Written by Kyle Hunt | BEXSci.
Fact checked by Andrew Lenau, ISSA CPT & Sports Nutritionist
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Green tea has long been applauded for its numerous health benefits, including its potential to aid in weight loss.
But with so many weight loss supplements out there with outrageous claims, it's natural to wonder if green tea is worth all the hype. Does it really help you shed pounds? And if so, how exactly does it do that, and how significantly does it help?
In this article, we'll examine the scientific evidence behind green tea's weight loss potential and discuss if you should incorporate it into your lifestyle. We'll also cover some pro tips, like the best time to take your green tea, and recommend a few of our favorite weight-loss-boosting green tea products.
So sit back, relax, maybe sip some (green) tea, and discover the potential power of green tea for shedding those unwanted pounds.
Table of Contents:
- What Is Green Tea?
- What Ingredients Are In Green Tea?
- What Are The Different Forms Of Green Tea?
- Is Green Tea Good For Weight Loss?
- How Is Green Tea Good For Weight Loss?
- 3 Ways Green Tea Helps You Lose Weight
- How Much Weight Can Green Tea Help You Lose?
- What Is The Best Green Tea Supplement For Burning Fat & Weight Loss?
- How Much Green Tea Should You Have Daily?
- Does Green Tea Have Calories?
- When Should You Take Green Tea For Weight Loss?
- Green Tea Benefits & Drawbacks
- Who Should And Shouldn’t Take Green Tea?
- FAQs
What Is Green Tea?
Green tea is a type of tea created from the Camellia sinensis plant. Unlike black tea, which is fully oxidized, green tea is minimally processed, meaning the leaves are steamed or pan-fired right after being harvested to prevent oxidation. This minimal processing helps retain the natural color and flavor of the tea and its health benefits.
Green tea is a popular beverage in many cultures, particularly in East Asia, where it has been consumed for thousands of years. It is known for its distinctive flavor, which can be light and grassy or bold and earthy, depending on the variety and the brewing method.
Green tea is also known for its health benefits, which include reducing the risk of heart disease, improving brain function, and aiding in weight loss.
Due to its numerous benefits, green tea also comes in supplement form. Green tea, as a supplement, contains concentrated levels of the active ingredients in green tea. These supplements typically come in capsules or tablets and are designed to provide the benefits of green tea in a more convenient and concentrated form.
Green tea supplements usually contain a high level of polyphenols, natural compounds found in green tea that have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The primary polyphenol in green tea is epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is believed to be responsible for many of the health benefits of green tea consumption, including weight loss.
What Ingredients Are In Green Tea?
Some of the key ingredients found in green tea include:
- Catechins: These are a type of flavonoid found in high concentrations in green tea. They are potent antioxidants that can help protect the body against damage from free radicals.
- Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG): When you think of green tea in supplemental form, you probably think of EGCG, a catechin that is particularly abundant in green tea. It has been shown to have a bunch of potential benefits, including reducing inflammation, improving brain function, and potentially even helping to prevent certain types of cancer.
- Caffeine: Green tea also contains natural caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant that can help boost energy levels and improve mental alertness, making it great to take before tackling your workout split.
- L-Theanine: Theanine is an amino acid found almost exclusively in tea and is particularly abundant in green tea. It has a calming effect, particularly when combined with caffeine, and can help improve focus and concentration1.
- Vitamins & Minerals: Green tea also contains small amounts of vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, E, and potassium.
Combining these ingredients makes green tea a robust and healthy supplement that can benefit the mind and body.
What Are The Different Forms of Green Tea?
Green tea is a versatile and widely consumed product that comes in many different forms, each with unique benefits and uses. Some of the most common forms of green tea include:
- Green Tea Drink: This is the most common and traditional way to consume green tea, by brewing the tea leaves in hot water and drinking it as a beverage. Green tea drinks are widely available in stores and can be brewed at home using tea bags or loose tea leaves.
- Green Tea Supplements: Green tea extracts are available in capsules, tablets, or powders and are designed to provide a concentrated dose of green tea's active compounds, such as EGCG and catechins. These supplements are often used for their antioxidant properties, as well as for weight loss and other health benefits.
- Green Tea Fat Burners: These dietary supplements combine green tea extract with other ingredients, such as caffeine, synephrine, yohimbine, or capsaicin, to boost metabolism and help the body burn fat more effectively. You'll find many products on our lists of Best Fat Burners For Men and Best Fat Burners For Women that include green tea extract.
