Do you believe in green tea's weight loss abilities

chloeealicee

I've been drinking 3-4 cups a day for a long time now just because i like it but i've started always hearing things such as 'it helps endurance' 'it boosts metabolism' 'it good for your skin' etc ...but as when i first started drinking it i never heard any of this i never noticed any changes, is it a placebo effect maybe?
Has anyone felt any of these effects from the drink? i'm very curious

Supertact

It's negligible

Shropshire1959

Nope.

More fads and 'magic; bullets'.... there is no simple, quick fix. Hard work and eating the right amounts of the right foods [end of]

So_Much_Fab

I believe the caffeine in it would "stimulate your metabolism". Nothing more.

Think about it - if it worked so well would there be any overweight people left??

fannyfrost

My skin is better since I drink tea, but that is about it. I use looseleaf tea and drink different kinds, Oolong, Green or White. Some black but its not my favorite. I also drink Herbal tea, especially Mate Like I said only my skin is better.

Well the peppermint tea does settle my stomach.

GlitterrMagpie

No. I drink green tea every day, I like the taste and I like having a range of different hot drinks to choose from, especially in cold weather. I don't believe it does anything to speed up weightloss.

easjer

No. I drank green tea while ttc, because it had a mildly helpful effect in thinning cervical mucous. There was no weight loss. Now, that said, I do think green tea is beneficial, but 3-4 cups per day sounds excessive. And if it can interfere with folic acid absorption, so be aware of that.

GlitterrMagpie

Well the peppermint tea does settle my stomach.

I drink peppermint tea too, really does help my stomach.

tycho_mx

I say yes, under certain conditions. Green Tea contains caffeine (in small amounts). Its metabolic effects are negligible, but it does help reduce hunger sensations (as other stimulants do).

You still have to control your diet and there is no quick fix, but it might help you. Also, it helps those that drink "coffee" (really, a smoothie with cream, sugar, and some coffee in it) and make the switch since its contains much less calories.

Personally, I take caffeine as a training supplement, since it's one of the few substances that actually works and doesn't trip the dope-o-meter for cycling competition and training.

DameonMacleod

i drink it all day everyday, its amazing for overall health. as far as making skin look better i dont know. but its good for your body. not to be used like coffee because it wont give u a coffee boost but it gives u good energy. better ff drinking it than not.

quallsy

I don't think its helping me lose weight, in that its a magic cure, but I am drinking it while weaning myself off coffee and suddenly my stalled weight loss is picking back up. I was drinking 3-4 cups of coffee a day. Not only do I think coffee was stunting my weight loss somehow, I add calorie free sweetener and creamer to it making it sweet which was encouraging my already rampant sweet addiction. Since stopping coffee, I drink 1 teabags worth of tea a day (sometimes I drink multiple cups of hot water using same tea bag) and do not add any sweeteners and don't feel the need to. I have noticed not craving sweets as much and not feeling the post coffee crash that I usually do.

Its not just the green tea, I am staying in my calorie range and working out 4-5 days a week. I was doing those things before, but not as well and probably not counting all the coffee creamer in my totals! Its just one factor in a lot of changes I have made but I think an important one.

agarlits

Green tea, native to China and India, has been consumed and hailed for its health benefits for centuries globally, but has only recently gained popularity in the US.

Tea is considered the most consumed beverage in the world behind water, however 78% of the tea consumed worldwide is black and only about 20% is green.1

All types of tea except herbal tea are brewed from the dried leaves of the Camellia sinensis bush. The level of oxidation of the leaves determines the type of tea.

Green tea is made from un-oxidized leaves and is the least processed type of tea and therefore contains the most antioxidants and beneficial polyphenols.

Green tea was used in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine to control bleeding and heal wounds, aid digestion, improve heart and mental health and regulate body temperature.4 Recent studies have shown green tea can potentially have positive effects on everything from weight loss to liver disorders to type 2 diabetes.

