Green tea = weight loss?

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amy214
amy214 Posts: 18
in Introduce Yourself
I have just started drinking gree tea..i like it .. way better than coffee. It keeps me alert and the hot water regulates my system so well.. i try to have 4-5 cups a day.. i was wondering if there are any people who have lost weight with green tea? i read somewhere that you can .. but has it worked for anyone here?

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  • JesaGrace
    JesaGrace Posts: 799 Member
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    I would like to know this too...
  • laurenlei
    laurenlei Posts: 96
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    I have just started drinking green tea too!!

    I dont think it is a magic formula to lose weight, but it does speed up your metabolism, so in theory if you are eating well and exercising enough, it should help!!!
  • JesaGrace
    JesaGrace Posts: 799 Member
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    It also helps flush a little of the sodium in your system too, right.....which would be good...b/c sometimes I have trouble keeping my sodium in small doses...
  • wolsamnoraa
    wolsamnoraa Posts: 10
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    I'm no expert, but it's my understanding that the caffeine in green tea helps raise metabolism which burns calories. I've also heard that it's full of antioxidants which attack free radicals in your body. I assume that causes weight loss. Maybe not, though.
  • briones007
    briones007 Posts: 4
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    I drink decaf green tea with honey 5 days a week. It curbs my hunger and speeds up your metabolism! I think it's helped me hit my first 10 lbs!! Best of luck to you!
  • clahut
    clahut Posts: 211 Member
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    Hi,

    I've been drinking green tea for about 10 years and my weight has gone from 140lbs to 182lbs, and many stops in between in that time.

    I'm not sure that there are any 'miracle' weight loss foods. What I do know is that there is less caffeine in green tea than black (although not caffeine free) and it is supposedly very good for your digestion. I started drinking it to soothe my IBS and associated stomach pains.

    C
  • jackal75
    jackal75 Posts: 95
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    By itself, no.

    That said, it can help you lose weight.

    Green Tea has caffeine and anti-oxidants that help your metabolism and heart health. It helps boost your metabolism, which means that the other foods you eat can be processed a little more efficiently. Other threads on this site have praised green tea, and there is no doubt that having energy and a well regulated digestive system cannot hurt your diet goals.

    The only way it could hurt you is if you are using real sugar in large quantities... then the calories will outpace the gain in metabolism.
  • rebecca_goss0
    rebecca_goss0 Posts: 45
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    It helps, but is not a magic formula. If it makes you more alert and clear then keep it up!
  • OLP76
    OLP76 Posts: 768 Member
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    I drink hot green tea with each of my main meals...since I stopped drinkin' coffee.

    I'm unsure if it has helped with my weight loss - probably a little, but exercisin' & eatin' right is a huge factor.
  • zeeeb
    zeeeb Posts: 805 Member
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    I gave up coffee a lot of years ago (before i had kids) and drank green tea only (and some other fruity herbal teas) and i was skinny and wearing a bikini for the first time in my life.

    It may have helped, but i'm certainly under no dillusion that it made me skinny, i worked out and watched what i ate, and done alot of actvity (at least an hour to 2 hours of activity per day).

    so it may help your metabolism, but it's not going to make you lose weight, that is down to food and exercise.
  • SPSHLK73
    SPSHLK73 Posts: 10 Member
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    I just read an article that says Green Tea is a great immunity builder, helps fight off the common cold by drinking 4-5 cups a day. It did not say anything about losing weight though but I know Herbalife has a green tea that people swear helps them lose weight.
  • Bootzey
    Bootzey Posts: 274 Member
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    It's the latest urban weight loss myth
  • reepobob
    reepobob Posts: 1,172 Member
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    I just started drinking green tea, myself. One of my MFP friends, OLP76, drinks multiple cups per day religiously. She really has her stuff together on her meal planning and I took her lead and started drinking it myself. She might be able to give you some insight.

    I just blindly took her lead as she is a true inspiration in how she fuels her body...

    Good luck...

    PS I do know that green tea has been shown to decrease your chances of certain cancers and helps metabolize fat better based on certain clinical studies.
  • buttonmoons
    buttonmoons Posts: 23
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    I have just started drinking it as suggested by many people on here and have noticed a big increase in memory and feeling alert. This may be caused by the tea or the fact that I am now a sugar and wine free zone! Whatever has caused it I feel better than I have for years and I am not complaining.
  • superninjatam
    superninjatam Posts: 44 Member
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    I drink quite a bit - it does 3 things I reckon:

    - helps supress appetite (I believe all hot drinks do)
    - you don't need milk in it (4 coffee/teas a day with milk could add up to 500+ cals a week)
    - caffeine boost burns a few extra cals

    So I think it's the way to go. Seems to make you feel clean and alert in a way that coffee or tea doesn't for me.
  • usmcgirl84
    usmcgirl84 Posts: 5
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    Green tea is amazing for detoxing the body and your immune system. It definitely helps!
  • callipygianchronicle
    callipygianchronicle Posts: 811 Member
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    Here’s som extensive information on the known health benefits of green tea from the Univeristy of Maryland Medical Center: http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/green-tea-000255.htm

    Here’s what they say about weight loss:
    Weight loss

    Clinical studies suggest that green tea extract may boost metabolism and help burn fat. One study confirmed that the combination of green tea and caffeine improved weight loss and maintenance in overweight and moderately obese individuals. Some researchers speculate that substances in green tea known as polyphenols, specifically the catechins, are responsible for the herb's fat-burning effect.

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