Saturday, January 21, 2012

Green Tea and Weight Loss


Most people understand that in order to lose weight they have to consume fewer calories than they are able to burn off during the day. But unless they exercise daily, it can take a long while to slim down. This is why most people who wish to lose weight are looking for a magic potion or at least a helping hand to speed up the process.

One weight loss aid with overall health benefits is the traditional green tea. Research has demonstrated that green tea has a positive effect on our insulin. It not only helps regulate the insulin levels in our body, but also helps lower bad cholesterol and triglycerides. green tea also has the ability to our metabolism. It makes us burn fat more quickly. Green tea also affect the hunger center in our brains. It switches off the receptors that gives us the urge to eat.

Unlike many other weight loss aids, green tea is a very healthy drink. It contains very potent antioxidants that help keep our bodies healthy and disease free by fighting harmful free radicals. A diet that is rich in antioxidants has been linked to reduced risk of cancer and heart diseases. So green tea will not only help you shed the pounds, but it will help you improve your overall health and protect you from degenerative disease.

So how does green tea work for weight loss? Studies have shown that there are three main fundamental elements in green tea that exert dramatic effects on weight.

Caffeine

Studies demonstrated that caffeine may help dieters to lose weight. However, there is no evidence that mega-doses of caffeine will accelerate weight loss. Green tea contains a much smaller amounts of caffeine than coffee or black tea. Moreover, caffeine in green tea does not appear to have the same detrimental effects as artificially caffeinated products. Green tea does not cause heart palpitations or tremors. It does however help speed up the metabolism. Studies have shown that people on a low calorie diet who include small amounts of caffeine in their diet on a daily basis will lose more weight than those who do not consume any caffeine. Caffeine in green tea, coffee and black tea is more beneficial than synthetically isolated caffeine in caffeinated drinks or caffeine pills.

Catechins

Catechins are polyphenols which display powerful antioxidant activity. They are found not only in green tea, but also in coffee, cocoa, garlic, various fruits, potatoes, and some varieties of nuts. Among the several types of catechins that exist, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) is the most powerful antioxidant, and green tea contains much more EGCg than any other kind of tea, such as black tea, or woolong tea. That's why green tea has received so much attention. Green tea is considered to be a much better source of catechins than black tea because the fermentation process causes some changes the chemical composition of these compounds. Green tea on the other hand, is not fermented and contains catechins in their natural state. Catechins are very beneficial to dieters because they are believed to help suppress lipid (fat) absorption from food. This also helps reduce cholesterol but also helps to combat the build up of body fat.

Theanine

Theanine is the main amino acid found in green tea. Theanine has a natural ability to alter mood and a sense of calm and balance in the body, it helps to release dopamine, the chemical produced by the brain that provides a sense of tranquility in the body. It also minimizes the side effects that caffeine can have on the body, which is why the caffeine found in green tea does not seem to have a great effect. While theanine in itself is not a weight loss aid, it may stop people from stress related overeating. It calms the nerves and induces a relaxed mood.

So if you need to lose weight, try green tea! In a cup or in a capsule.