- Green Tea Skincare Products: Green tea is also commonly used in skincare products, such as creams, serums, and masks, due to its antioxidant properties and ability to oxygenate the skin.
Is Green Tea Good For Weight Loss?
It's no debate that the best way to lose body weight is through diet and exercise.
This means habits like following this meal plan for weight loss and sticking to a workout program play really important roles in your weight loss journey. However, once that is covered, adding an effective supplement is the icing on the cake. The trouble is, most weight loss supplements are all hype.
But not green tea. In fact, for those who have already experienced modest weight loss, green tea could give you a much-needed boost to help you continue hitting your goals.
Green tea is one of the few compounds that lives up to the publicity as a weight loss product. A 2009 meta-analysis explored the effects of green tea on weight loss and weight maintenance. After analyzing over ten studies, the researchers found green tea positively affected weight loss and maintenance2.
How Is Green Tea Good For Weight Loss?
Consistent consumption of green tea has been shown to assist in weight loss and has been associated with a lower risk of obesity. But how does green tea help you lose weight?
Understanding how green tea is good for weight loss requires briefly explaining how the body loses fat. Fat loss occurs through a two-step process of lipolysis and oxidation. Lipolysis is the method by which fat cells release their stored triglycerides into the bloodstream to be used for energy by the body's cells.
A calorie deficit triggers lipolysis, signaling the body to break down fat stores to compensate for the energy shortfall. Once the fatty acids and glycerol are released into the bloodstream, they are transported to the cells, where they can be used as energy. This is called fat oxidation. To dig into this further, check out our article on Everything You Need To Know About Fat Burners.
Green tea contains compounds called catechins, notably epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which have been shown to stimulate lipolysis and increase fat oxidation3.
3 Ways Green Tea Helps You Lose Weight
Here are the three ways green tea helps you lose weight.
- Improves Metabolism: Green tea contains caffeine, stimulating the central nervous system and increasing metabolism. Research shows when green tea and caffeine are combined, it creates a synergistic effect on fat loss4.
- Increases Fat Oxidation: Research shows that green tea supplementation can improve fat oxidation, especially during exercise5. In addition, green tea contains compounds that help to stimulate your fat burning hormones.
- Reduces Appetite: Although not a specific way green tea burns fat, reducing appetite is one way it can help you lose more weight. Caffeine is widely considered an appetite suppressant, which is one of the reasons caffeine pills are so popular. However, some research suggests that combining green tea, caffeine, and fiber significantly increases satiety and leads to fewer calories consumed in the next meal6.
How Much Weight Can Green Tea Help You Lose?
At the end of the day, diet and exercise will determine your rate of weight loss. However, a supplement like green tea can provide assistance.
That said, it’s hard to say definitively how much weight green tea can help you lose. For example, a 2012 study found that after twelve weeks, people consuming green tea extract lost anywhere from half a pound to eight pounds from supplementing with green tea7.
I recommend focusing on slow and sustainable weight loss. Set up your diet and exercise routine to lose around 1-2 pounds per week, and use a supplement like green tea as a bonus. If all goes well, it may help you reach your weight loss goals without reducing calories quite as much.
As diet plays an essential role in your success, I also recommend finding a meal plan you'll be able to stick to. Check out our 7 Day High Protein Meal Plan and 16/8 Intermittent Fasting 7 Day Meal Plan for a few great options.
What Are The Best Green Tea Supplements For Burning Fat & Weight Loss?
Here are a few of the best green tea supplements for burning fat and weight loss.
1) PhenGold:
PhenGold is a green tea product with a potent formula. In addition to green tea extract, it has caffeine, cayenne pepper, tyrosine, l-theanine, and a b vitamin blend.
The combination of green tea extract with other plant-based ingredients results in a potent fat-burning mix that will help support your weight-loss goals.
Pro Tip: Plan to do your daily workouts shortly after you've taken your PhenGold. You'll have increased focus and energy, resulting in burning even more calories during exercise.
Want to learn more about this supplement? Check out our PhenGold Review for more information!
Formulated by experts, PhenGold has been scrupulously designed and developed using carefully selected, exhaustively researched, clinically proven ingredients to...
2) Kaged Clean Burn:
If you want to go with a stimulant-free fat burner, look no further than Kaged Clean Burn. It has green tea extract, l-carnitine tartrate, chromium, and gymnema sylvestre.
