Green tea, weight loss and long life are on everyone's lips these days. The Chinese have been using green tea for centuries as an aid to both health and weight loss, but it is only recently that green tea has become popular in the West for these purposes, having originally become known as the drink provided in Chinese restaurants.
Recently a number of research projects have been carried out to determine whether or not the health benefits of green tea are justified. Scientists have discovered that green tea contains high amounts of antioxidants, which are responsible for many of the benefits attributed to the drink.
Substances in green tea which cause thermogenesis are responsible for its ability to help weight loss. Thermogenesis is the mechanism by which the body generates heat, increasing metabolism in the process and therefore burning calories. This is partly due to the presence of caffeine, however, it is greater than the thermogenic effects of caffeine alone. It appears that green tea not only, has compounds that can increase the body's normal metabolism, but also suppress the appetite, making it an ideal supplement to use as part of your diet. A double blind trial carried out involving 24 men who were given green tea and whose diets, exercise and energy expenditure were monitored, revealed that those who were being given regular dosages of green tea showed a significant increase in their energy expenditure over 24 hours.
If you wish to use green tea as an aid to weight loss, you should buy a good quality brand and have a cup or two per day. Alternatively, you can consider taking a green tea supplement. However, don't expect miracles. If you drink green tea, weight losswill be assisted, but only if you are careful about what you eat.
© Waller Jamison 2007
No comments:
Post a Comment