Green Tea as a Fat Blocker, Appetite Suppressant, and Metabo

BlueMindi
BlueMindi Posts: 17
edited September 26 in Health and Weight Loss
I just started reading up today on the benefits of green tea and was especially interested in the research done on weight loss.

I found this..

How green tea fat burner actually occurs
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition claims that green tea extract is one of the most effective metabolism boosters that naturally occur in a plant or herb. Metabolic rate is increased by 4 percent within a 24 hour time frame. Some researchers speculate that substances in green tea known as polyphenols, specifically the catechins, are responsible for the herb's fat-burning effect. This occurs because Chinese green tea weight loss products release antioxidants into the blood stream and help burn fat faster than normal while at the same time helps the body absorb calories and convert them directly into muscle or energy.

A naturally occurring side-effect of green tea consumption is that of appetite suppression. Green tea weight loss diet occurs naturally. Herbal green teas are not synthetic, hence are completely absorbed by a person, unlike many vitamins and other supplements.

entire article on http://www.shapefit.com/benefits-green-tea-fat-loss.html


What I want to know is do I really need to drink three cups a day to benefit from this and would green tea extract do the same? Or is this a load of crap?

Anyone?

Sidenote - I had some today for the first time. It smells like a candle and tastes delicious with no sugar!
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Replies

  • JBennis1013
    JBennis1013 Posts: 377 Member
    hmmm Good question..interested in what others have to say!
  • Cutiger81
    Cutiger81 Posts: 52 Member
    Good question.... I'm very curious to hear an answer.
  • PrfctGdess
    PrfctGdess Posts: 257
    I don't know the answer to your questions, but one of the brands (Constant Comment, I think) makes a green tea with orange spice that is really good. Even people I know who don't like green tea will drink that one :)
  • LadyOfOceanBreeze
    LadyOfOceanBreeze Posts: 762 Member
    smells like a....candle? hmmmm,, well i enjoy green teas' throughout the week, organic, from trader joes and now i've found one that's organic and decaffeinated from bigelow. that's nice because now i can partake at night w/o compromising sleep. i would say from a standpoint that i've been using the tea for the better part of the past 4 years, it does suppress my appetite just enough to do the trick i.e. works for a couple of hours. be very careful drinking it on an empty stomach as it can cause upset. i usually take a 4 cup glass measuring cup, drop in 3 bags of regular green and 1 bag of cranberry tea, add hot (not quite boiling), filtered water and let steep to taste. i never ever add sweeteners. enjoy!
  • LadyOfOceanBreeze
    LadyOfOceanBreeze Posts: 762 Member
    oh yeah, and about the metabolism issue, yes, there are manymany studies proving the boost from green tea and "extracts"
  • janer11
    janer11 Posts: 1
    I have started with green tea last week. I drink organic Japanese tea called four o'clock. It is available at Costco. I have to report that my appetite has totally gone down. I am happy with smaller proportions and my cravings are controlled. I know I have only been drinking it a week but it is really insane how much my appetite is controlled. I only have one cup a day!! I am on "simply for life" and my nutritionist recommended it, so far so good.
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
    You do realize that if you burn 2000 calories a day, the 4% increase in your metabolism works out to only 80 extra calories burned a day? Is that enough to make a difference in your weigt loss? Probably not.
  • Arkhos
    Arkhos Posts: 290 Member
    I say as long as you don't expect a "miracle in a bottle". This can lead to disappointment, and disappointment is the killer of weight-loss! If it does burn an extra 80 calories a day, that is still 2400 calories a month, 29,200 calories a year, or 8.34 lbs a year. It gives your metabolism an edge that eventually adds up, and all you are doing is drinking tea or taking a capsule. If you decide to take a capsule, always make sure it doesn't have any fillers like Magnesium Stearate, Silica, or rice flour.
  • CnocNaCu
    CnocNaCu Posts: 536 Member
    Hm, I do like green tea but it does not suppress my appetite at all:noway: Also: I cannot drink it before running because it drives my heart rate up. Otherwise it is a nice alternative to coffee and keeps me active and awake :smile:
  • smilingeyez1202
    smilingeyez1202 Posts: 3
    Thanks for taking the time and sharing the article! I am going to start drinking it today as well and will keep you posted on any progress! I am all for anything natural that suppresses my appetite!
  • SwimFan1981
    SwimFan1981 Posts: 1,430 Member
    I live in Taiwan and drink pretty much nothing but green tea, it doesn't have an effect on my appetite..
  • bagge72
    bagge72 Posts: 1,377 Member
    I'm not sure, but I love Yogi Organic Green Tea, it is very smooth for a green tea, and I usually just add some lemon too it for a little more flavor.
  • annepage
    annepage Posts: 585 Member
    Not sure, but found one I like so have incorporated it into my lifestyle. Trying to use it for anti-inflammatory purposes right now. I'd assume that like with most things it's not an overnight thing so consistent consumption is key for benefits.
  • Brandon74
    Brandon74 Posts: 453 Member
    I drink fresh brewed Green tea. I have found that it helps with weight loss, but is also a great antioxidant as well.
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
    If green tea actually helped you lose weight I would be stick thin by now. I usually drink around 6 cups of it a day.

