or “good” cholesterol intact there by protecting the heart from cardiovascular diseases.

Curb The Appetite:

The mechanism of hunger and appetite in the body is managed by a hormone called CCK or Cholecystokinin that reduces appetite. After consumption of a meal, CCK is released that signals the brain that the body has received food. Green tea triggers the release of CCK hormone that provides the feeling of satiation. This is a very powerful weapon for fighting the bulge.

10 Best Tips to Choose Your Green Tea:

While many of use seem lost in the supermarket isle among the vast variety and range of green and herbal tea, it is very important to choose the right green tea to derive its health benefits. Many green tea varieties are too strong and bitter and your first green tea experience might turn in to an unpleasant one. So, its important to choose a tea that suits you perfectly.

• Try the flavored green tea and herbal tea that are mild and have refreshing aroma. Avoid the ones with added sugar.
• Be aware of the diet tea, because most of them contain laxative agents like aloe or castor oil that can lead to nausea, diarrhea, abdominal cramping, etc.
• In order to get the full benefits of drinking green tea, you have to turn it in to a habit. Drink 3-5 cups of green tea per day. If you spent most of your time in the office, then make it a point to have enough supply of green tea in your thermos.
• Substitute your morning cup of coffee with fresh brewing tea. This way, you not only save on the calories, but get a rich doze of flavonoids.
• Cut out the sugar and milk from your tea to let it do its work effectively. In order to lose weight, you have to drink it plain.
• Drink a cup of warm green tea in the afternoon to satisfy the afternoon craving.
• Swipe the soda and soft drinks for a glass of iced tea. Instead of loading on the sugary carbonated drinks, enjoy a glass of refreshing iced green tea with your meal.
• Have a glass of cool tea before dinner. It not only fills up the stomach making you less hungry, cool tea requires extra energy and calories to be metabolized, which leads to more weight loss.
• Balance your green tea intake with a balanced and healthy diet for maximum effect. Team it with fruits, vegetables and dairy.
• Introduce variety to your green tea recipe by adding herbs, a tea spoon of honey or a dash of lemon.

So what are you waiting for? Get in to action and start brewing to fight the flab and share your green tea tips with us.