This MNT Knowledge Center feature is part of a collection of articles on the health benefits of popular foods. It provides a nutritional breakdown of green tea and an in-depth look at its possible health benefits, the different forms of green tea, and some precautions when consuming green tea.
Nutritional breakdown of green tea

Unsweetened brewed green tea is a zero calorie beverage. The caffeine contained in a cup of tea can vary according to length of infusing time and the amount of tea infused.
A cup of green tea
Green tea is becoming increasingly popular in the US

In general, green tea contains a relatively small amount of caffeine (approximately 20-45 milligrams per 8 oz cup), compared with black tea which contains about 50 milligrams and coffee with 95 milligrams per cup.2

Green tea is considered one of the world's healthiest drinks and contains the highest amount of antioxidants of any tea. The natural chemicals called polyphenols in tea are what are thought to provide its anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic effects.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is the most studied and bioactive polyphenol in tea and has been shown to be the most effective at eliminating free radicals.1, 4

Green tea is approximately 20% to 45% polyphenols by weight, of which 60% to 80% are catechins such as EGCG.1
Possible health benefits of green tea

Below are the potential health benefits associated with green tea:

Cancer:

According to the National Cancer Institute, the polyphenols in tea have been shown to decrease tumor growth in laboratory and animal studies and may protect against damage caused by ultraviolet UVB radiation.

In countries where green tea consumption is high cancer rates tend to be lower, but it is impossible to know for sure whether it is the green tea that prevents cancer in these specific populations or other lifestyle factors.4

One large-scale clinical study compared green tea drinkers with non-drinkers and found that those who drank the most tea were less likely to develop pancreatic cancer, particularly women, who were 50% less likely to develop the disease.

Studies have also shown the positive impacts of green tea on breast, bladder, ovarian, colorectal, esophageal, lung, prostate, skin and stomach cancer.

Researchers believe that it is the high level of polyphenols in tea that help kill cancerous cells and stop them from growing, however the exact mechanisms by which tea interacts with cancerous cells is unknown.

Other studies have shown a lack of preventative effects of tea on cancer. The amount of tea required for cancer-preventive effects has also varied widely in studies - from 2- 10 cups per day.1

In 2005, the FDA stated that "there is no credible evidence to support qualified health claims for green tea consumption and a reduced risk of gastric, lung, colon/rectal, esophageal, pancreatic, ovarian, and combined cancers."1

Heart Disease:

A 2006 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded that green tea consumption is associated with reduced mortality due to all causes, including cardiovascular disease.

The study followed over 40,000 Japanese participants between the ages of 40 and 79 for 11 years, starting in 1994.

The participants who drank at least 5 cups of green tea per day had a significantly lower risk of dying (especially from cardiovascular disease) than those who drank less than one cup of tea per day.

Another study found that consuming 10 cups of green tea per day can lower total cholesterol, however, consuming 4 cups or less had no effect on cholesterol levels.1

Type 2 Diabetes:

Studies concerning the relationship between green tea and diabetes have been inconsistent. Some have shown a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes for green tea drinkers than for those who consumed no tea, while other studies have found no association between tea consumption and diabetes at all.1

Weight Loss:

Green tea may promote a small, non-significant weight loss in overweight and obese adults; however, since the weight lost in the studies were so minimal, it is unlikely that green tea is clinically important for weight loss.

Other studies have found that green tea is helpful in preventing dental cavities, stress, chronic fatigue, treating skin conditions and improving arthritis by reducing inflammation.

Recent developments on the benefits of green tea from MNT news

Green tea or coffee may reduce stroke risk. Drinking green tea or coffee on a regular basis is associated with a reduced risk of stroke, according to a study published in the journal Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.5

Green tea may help fight prostate cancer. British researchers have scientifically proven that broccoli, turmeric, green tea and pomegranate help fight the most common cancer in men in the United States and the United Kingdom - prostate cancer.6
Forms of green tea
Green tea leaves

Green tea is available bottled and sweetened with sugar or an artificial sweetener, in single tea bags, loose-leaf, and in instant-powder. Green tea supplements are sold in capsule form or liquid extracts.

According to 2010 research presented at the American Chemical Society, bottled teas are not equivalent to brewed teas as some 16-oz bottled teas can contain fewer polyphenols than one cup of brewed tea.1

Green tea extract ointments have been approved by the FDA to topically treat genital warts.
Precautions and risks

There are little to no known side effects or contraindications to drinking green tea for adults. Those with severe caffeine sensitivities could experience insomnia, anxiety, irritability, nausea or upset stomach.3

Those taking anticoagulant drugs such as Coumadin/warfarin should drink green tea with caution due to its vitamin K content.3

If taken with stimulant drugs, green tea could possibly increase blood pressure and heart rate.3

Green tea supplements however, contain high levels of active substances that can trigger side effects and interact with other herbs, supplements, or medications.4 Green tea supplements are unregulated by the FDA and may also contain other substances unsafe for health or with unproven health benefits. Always check with a physician before starting any herb or supplement regimen.

