Green Tea – more than a cuppa

After water, tea is closely followed as the nations most chosen beverage (some would argue its booze, but I assure you it’s not! 🙂 ) And among all the varieties of teas’ out there lining supermarket shelves, it’s green tea that gets the health halo. It’s been linked to weight loss as well as many other benefits. Why, it’s also the preferred choice of fitness fanatics and super models alike, but is it really everyone’s cup of tea? (pun intended!) So let’s have a look at the reasons why people jump on the bandwagon and make a special effort to sip the green stuff.

What is green tea?

Green tea, oolong tea and black tea all come from the same plant – it’s the way its fermented that sets them apart. Green tea is unfermented, oolong is semi fermented and black tea is fermented. The good stuff in green tea is the antioxidants (catechins) Catechins may prevent cellular damage that leads to cancer and protects against inflammation. Researchers say that drinking just three cups a tea may be enough to get the benefits.

Green Tea for weight loss

Now you’re sitting up aren’t you?! If weight loss is one of your top health goals, then this stuff may help. Some studies show that substances in green may offer several weight loss promoting effects, like speeding up your metabolism and suppressing  hunger. And although this anti-oxidant brew won’t help you shed pounds on its own, there’s some evidence to suggest that drinking green tea may support your weight loss efforts.

Is Green Tea safe for weight loss?

While green tea is likely to agree with most people, guzzling more than five cups could lead to side effects such as headaches, sleep problems and irregular heartbeats. Boffins say this is because like other teas, it still contains caffeine. So the rule here is drink in moderation.

Should you use Green Tea for weight loss?

Including or moderately increasing green tea in your diet can yield some weight loss benefits without causing negative health effects. But in order to experience significant weight loss, it’s important to combine it with a healthy diet with regular exercise. Green tea should enhance your weight loss efforts so it can only be a good thing!

I know for some, green tea will be an acquired taste – it certainly was for me. But there are loads of green teas out there –  some just plain, others with lemon or jasmine in it. Experience with them until you find one that suits your palate and then drink up. It’s certainly worth a try if the stuff has so many benefits! 🙂