How to lose weight with green tea
Green tea is one of the most highly recommended beverages for anyone that’s trying to get their health in check while losing weight. Because green tea is so full of rich nutritional components and antioxidants that are good for your health, more and more people are starting to use green tea as a result of its associated health benefits.
Although green tea only recently became mainstream in modern society, the truth is that ancient communities all over the world have been using green tea for medicinal purposes for centuries. In particular, Chinese medical practitioners used it (and still do today) to treat various illnesses, from simple headaches to wound healing and boosting one’s metabolism.
More recently, however, people are starting to use green tea for weight loss. So let’s take a deep dive at how people use this wonderful beverage to get in shape and trim excess fat levels.
Green tea and weight loss: Does it really work?
The good news? Green tea does help people lose weight. How, you ask? Green tea aids weight loss by boosting your body’s metabolism level. When you drink green tea, it causes your metabolism to become more efficient.
Green tea contains important components such as caffeine, as well as a type of flavonoid known as catechin. Catechin is an antioxidant compound that helps the body break down excess fat. Catechin is also vital because it boosts one’s energy levels, thus causing the fat to melt a lot faster than usual.
A small study conducted in 2010 found that green tea, as a result of the catechins and caffeine it contains, has a small but encouraging impact on weight loss.
When you combine green tea with other weight loss methods such as regular exercise and healthy eating, then one has a chance of experiencing a far greater metabolic burnout for a more positive outcome. Green tea also boasts an array of other beneficial compounds, including:
- Magnesium
- B Vitamins
- Folate
- Flavanoids
How should you drink green tea for weight loss?
It is recommended that you take at least 2 to 3 cups of hot green tea throughout your day. The exact amount of green tea required for weight loss will vary from one person to the next based on how much weight they want to lose, their natural metabolic state, and how much they currently weigh.
Please note that green tea usually comes in a variety of forms. However, if you are using green tea for your weight loss, you want to make sure that you are only sticking with minimally processed green tea that is likely to have the highest and richest nutritional content.
Green tea is generally safe to consume. However, if you have a sensitivity to caffeine, it is recommended that you talk to your dietitian first before moving forward with green tea for weight loss.
What happens when you drink green tea for weight loss?
It helps to reduce your cholesterol
Green tea, as discussed above, contains fat-burning components that increase your chances of successful weight loss. When you drink green tea, it increases fat burning as well as your metabolic rate by as much as 4%.
The caffeine in green tea also improves one’s physical performance by mobilizing the fatty tissues and transforming them into an energy source that keeps you going.
The antioxidants in green tea prevent injury
The antioxidants in green tea help ensure that one remains of sound health and mind so that they can keep pursuing their weight loss goals. More importantly, antioxidants in the body help prevent radicalization and oxidative damage, which can often lead to injury during exercise.
It helps to improve brain function
If you’ve ever tried working out on little to no sleep, then you might already understand just how important it is for your brain to function properly when you are attempting to lose weight.
Green tea helps to keep you alert so that you can easily concentrate on the task at hand. The key active ingredient that keeps your energy levels strong and stimulated is caffeine. At the same time, the caffeine in green tea can also act to promote your mood, reaction time, as well as one’s memory levels.
Weight loss green tea recipe
Excessive weight gain has become a dire problem in today’s society. This is primarily a result of the lifestyles that many people maintain these days. Drinking weight loss beverages such as green tea has become an excellent solution for individuals that are looking to maintain their figures and live a healthy, productive life.
When you lose weight and get healthy, not only does the quality of your life improve considerably. But it also reduces your chances of getting seriously ill. Indeed, weight loss has been proven to bring down the risk of suffering from diseases such as:
- Heart disease
- Certain types of cancer
- Sleep apnea
- Stroke
Weight loss also improves one’s blood sugar levels while bringing down blood sugar considerably. Weight loss also improves your mood, confidence levels, as well as your sex life. So if you are interested in using green tea for your weight loss journey, here is a great recipe that you can incorporate into your diet.
Green tea with lemon & mint
What you will need:
- One cup or 250 ml of hot water
- One whole lime or lemon; your preference
- 6 to 8 mint leaves
- Two tablespoons of green tea leaves
How to prepare
- Add some water to a pot.
- To the pot, add the mint leaves and bring the water to a boil.
- Allow the water to boil for at least 2 minutes so that the mint leaves incorporate their flavor.
- Switch off the heat and then add your 2 tablespoons of green tea.
- Allow this mixture to sit for at least 5 minutes.
- Remove the tea leaves using a strainer and pour the mixture into your favorite mug.
- Find your favorite corner to curl up in and drink your green tea while it is still hot.
Green tea and avocado smoothie
If you do not feel like taking plain green tea for one reason or another, then consider infusing green tea into your favorite smoothie. Mixing green tea with your smoothie is a great way to jumpstart your metabolism.
Green tea and avocado specifically make a great combination when you need to start your morning with a healthy glass of rich, creamy goodness.
