Green Tea Weight Loss

Green tea was discovered in China approximately 4,000 years ago and is today considered tobe one of the best natural medicines. It has been used for the treatment of headaches, pains, indigestion, depression, and body aches, detoxification,and aiding the immune system. Green tea leaves are steamed, not fermented, and retain more of their nutrients and benefits.

Green tea has been associated with weight loss due to caffeine and EGCG(epigallocatechin gallate). EGCG are poly-phenolic antioxidant plant metabolitesfoundin teas, namely green tea and oolong tea, which work to increase levels of fat oxidation and thermogenesis.Thermogenesis is the body's process ofgenerating heat and increasing metabolism to burn calories. Originally thought by researchers that the caffeine was the soul provider of energy output, it was found that the other active ingredients in green tea had to play a role since the caffeine alone could not be responsible for all the benefits at work. Some studies suggest that EGCG in the green tea also help to inhibit the movement of glucose into fat cells and help to regulate glucose by slowing the rise in blood sugar after a meal. There is some debate as to which tea, green (one of the famous is ultra lean green) or oolong (also widely known as Wu-Yi), contains the most concentration of EGCG. Together these work to increase metabolism, burn fat, block conversion of energy into fat, regulate blood sugar levels and reduce food cravings.

A University of Chicago study in 2000 found that rats consumed less food only when injected with green tea extract and no affect occurred when they drank the green tea. Green Tea extract and green tea pills make the benefits of green tea easier to obtain the health benefits that green tea has to offer in a concentrated form. The general consensus for the best green tea is made with loose green tea, being naturally flavorful and not needing anything added to it for flavor. Although it is not a diet that will train a person to eat correctly or take off the weight quickly, it may be considered an aid in weight loss to good nutrition and exercise.

There may be disadvantages to using green tea as a diet, such as the fact that it won't take off the weight in huge amounts in little time, and one should be careful regarding the amount of caffeine--which may worsen other health conditions. A way around this may be to use a green tea extract such as in supplement pill form, since most green tea extracts are made by using a decaffeinated tea and may be found at a health food store or natural grocery. One should be cautious also that not many studies have been done concerning green tea and its benefits or dangers.

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