The claim that green tea can make you lose 10 lbs in 6 weeks without doing anything different, has been all the buzz on the internet. Could it be true? Here's what I think...
Green tea contains catechins, polyphenols. Catechins are flavonoids and have antioxidant properties. One of the catechins, EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate), has been shown to have a slight thermogenic effect on fat cells. You may have noticed EGCG on labels of certain diet products, such as One-a-Day Weight Smart, Metabolife, and other diet pills. Of course some of those generally include a lot of other stimulents and things which may be dangerous in the long run, so they are not recommended.
If you are interested in the benefits of green tea, it's best to stick with green tea and not take products that include it in a mixture of other things.
Green tea has been shown to help prevent cancer, may be anti-inflammatory, and also prevent buildup of plaque in the arteries.
Dr. Dean Ornish says
here
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Both green tea and black tea have been shown to reduce the risk of several types of cancers, particularly digestive tract and urinary tract cancers, as well as the risk of heart disease. In one study, those who drank more than two cups a day were 32% less likely to have cancers of the mouth, esophagus, stomach, colon, and rectum. They were also 60% less likely to have cancers of the urinary tract than those who never or seldom drank tea. And more of the beverage was apparently better. Four or more cups of tea per day lowered the risk of such cancers by 63%. In contrast, coffee drinking was not found to be related to the risk of these cancers.
Should you rely on green tea for weight loss? Probably not. Combined with diet and exercise, it may possibly help, but the benefit may be minor. Still, green tea has many other benefits which make it worth drinking. Stick with the natural cup of tea, and not the green tea products. Most of the testing done has been on the beverage, and not the supplement products. As with many dietary supplements, you don't always know what you are getting, and you may lose out if you go that route.
This article in WebMD says:
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Zidenberg-Cherr, who is an associate professor of nutrition at the University of California, Davis, also points out that thermogenesis plays only a very small role in energy expenditure in adults. Most of the energy expended is used to maintain basic body functions such as breathing and the flow of blood throughout the body.
She says green tea may have many health benefits due to its plant compounds, but cautions that it is not the answer to weight-loss woes. "Green tea can't be used, and it shouldn't be used, as a 'magic bullet' for weight loss," she tells WebMD. "You've got to combine it with other changes, including increasing physical activity and reducing a high-calorie diet."
For a detailed analysis of green tea catechins, visit the PDR site
here
Benefit of Green Tea (from Intelihealth) go
here
Who should not drink green tea? Avoid if you have:
* heart problems or high blood pressure,
* kidney disease,
* an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism),
* an anxiety or nervous disorder, or
* a bleeding or blood clotting disorder or if you take a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin).
Green tea contains less caffeine than black tea.
From
WebMD
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* In a small study, green tea has been shown to boost metabolic rates and speed up fat oxidation.
* Calorie losses were small in study subjects and wouldn't make a big difference in the life of an obese person.
* Drinking tea can still be healthy because it contains flavonoids, which are powerful antioxidants that can help protect against cancer, heart disease, and stroke.