How to make a Matcha avocado smoothie
If you’ve never heard of Matcha before, then you are in for a treat. Matcha is a high-quality, finely ground, whole leaf green tea from Japan. Matcha is one of the most common types of green tea in Japan as it is consumed regularly during ceremonies.
You can drink Matcha as a tea or you can add the powder into your smoothie; either way, it is incredibly great for weight loss and good for your health.
Matcha boasts an earthy taste that’s similar to umami. Because Matcha has a deep green color, it blends in perfectly in a green smoothie. The health benefits of Matcha include:
- Matcha is naturally cleansing. When you drink it, it helps to detoxify your insides, thanks to the rich, green chlorophyll found in the leaves.
- Matcha has antioxidant and antiaging qualities that help to support your immune system. More importantly, the antioxidants help to protect the cells from radical damage.
- Match also contains the amino acid L-theanine, which helps to support stress reduction and relaxation.
- Finally, Matcha will rev up your metabolism so that you can lose weight faster and more efficiently.
What will you need for this recipe?
One cup of almond milk
You can easily make your own almond milk at home by soaking almonds overnight and pureeing the mixture the next day. However, store-bought almond milk also works just as well.
One to two scoops of protein powder
It is entirely up to you which protein powder you choose to use, whether that’s plant-based or whey.
Avocado
Use a quarter of a ripe avocado. If you prefer more creaminess, it is completely okay to use more avocado. Avocadoes are great for you as they are choke-full of minerals, vitamins, and potassium. They also boast a lot of protein and fiber.
One large handful of spinach
If you would prefer, you can also use kale in place of spinach.
1 teaspoon of sweeter
If you would like a little sweetness in your smoothies, consider adding a sweetener that’s low in calories, such as Stevia. However, if your diet does not allow for sugar, skip it.
Instructions
Place all the ingredients in your blender and begin blending at low speed. Build up the intensity and puree after 30 seconds or so. Continue pureeing until all the ingredients are smooth and creamy. If you are not happy with the consistency of the mixed drink, consider adding some almond milk or water to make it thinner.
What about jasmine tea?
If you’ve developed an interest in drinking green tea, you might also have come across jasmine tea during your research. So what’s the difference between jasmine tea and green tea?
Green tea covers a wide range of teas. Green teas are typically made using unoxidized Camellia Sinensis leaves. Jasmine tea, on the other hand, is usually a subcategory of green tea that is flavored and brewed using jasmine flowers.
Green tea, black tea, as well as oolong tea are all made from the same plant. However, what differentiates these types of teas is that jasmine tea can also be mixed with black or white tea as its base.
What are the benefits of jasmine tea?
Contains polyphenols
Because jasmine tea is made using green tea, it has similar benefits when consumed. More specifically, jasmine is loaded with polyphenols that act as antioxidants that keep the body protected from radical damage. Free radical damage has been linked to numerous illnesses, including certain kinds of cancers and heart disease.
Weight loss
Like green tea, drinking jasmine tea can also help you with weight loss by fast-moving up your metabolism. The fat-burning properties of jasmine tea have been linked to its high caffeine content and the polyphenol known as EGCG.
Easy to consume
Jasmine tea is easy to consume because you can add it easily into your day-to-day diet. Because it has a more fragrant and floral taste compared to green tea, many people prefer its subtle flavor. Jasmine tea is available in many different forms, including loose leaves as well as tea bags.
No side effects
Jasmine tea is one of the healthiest beverages that you will ever consume as it has no side effects. The only thing that might prevent someone from drinking jasmine tea is the caffeine content. As such, jasmine tea may not be recommended for smaller children, people with caffeine insensitivities, or pregnant women.
Apple cider vinegar and green tea for weight loss
Apple cider vinegar is one of the best things to drink for anyone looking to cut down their weight. However, consuming apple cider vinegar straight isn’t the most delicious thing you will ever do. That’s why people often combine it with other ingredients to make it more palatable. One of the most common things to do to get rid of the taste of apple cider vinegar is to combine it with green tea, ginger, and honey.
What you will need for this recipe
- 4 cups of water
- A quarter cup of roughly chopped ginger. The fresher, the better.
- 4 to 6 bags of green tea
- 4 to 6 mint leaves
- 4 tablespoons of honey
- 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Combine your water and ginger in a pot. Bring the mixture to a boil and then remove from the heat.
- Add your tea bags and mint leaves and cover so that the mixture can steep for 15 minutes or so.
- Using a sieve, strain out the ginger, mint, as well as tea leaves and serve in your favorite mug to enjoy.
Final thoughts
It doesn’t matter what you choose to drink, jasmine or green tea; both are incredibly beneficial for your health and your weight loss goals. Green tea and jasmine tea are both full of antioxidants, which are linked to numerous benefits, including the prevention of free radical damage. Best of all, both these teas are delicious and very easy to incorporate into one’s diet.