Tea is known to have all sorts of benefits. Not only is a crisis usually solved over a cup of strong, sweetened tea, but you can chat about life over a good cuppa and a biscuit.
There are a bunch of health benefits too. Tea is thought to help the discomfort of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), have positive effects for those who have type 2 diabetes, give you glowingly clear skin, and even possess cancer busting properties.
Scientists have also discovered that drinking certain teas can help with weight loss.
How Does Tea Help You Lose Weight?
Combining tea with a sensible diet and exercise can help you shed a few extra pounds. Teas contain a natural plant chemical called flavonoid, which regulates the cellular activity and fights off free radicals that put unnecessary stress on your body.
The flavonoids are thought to boost metabolism and help your body naturally break down fats more quickly. If the tea contains caffeine, it increases your energy use, which in turn burns more calories.
If you replace your usual fix of creamy coffee or sugar-filled sodas with tea, you are already saving hundreds of calories each day.
The Best Teas for Weight Loss
1. Green Tea
Green tea is bursting with antioxidant flavonoids called catechins, which boasts epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) content, which is thought to burn fat by increasing the body’s metabolism. A 2008 study in Thailand showed green tea as an effective weight loss aid.
The metabolism genes work best when green tea is consumed consistently over long periods. Combining EGCG with caffeine has had an extremely positive effect on weight loss and management.
2. Oolong Tea
Oolong tea is an oxidized, full leaf Chinese tea that sits happily between green and black teas. This light, flavourful tea promotes thermogenesis, which generates heat within the body, boosts metabolism, and burns calories.
Some small studies have been carried out and show that regularly drinking oolong tea increases your resting energy expenditure.
3. Black Tea
Believe it or not, black tea is from the same plant as green tea. The only difference is that the leaves have been treated differently by allowing them to be exposed to the air for longer, which naturally activates the fermentation process.
It contains a reasonable amount of caffeine and flavonoids unique to black tea, which is essential to shedding those extra pounds. Swap out your lattes and sweet sodas for a cup of the best Earl Grey or English breakfast tea.
4. Turmeric Tea
Turmeric is recognized as having abundant health benefits. It’s a yellowy-orange spice that has been used for centuries in Chinese medicine practices.
It can help control weight gain, treat metabolic disorders, and help eliminate obesity. The antioxidant in turmeric is curcumin, which suppresses inflammatory messaging in your body’s cells. When your body is not fighting inflammation, it is easier to pay attention to weight loss.
To prepare the tea, you can either use its grated root or an easier powdered version. Adding coconut milk helps the tumeric dissolve and therefore speeds up absorption. Black pepper contains piperine, adds spice to the tea, and also promotes absorption.
5. Mint Tea
Mint tea has a sweet flavor, yet it is virtually calorie-free and curbs hunger pangs. Not only can it satisfy your sweet tooth, but it reduces your appetite.
Mint is one of the most versatile and commonly used herbs globally and manages to keep many stomach related problems at bay, and is bursting with many other health-promoting properties.
6. Rooibos Tea
The delicious South African smoky tea only contains around three calories. It is naturally sweet-tasting so that you don’t have to add to your calorific honey or sugar.
The tea is caffeine-free, and studies have shown that it may help with burning fat. It’s a colourful and unusual tasting tea.
7. White Tea
The tea plant leaves are picked before they can develop fully and quickly dried before they start oxidizing, which makes it a very pure tea.
White tea is very rich in antioxidants and is overflowing with fat-stopping polyphenols. It possesses a beautifully delicate flavor and has other remarkable health benefits, including cancer-fighting compounds and anti-aging properties.
It also contains the highest amount of caffeine of any tea, so it can quickly boost your energy levels, which burns off calories.
8. Pu-erh Tea
Pu-erh tea is a unique tea that is traditionally made in the Yunnan Province of China. It’s made from the leaves of the ‘wild old tree’ and fermented over several months or years.
It’s got a complex flavor described as being as funky as kombucha – sweet, bitter, and earthy. The tea can come in various flavors such as chocolate and chrysanthemum and is usually sold in a compressed ‘cake’ form.
Pu-erh tea introduces healthy probiotics into your body, improving blood sugar control, which is key in weight management. Although more research needs to be conducted, small studies show that drinking Pu-erh tea positively affects overall body weight and abdominal fat.
Conclusion
Many people drink tea for its social and calming effects and delicious taste. By combining regular exercise and a healthy diet, drinking tea can help on your weight loss journey.
If you replace any sugary drinks with tea, you will also reduce your calorie intake. Tea also has a multitude of other health benefits, which is an additional bonus.
Author bio
George Drennan is a freelance writer and health enthusiast. When he’s not jogging through the Shropshire countryside or trying to break his personal best 2K rowing time, he can be found contributing tips and advice online to help other people meet their health and fitness goals.