In particular, pregnant or breastfeeding women, those with heart problems or high blood pressure, kidney or liver problems, stomach ulcers, or anxiety disorders should not take green tea supplements or extracts.4

Written by Megan Ware, RDN, LD, registered dietitian and nutritionist

References

1. Webb, Densie PhD, RD. "Hot & Cold — Despite Tea’s Popularity Worldwide, Research on Its Health Benefits Remains Inconsistent" Today’s Dietitian, Vol. 13 No. 1 P. 32, January 2011. Accessed November 28th 2013.

2. "Green Tea" The World’s Healthiest Foods, The George Matejlin Foundation. Accessed November 28th 2013.

3. "Green Tea" Nutrition 411. Accessed November 28th 2013.

4."Green Tea" University of Maryland Medical Center. Last Reviewed on 10/14/2011. Accessed November 29th.

5. Yoshihiro Kokubo, MD, PhD, FAHA, Hiroyasu Iso, MD, PhD, Isao Saito, MD, PhD, Kazumasa Yamagishi, MD, PhD, Hiroshi Yatsuya, MD, PhD, Junko Ishihara, PhD, Manami Inoue, MD, PhD and Shoichiro Tsugane, MD, PhD. "The Impact of Green Tea and Coffee Consumption on the Reduced Risk of Stroke Incidence in Japanese Population" Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association "UK scientists show super foods proven to beat prostate cancer" published 03 June 2013. Cambridge University Hospitals

snappyapples

Since I switched (mostly) from coffee to tea, I've noticed my teeth are less stained and I don't get sleepy mid afternoon, but as for weight loss.. nope.

Escloflowne

NOPE

I.C.E. Cream Official Tester
IKEA Professional Put Together-er
Kickboxing Class Attender
Been in fitness for about 2 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

sheenarama

NOPE

I.C.E. Cream Official Tester
IKEA Professional Put Together-er
Kickboxing Class Attender
Been in fitness for about 2 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

There you go throwing your authority around again.

bcattoes

The antioxidants in tea have health benefits and green tea has more of them than many other teas. Weight loss is not one of the benefits.

Switching from high calorie drinks like juice or sugar sweetened soda to unsweetened or lightly sweetened green tea can have weight loss benefits, though.

SugaryLynx

kkzmom11

don't believe any tea has weight loss abilities. IMHO, calories in vs calories out is the only way to lose weight.

ninerbuff

Not really.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Event_Horizon975

Negative

poedunk65

that's a bunch of crap. I drink it for it's antioxidants and taste.

eddiesmith1

Nope.

More fads and 'magic; bullets'.... there is no simple, quick fix. Hard work and eating the right amounts of the right foods [end of]

this^^^^
maybe if the caffeine (really negligible in green tea) gets your heat pumping an extra beat there is something but i doubt it
the simple truth is weight loss is driven by eating less than you burn (and in fact it doesn't really matter what you eat as long as you eat at a deficit - if you can feel good living on mars bars and only mards bars and eat at a deficit then you will lose - I wouldn't want to do it and think after a few days i'd feel like hell but it would still work (I could eat 6 marts bars a day mmmmm)

bluefox9er

I've been drinking 3-4 cups a day for a long time now just because i like it but i've started always hearing things such as 'it helps endurance' 'it boosts metabolism' 'it good for your skin' etc ...but as when i first started drinking it i never heard any of this i never noticed any changes, is it a placebo effect maybe?
Has anyone felt any of these effects from the drink? i'm very curious

nothing wrong with drinking it, but i don't believe it has any qualities that can boost endurance/performance/metabolism etc…

but al least it's not doing you any harm.

TXCruiseGal

I don't know about the health benefits, but I do credit it with helping a little in my weight loss. For one thing, when I'm craving some kind of snack in that late afternoon slump, I've found brewing a cup of green tea and pouring it over ice really solves my problem!

I figure if I'm drinking my iced green tea instead of reaching for a snack, then I'm ahead!

hellsbells3272

I think it is better for your health generally than the alternatives (coffee, milky coffee, milky tea), but nothing significant.

yourfitnessenemy

I believe in its deliciousness.

The caffeine may be a small appetite suppressant, but that's about it.