Teas For Weight Loss: What are the best teas to drink when you want to lose weight? Which tea is best for weight loss? Read till the end of this article to find out!
Tea is a beverage enjoyed around the world.
You can make it by pouring hot water onto tea leaves and allowing them to steep for several minutes so their flavor infuses into the water.
This aromatic beverage is most commonly made from the leaves of Camellia sinensis, a type of evergreen shrub native to Asia.
Drinking tea has been associated with many health benefits, including protecting cells from damage and reducing the risk of heart disease.
Some studies have even found that tea may enhance weight loss and help fight belly fat. Certain types have been found to be more effective than others at achieving this.
For most Americans, tea is tea. Forget black teas, white teas, greens, and reds; tea is that finely ground gunpowder that comes in bags from Lipton, or that over-sweetened sludge sloshed into plastic bottles and sold in between the Coke and the Mountain Dew.
However, in places like Japan, the UK, and large swaths of Southeast Asia, tea leaves are as diverse and nuanced as wine grapes. Not only does the flavor profile change dramatically between one tea variety and the next, but so do the health benefits. Not only can certain brews fight off various diseases, but select teas have also been shown to rev the metabolism, quell hunger, slash waist-widening stress, and shrink fat cells when you drink tea every day. When Taiwanese researchers studied more than 1,100 people over a 10-year period, they determined that those who drank tea had 19.6 percent less body fat than those who drank none!
Not just what you eat, but what you drink also makes a huge difference to your weight loss journey. And talking about drinks, did you know one simple beverage, which is right there in your kitchen, can do wonders for your weight loss goals?
Experts suggest, drinking green tea regularly is an excellent habit if you are trying to lose weight.
What do experts say?
As per experts, green tea is no magic drink that will melt away belly fat. When you pair it with your healthy eating habits and regular workout routine, it’s then that the beverage starts showing its magic. The real way tea can help you is when you substitute your morning coffee, packed juice, soda, or after-dinner drinks with it.
Green tea inhibits the effect of enzymes that aid in digestion and thus reduces the rate of sugar and fat absorption and reduces the calorie load of a meal.
Which tea is best for weight loss?
2. Black tea
3. Oolong tea
4. White tea
5. Bilberry tea
6. Lemon tea
7. Ginger tea
8. Kola Nut Tea
9. Hibiscus Tea
10. Chamomile & Lavender Tea
11. Hops Tea
12. Herbal Tea
13. Peppermint tea
If you are planning to use this super easy method to fulfill your weight loss goals, here is a list of 10 scientifically proven green teas that can help you melt belly fat.
1. Green tea
Green tea is the most talked-about tea for weight loss. A 2008 study found that people who drank green tea regularly lost 7.3 pounds more weight than those who didn’t.
The tea is packed with catechins, a type of antioxidant that can boost your metabolism and assist with breaking down fat
Researchers attribute the fat-burning properties of green tea to catechins, specifically EGCG — the name of a group of antioxidative compounds that blast adipose tissue by revving the metabolism, increasing the release of fat from fat cells (particularly in the belly), and then speeding up the liver’s fat-burning capacity.
Catechins activate the AMP (activate protein kinase), which helps the body to use fat as fuel.
A 2011 study found that the combination of caffeine and catechins work wonders in breaking down fat and burning calories.
It gets better: Research suggests that combining regular green-tea drinking with exercise may maximize the weight loss benefits. In one study, participants who combined a daily habit of 4-5 cups of green tea with a 25-minute workout lost 2 more pounds than the non-tea-drinking exercisers. To reap even more flat-belly benefits from your fitness routine, be sure you’re incorporating these best weight loss exercises.
2. Black tea
Black tea has the highest amount of caffeine, which makes it weight loss-friendly. More caffeine means an extra boost of energy that can help you burn more calories.
A study conducted in 2014 found that drinking three cups of black tea regularly increased weight loss as well as reduced waist circumference.
And a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences revealed that drinking 20 ounces of black tea daily causes the body to secrete five times more interferon, a key element of your body’s infection-protection arsenal. Just make sure to ditch the dairy.
Apart from more caffeine, black tea also has more flavonoids. A study conducted on 4,280 people found that people who consumed more flavones from food and beverages had a lower body mass index than those who didn’t.
Italian researchers found that drinking a cup of black tea per day improves cardiovascular function—and the more cups you drink, the more you benefit! Better cardiovascular function means you can breeze through that 5K you signed up for.
A study in the European Heart Journal found that while black tea can improve blood flow and blood vessel dilation, adding milk to the tea counteracts these effects.
3. Oolong tea
Oolong tea is made from leaves of the same plant from which green tea and black tea are made and thus it offers the same benefits for weight loss. Oolong tea’s major weapon against weight gain is its ability to prevent fat absorption.
The polyphenols in the tea can rev up your metabolism, help your body to use stored fat as energy, which in turn helps with weight loss.
A study conducted in 2009 on Chinese women found that subjects who had two cups of oolong tea every day lost 2.2 extra pounds over the course of six weeks.
A 2001 study found that drinking oolong tea just for three days increased energy expenditure by 2.9 percent as compared to water, which is equivalent to 281 more calories per day.
