PCOS and Green Tea
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OutsideCreativ
Posts: 143 Member
So... here's a contradition.
I am insulin resistant and subclinically have PCOS. My doctor told me to drink green tea. Every article I've ever read has talked about reducing caffine consumption and then in the next breath mentioned drinking green tea.
It is my understanding that green tea increases insulin sensitivity and helps burn visceral fat. Green tea is also very high in caffine-- and if you get decaf, then it loses much of it's value in the processing.
Thoughts?
I am insulin resistant and subclinically have PCOS. My doctor told me to drink green tea. Every article I've ever read has talked about reducing caffine consumption and then in the next breath mentioned drinking green tea.
It is my understanding that green tea increases insulin sensitivity and helps burn visceral fat. Green tea is also very high in caffine-- and if you get decaf, then it loses much of it's value in the processing.
Thoughts?
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Replies
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I wouldn't describe green tea as being very high in caffeine.
Check out this link http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/caffeine/AN01211 (or, if you don't trust websites posted to internet forums, just google "caffeine levels" and click the mayo clinic link). Green tea could be an excellent substitution for coffee. Pregnant women (or those trying to become pregnant) should limit caffeine consumption to less than 150mg a day. A cup or two of green tea is well below this threshold.
That's my two cents, hope it helped.0 -
Thanks. Interesting article.
I guess I just found it odd because I don't drink coffee or soda, so my caffine is near zero... but I was concerned about the addition of caffine via Green Tea...0 -
Hmm yeah I might be concerned about adding caffeine too if you don't already drink any. BUT green tea is recommended for people trying to lose weight (I try to work in a cup instead of a second cup of coffee every day). Hadn't heard anything about it being for insulin resistance. I thought it just tended to make you feel full.
I would try it if I were you but if you feel the caffeine is affecting you (can't sleep at night or heart rate sped up) then nix it or try the decaf.0 -
I read an article that talked about how even though green tea contains caffeine, it also contains things that calm the central nervous system instead of the adrenaline response of coffee. Here's that article:
http://pcosdiva.com/2011/12/tea-time-for-pcos/0 -
I honestly don't think it is going to do much at all. I have PCOS and IR and I find the most beneficial thing is to keep carbs under 100 grams a day. I drink about two cups of mate a day (a stronger form of green tea) and I take Alpha Lipoic Acid, which works as an antioxidant, but I haven't noticed any significant impact compared to cutting carbs.0
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I've heard as well that green tea increases insulin sensitivity....but I just wanted to throw a word of caution- like CharRicho said, if you are currently used to not having any caffeine at all, there might be something better than green tea for you. For medicinal purposes, it's best to have very strong tea, and usually more than 1 cup per day. It's a great alternative to coffee, but you don't currently drink coffee.
Did you mention to your doctor that you don't drink any caffeine currently? Might want to mention it....he might say "no problem, go ahead with __ cups per day of green tea", or he might suggest something else instead....worth asking Doctors probably assume most people drink coffee.0