    I would imagine any appetite lower effects of green tea would be due to the increase in water consumption.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    It's a load of crap. The "metabolism boost" comes from the bit of caffeine in the tea and is so small it isn't worth worrying about. Green tea is fine to drink, supposed to contain anti oxidants but as far as weight loss is concerned it's not the magic pill.
  • majope
    majope Posts: 1,325 Member
    I drink iced green tea all the time--keep a pitcher of it in the fridge at all times. I drink it for the antioxidants and because it tastes good mixed with herbal mint tea (I brew up 2 quarts with 6 green tea bags and 2 mint tea bags). But it has not affected my weight loss at all, nor do I feel more hungry on days when I drink other things. I'm losing weight consistent with what my deficit from TDEE would predict.
  • laylaness
    laylaness Posts: 262 Member
    If green tea actually helped you lose weight I would be stick thin by now. I usually drink around 6 cups of it a day.

    I would imagine any appetite lower effects of green tea would be due to the increase in water consumption.

    yup
  • majoki
    majoki Posts: 151 Member
    It's a load of crap. The "metabolism boost" comes from the bit of caffeine in the tea and is so small it isn't worth worrying about. Green tea is fine to drink, supposed to contain anti oxidants but as far as weight loss is concerned it's not the magic pill.

    From the research I've read, it's not the caffeine but rather catechins. I just posted this in another discussion, but this article summarizes some of the research: http://www.wellnessresources.com/weight/articles/the_effects_of_green_tea_on_weight_management/

    Not a magic pill for certain, but certainly worth a second look (to me at least).
  • melnation75
    melnation75 Posts: 3
    It makes you pee a lot - I prefer drinking coconut water but in cold months, green tea is fine to sip throughout the day...
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,674 Member
    I feel that, even if these things do work, compliance to the exact method of making it work is impossible.
    Also, that much green tea would make me an insomniac!
    But it does taste great, is a lo-cal beverage especially is you don't add a lot of milk/sugar to it.
    But you could try it and see if it helps you!:)
  • AmyFett
    AmyFett Posts: 1,607 Member
    I vote crap because that's all I ever drink, green tea and water... never sped up my weight loss.
  • laccy40
    laccy40 Posts: 136
    I drink 3-4 cups if green tea a day. Not for any magic properties, just because its a nice drink. Does it help fat loss? Well I got fat drinking it and now I'm losing fat drinking it so my guess is that a couple if cups a day is not enough to notice any difference. But drink it anyway, it tastes nice.
  • Derpina7
    Derpina7 Posts: 552 Member
    I can't say whether or not it has attributed to my weight loss, but drinking tea in general helps me curb my cravings for sweets. I have a green tea from David's Tea called 'Long Life Oolong' I really like, it has dried peach and apricot pieces added to it. :)
  • iAMsmiling
    iAMsmiling Posts: 2,394 Member
    I often enjoy matcha. I don't for a minute believe it will help me with weight loss or "fat blocking" whatever that is.

    It is high in anti-oxidants and may or may not be good for you. I drink it because I like it.
  • bettyboop416
    bettyboop416 Posts: 18
    Regardless of the fat blocking or appetite suppressing qualities that may or may not be found in green tea, it is a good idea to have some. It's as hydrating as water and has antioxidants that will make you feel great. GO FOR IT. :) Don't listen to the naysayers... it'll be good for your body regardless of how it affects your weight loss goals.
  • Erica262
    Erica262 Posts: 226 Member
    Several years ago my doctor told me to start drinking plain unsweetened green tea several times a day for the antioxidants and because it supposedly helps with weight loss. (I usually buy the "naturally decaffeinated" kind.) I've been drinking it all day every day since then. My weight has been up and down because no green tea is going to cancel out the calories in cookies and other foods I over eat. But I rarely get sick, so maybe the tea helps with that. And I'm not sure if it actually suppresses my appetite or if it just keeps me full, but any time I think I'm hungry I drink a cup of green tea first and that keeps the hunger at bay for a while longer. It tastes better than water, so I drink it. A lot. (I also pee a lot... Just a warning.)
  • theCarlton
    theCarlton Posts: 1,344 Member
    Forget the study. Correlation does not equal causation. We don't know what the other factors were in the diets of these people who participated.

    Reality: Green tea is not new. It doesn't block fat or suppress the appetite. We know this based on centuries of evidence.
  • majoki
    majoki Posts: 151 Member
    From the research I've read, it's not that you drink green tea and lose weight/fat just like that *snap*. You don't start eating more calories and then figure the green tea can balance it out.

    I think it's more that all else being equal, if you add green tea into your diet, you may see your waist shrink a little more than if you didn't add the green tea.
  • deegee44
    deegee44 Posts: 27 Member
    Load of rubbish... I have been drinking green tea for years, not because of the health properties, but because I love the taste of green tea and I am afraid to say it did not supress my appetite :-(. Lovely tea though :-)
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