Japanese scientists found that high levels of antioxidants called polymerized polyphenols, specific to oolong tea, inhibit the body’s ability to absorb fat by up to 20 percent.
When Taiwanese researchers studied more than 1,100 people over a 10-year period, they determined that those who drank black, green or oolong tea one or more times a week had nearly 20 percent less body fat than those who drank none. And oolong tea fights blood pressure, cutting the risk by as much as a whopping 65 percent!
4. White tea
White tea is the least processed variety of tea and has the highest fat-burning micronutrients known as polyphenols.
White tea helps in breaking down the fat and prevents the new fat cells from forming. White tea can also boost your metabolism by 4-5 percent, resulting in burning an extra 70-100 more calories per day.
Not only does white tea prevent new fat cells from forming, but it also enhances the body’s ability to break down and utilize existing fat for energy, according to a study published in the journal Nutrition and Metabolism. As if that wasn’t enough, “Chemicals in the tea appear to protect your skin from sun-induced stress, which can cause the cells to break down and age prematurely,” says Elma Baron, MD, the study author. To put white tea to use, try rubbing on a lotion containing white tea extract before you apply your sunblock!
5. Bilberry tea
Consuming bilberries, a northern European cousin to the blueberry, may help reduce bloat-inducing inflammation, according to a study published in the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research.
To come to these findings, researchers divided participants into two groups; one group was given a diet that included an equivalent of 1.5 cups of blueberries, while the other group followed a control diet that didn’t include the fruit.
At the end of the experiment, the bilberry-eating group had significantly less inflammation than their counterparts who didn’t munch on the berry. Since the fruit is native to Northern Europe, it isn’t widely available in the US. To reap the benefits, enjoy a few cups of bilberry tea.
6. Lemon tea
Whether salty foods or alcohol are to blame for your blimp-like belly, lemon tea can help fight the bloat thanks to its d-limonene content. The compound, which is found in citrus rind oil, has been used for its diuretic effects since ancient times.
But until recently, there were no scientific findings to back the claims. An animal study published in the European Journal of Pharmacology found D-Limonene has a therapeutic effect on metabolic disorders in mice with high-fat-diet-induced obesity.
For more ways to deflate your belly, add these foods that beat bloat to your diet!
7. Ginger tea
Not only is ginger one of the healthiest spices on the planet, but it also fights inflammation. According to numerous studies, ginger, traditionally used to ease stomach pain, blocks several genes and enzymes in the body that promote bloat-causing inflammation.
This means you can enjoy that second serving of nutrient-dense veggies without worry. If you prefer the taste of chai tea, typically made from a blend of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and ginger, that may also do the trick—but maybe less potent.
8. Kola Nut Tea
With a caffeine count higher than coffee, these teas kick your metabolism into gear. In a study published in the journal Physiology & Behavior, a 3-4 percent increase in metabolic rate was measured in both lean and obese subjects after a single 100 mg dose of caffeine.
Look for teas made from this caffeine-containing fruit; if you want to skip comparative shopping, just grab a box of Celestial Seasonings’ Fast Lane, which clocks in 20 mg above your daily cup of coffee at 110 mg caffeine.
9. Hibiscus Tea
The pressure, the puffy stomach, the self-consciousness—this tea can help you ditch all of it. According to numerous studies, flavonoids and other compounds found in the hibiscus plant help to counteract bloating by influencing how aldosterone, the hormone that regulates water and electrolytes balance, affects the body. Enjoy a cup of hibiscus tea and watch your pooch slowly–but surely–deflate.
10. Chamomile & Lavender Tea
Chamomile-and-lavender tea wards off fatigue and depression by reducing the stress that comes with insomnia. And reduced stress prevents increased levels of inflammation, which have been directly tied to weight and blood sugar disorders like obesity and diabetes.
One Taiwanese study found that chamomile tea significantly improved the physical symptoms related to a lack of sleep, and even helped reduce levels of depression in the chronically sleep-deprived.
Another study found that it improved daytime wakefulness in people who suffered from a lack of sleep. Here’s the funny thing about chamomile: Although it’s the most popular tea for bedtime, there’s actually no evidence that it improves the length or quality of sleep.
Bonus!
Herbal Tea
Herbal teas involve the infusion of herbs, spices, and fruits in hot water.
They differ from traditional teas because they do not typically contain caffeine, and are not made from the leaves of Camellia sinensis.
Popular herbal tea varieties include rooibos tea, ginger tea, rosehip tea, and hibiscus tea.
Although the ingredients and formulations of herbal teas can vary significantly, some studies have found that herbal teas may help with weight reduction and fat loss.
In one animal study, researchers gave obese rats herbal tea and found that it reduced body weight and helped normalize hormone levels.
Rooibos tea is a type of herbal tea that may be especially effective when it comes to fat-burning.
One test-tube study showed that rooibos tea increased fat metabolism and helped block the formation of fat cells.
However, further studies in humans are needed to look into the effects of herbal teas like rooibos on weight loss.
SUMMARY: Though research is limited, some studies have found that herbal teas, including rooibos tea, may help reduce weight and increase fat loss.
3. Peppermint tea
A hot cup of peppermint tea acts as a natural appetite suppressant. Even just sniffing the tea every two hours can provide the same benefits.
