Weight Loss Benefits of Green Tea!
Weight Loss Benefits of Green Tea<br />=================================<br /><br />If you drink green tea you can-<br />* Lower Cholesterol<br />* Increase Thermogenesis (the body's rate of burning calories)<br />* Enhance fat oxidation<br /><br />Burns Fat Naturally<br />Green tea contains high concentrations of catechin polyphenols. These compounds work with other chemicals to intensify levels of fat oxidation and thermogenesis, where heat is created in the body by burning fuels such as fat. Drinking Japanese green tea regularly will increase your metabolism and help burn fat safely and naturally.<br /><br />Lowers cholesterol and increases energy expenditure<br />Green tea also causes carbohydrates to be released slowly, preventing sharp increases in blood-insulin levels. This promotes the burning of fat.<br />The thermogenic effect was originally attributed to its caffeine content. However, green tea stimulates brown fat thermogenesis far greater than a comparable amount of pure caffeine. It appears that the catechin-polyphenols, in particular epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and caffeine that naturally occur in green tea work synergistically to stimulate thermogenesis and augment and prolong sympathetic stimulation of thermogenesis. It has been shown to increase 24-hour energy expenditure and fat oxidation (caffeine only increases metabolism during the time you take it).<br /><br />Weight is gained as excess sugars and fats are stored in the body as fat cells. Green tea catechins can help prevent obesity by inhibiting the movement of glucose in fat cells. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has been found to be especially effective. There is now good evidence that green tea catechins are related to reductions in body fat.<br />EGCG is a powerful antioxidant with positive qualities but a balanced diet and exercise, lots of it, are of paramount importance to any weight reduction program.<br /><br />Green Tea and Weight Loss<br />=========================<br />by: Kathryn O'Neill<br /><br />There's recently been a LOT in the weight loss news concerning green tea.<br />Green tea's weight loss effects have been causing more and more people to start sipping the ancient Chinese or Japanese brew.<br /><br />But just how does green tea help you lose weight? And does it really work or is it all just hype? This article gives you the real facts about drinking green tea to lose weight.<br />Advantages of Drinking Green Tea for Weight Loss:<br /><br />1) Green tea revs up your metabolism<br /><br />A study reported on in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that green tea extract resulted in a significant increase in energy expenditure (a metabolism `boost').<br />The researchers also concluded that that over a 24-hour period, green tea extract increases the metabolic rate by 4%. These effects are probably due to the high concentrations of catechin polyphenols found in green tea. These work to help intensify levels of fat oxidation and thermogenesis (the rate at which your body burns calories).<br /><br />2) Green tea inhibits fat absorption and helps glucose regulation<br />Experts tell us that the catechins in green tea help to inhibit the movement of glucose into fat cells. Green tea may also act as al glucose regulator. It helps to slow the rise in blood sugar after a meal. This prevents high insulin spikes (lots of insulin promotes fat storage) and the subsequent fat storage.<br /><br />3) Green tea may help reduce appetite<br />Scientists at the University of Chicago found that green tea caused rats to lose up to 21 percent of their body weight. Rats injected with a green tea extract lost their appetites and consumed up to 60 percent less food after seven days of daily injections. This may have something to do with the blood sugar regulating effects of green tea.<br /><br />4) Green tea can help you save calories on your morning brew.<br />We are a nation hooked on our java. Be it the regular double-cream, double-sugar standard or that mocha, dappa, frappucinno, the calories we ingest just to get our morning caffeine is wreaking havoc on our waistlines.<br /><br />If you want to save mega-calories in the morning but still get your caffeine fix, try substituting green tea for coffee. Or have a green tea in the afternoon instead of that 700 calorie mocha-chillate dream. You'll definitely notice the difference in your waistline after a few weeks.<br /><br />So there are 4 ways that green tea can help you with weight loss. But how much do you actually have to drink to get these amazing metabolism boosting effects?<br /><br />Experts vary but the general consensus seems to be that 3 - 5 cups of green tea per day is optimal. Doing this can help you burn an extra 70 calories per day which amounts to 7 pounds per year. Pretty good for not exercising or cutting calories, right?<br />However, 3 - 5 cups can be a lot for some people, so you might also want to consider green tea extract, green tea pills or a green tea patch.<br /><br />Disadvantages of Drinking Green Tea For Weight Loss:<br />#1) Green tea is not a magic bullet<br />While some people will tell you that green tea is the be-all-end-all for weight loss success, I think the keyword here is balance. You're not going to eat 5000 calories a day, drink a cup of green tea and make it all go away - it just isn't going to happen. A healthy diet and increased exercise will go a long way in helping you lose weight and keep it off.