Green tea weight loss: A trim tale

How do green tea and weight loss go together? In December 1999, scientists in the United States and Switzerland published a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and Urology claiming that certain substances in green tea extracts promote weight loss and treat prostatitis, an inflammation of the prostate. This piece of information, which I came across when researching on green tea weight loss, is just another example that green tea is the best when it comes to a nutritious drink!

The study that I’m talking about was conducted at the University of Geneva, again. The control group was a team of men whose average age was 25 and whose body types were ‘lean’ to ‘mildly overweight’. The article I read said the men were put on a diet of about 13% proteins, 40% fats and 47% carbohydrates. For six weeks, the men took two capsules of either green tea extract + 50 mg of caffeine, 50 mg of caffeine only, or a placebo.

In their study report, the scientists said, “Green tea has thermogenic properties and promotes fat oxidation beyond that explained by its caffeine content per se. The green tea extract may play a role in the control of body composition via sympathetic activation of thermogenesis, fat oxidation, or both.” In plain English, that means when you drink green tea, you are burning a whole lot of fat.

But wait, there’s more. The scientists also said that green tea did not increase the heart rates of the participants in any way. This means that unlike the typical weight loss supplements, you do not risk cardiovascular damage with green tea. Once again, I have to quote the scientists: “This leaves open the possibility of using green tea as an alternative to stimulant-based diet drugs, which may cause adverse effects in obese individuals and patients with hypertension and other cardiovascular conditions.” See what I mean?

Studies relating to green tea weight loss have shown that green tea extract improves the metabolism of glucose and lipids, which is crucial to weight loss. I also found evidence of a large number of green tea weight loss studies that explored green tea’s ability to lower blood sugar in the context of metabolism and insulin production, which means that green tea can help a dieter control cravings, and maintain the requisite energy levels. If that isn’t help, I don’t know what is.

For best results, obese individuals should take green tea extracts rather than just drink plain green tea, says my nutritionist friend Josie. Her view was echoed in a study that involved administering caffeine to different groups of people, to see how it compared to green tea in terms of thermogenesis (increased fat burning). It was found that those taking the green tea displayed greater thermogenesis than those taking the equivalent amount of caffeine without the green tea catechins.

However, you have to understand that you can’t gorge on Big Mac double burgers and then sit back and allow green tea to do its job. Obviously, green tea on its own is less effective unless you also combine it with a healthy diet and exercise. The good thing is that given the right conditions, green tea weight loss is achieveable.