<br />#2) Be cautious of the caffeine if you have health problems<br />For some people that have heart troubles, high blood pressure or stimulant sensitivities, the caffeine in green tea may not be the best idea. If you're worried about the caffeine from green tea, try taking green tea extract. Most green tea extract is made from decaffeinated green tea so you can still get the weight loss benefits without the caffeine.<br />If you think the caffeine may be a problem, make sure to consult your doctor before starting green tea for weight loss. Also make sure to consult your doctor before starting green tea if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.<br /><br />*** Bottom Line ***: Green tea helps you with weight loss by boosting your metabolic rate, regulating your blood sugar, suppressing your appetite and giving you something else besides that high calorie, high sugar coffee beverage to drink in the morning. While it's not the magic bullet, it can definitely give you a boost in weight loss and in your overall health!<br /><br />Green tea may benefit some more than others<br />-------------------------------------------<br />At the recent International Research Conference on Food, Nutrition and Cancer sponsored by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), scientists presented new evidence about phytochemicals in green tea that may help prevent normal cells from developing into cancer and spreading.<br />Yet people may wonder if drinking green tea is worthwhile, because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) refused to allow a health claim for green tea on labels this summer.<br />Although more evidence is needed to justify a strong statement about green tea's ability to lower the risk of cancer, it is not a bad idea to include this beverage in a healthful, mostly plant-based diet.<br />Black tea is the most frequently consumed tea in the U.S., but green tea contains far higher levels of the phytochemical EGCG. Both oolong and black teas, including the common orange pekoe, lose some of their EGCG as they are processed. However, green tea leaves are steamed or baked before they can oxidize, so their EGCG levels remain high.<br />Since it is a powerful antioxidant, EGCG may help prevent both heart disease and cancer. It helps to stabilize highly reactive molecules known as free radicals that can damage blood vessels and increase the risk of heart disease, or alter the DNA in our genes, promoting cancerous changes. In addition, EGCG may protect against cancer development by increasing the self-destruction of cancer cells and by affecting enzymes and the signals between cells, slowing the growth and multiplication of cancer cells.<br />Related content<br />* Scientists find how green tea fights cancer<br />* Green tea doesn't lower cancer risk, says FDA<br />But while the evidence of EGCG's ability to deter cancer is quite strong in laboratory studies, population studies show much less consistent benefits. The inconsistent population evidence is one of the primary reasons that the FDA recently refused to approve a health claim on the labels of products with green tea that would link its consumption with lower cancer risk.<br />Benefits some more than others<br />In the FDA's view, the effectiveness of foods in laboratory studies is merely background material. Consistent evidence among populations is key to supporting health claims. However, researchers point out that the laboratory studies, which are overwhelmingly positive about the health effects of EGCG, are necessary to explain the results of population studies. Without them, we would not know what EGCG is or what it can do.<br />Furthermore, inconsistent results from population studies do not mean that there is no benefit to drinking green tea. Human studies show that the antioxidant capacity of the blood does increase about an hour after drinking green tea.<br />Other studies show that markers of DNA damage decrease after drinking even black tea or decaf green tea, both of which contain less EGCG than regular green tea.<br />The differences in health impact that are seen among green tea drinkers in population studies may mean that green tea benefits some people more than others. Genetic variations, varying exposures to risk-producing substances like tobacco, or different diets could all help explain the differences seen in these studies.<br />One study, for example, suggests that tea and soy may produce contrary benefits. Eating one of these foods may decrease the potential benefits from the other one.<br />Drinking massive amounts of green tea will never be able to save us from the ill effects of overeating a poorly balanced diet and living a sedentary lifestyle.<br />Eating a mostly plant-based diet, maintaining a healthy weight, keeping physically active and avoiding tobacco are the most effective steps we can take to lower our cancer risk. However, for those of us who would like to do a little more to reduce the risk of cancer, replacing three or four cups of coffee or soda per day with green tea is a reasonable step that may bring a variety of health benefits.<br /><br />[[ASIN:B002K2MUUY Lipton Green Tea - 100% Natural, 2009 New Spring Green Tea, 50 Fresh Tea Bags from China by A2AWorld Green Tea]]<br /><br />&lt;the end>
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