And since it only has 4 grams of caffeine from the green tea extract per serving, even those who are sensitive to caffeine can benefit from its fat-burning properties.
In addition to improving fat burning, the other ingredients control blood glucose levels. This would be a great product to take with high-carbohydrate meals.
3) Nature's Bounty Green Tea:
If you want to go for a green tea extract only, Nature’s Bounty Green Tea is one of the best-selling products on Amazon and has almost three thousand reviews, many of which credit the supplement to helping them lose weight.
This supplement contains everything we love about green tea, including many antioxidant properties and EGCG.
4) Bigelow Classic Green Tea:
It’s hard to beat classic green tea, like Bigelow Classic Green Tea. Grab a box of tea bags to enjoy the benefits of green tea at home.
How Much Green Tea Should You Have Daily?
Most studies on the weight loss benefits of green tea have used doses of ECGC (the active compounds in green tea) ranging from 270 to 1200 mg per day. This translates to roughly 3 to 8 cups per day, depending on the brand and strength of the tea.
However, drinking large amounts of green tea (more than 5 cups per day) may lead to side effects such as caffeine-related jitters, stomach issues, or sleep disturbances in some people.
If the goal is to use green tea for weight loss, it's best to get most of it from supplements and limit yourself to two or three cups daily.
Does Green Tea Have Calories?
Plain green tea does not contain calories as long as it is brewed with water and without added sweeteners or other ingredients. This means it is a calorie-free beverage if you drink green tea without adding sugar, honey, milk, or other high-calorie additives.
Green tea supplements, in general, also do not contain any significant calories. Most green tea supplements are made from plant-based materials or gelatin, and these materials do not have any significant amount of calories.
When Should You Take Green Tea For Weight Loss?
For the most part, when you drink green tea will not significantly impact its potential weight loss benefits. However, it's vital to keep a few things in mind.
First, green tea contains caffeine, which can have a stimulatory effect on the body. Caffeine's half-life is about five hours. If you consume 100mg of caffeine at 6pm, you will still have 50mg in your system five hours later.
Consuming green tea later in the day may interfere with sleep quality, negatively affecting weight loss. Therefore, having caffeine and green tea earlier in the day is best.
If you want to have green tea at night, choose decaffeinated. And if you're looking for a fat burning supplement to assist with your evening weight-loss efforts, these nighttime fat burners may be a good option.
Another factor to consider is meal timing. While green tea may assist in weight loss, it's important to remember that overall calorie balance is vital. Consuming green tea with meals can boost the feeling of fullness and reduce the desire to eat compared to water8. This could lead to a reduction in overall calorie intake and support weight loss goals.
That said, the best time to drink green tea is when it fits into your lifestyle. Consistency is key, so aim to consume green tea when you can maintain a consistent intake over time.
5 Additional Green Tea Health Benefits
Besides weight loss, here are some other benefits of green tea:
- Improves Brain Productivity: Green tea contains caffeine and L-theanine, which can increase mental function, including mood, memory, reaction time, and concentration.
- May Reduce Cancer Risk: Green tea contains powerful antioxidants that can help protect against cancer. Studies show people who drink green tea regularly have a lower risk of developing prostate, breast, and colorectal cancer9.
- Lowers Heart Disease Risk: Green tea may help reduce the risk of developing heart disease. It works by reducing LDL cholesterol levels and improving the function of the lining of the blood vessels10.
- Boosts Immune System: The catechins found in green tea can help improve immune function, helping to protect against illness and disease11.
- Beneficial For Skin Health: Green tea may be a beneficial addition to your skincare routine by drinking it regularly or using skincare products containing green tea extract. It helps by increasing blood flow and oxygen delivery to the skin, which may help enhance skin cell health12.
5 Potential Green Tea Drawbacks
While drinking green tea and taking green tea supplements are generally considered safe for most people, there are a few potential drawbacks to be aware of.
- Contains Caffeine: Green tea contains a small amount of caffeine, which can cause side effects in some people. The caffeine content of green tea can be enough to keep you awake at night, so consume it during the early portions of the day.
- Interactions with Medications: Green tea may interfere with certain medications, such as antidepressants, blood thinners, and some chemotherapy drugs. If you are currently on any of these medications, talk to your healthcare provider before taking green tea or supplements.
- May Interfere With Iron Absorption: Green tea may interfere with iron absorption from plant-based foods. If you have a known iron deficiency, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before drinking large amounts of green tea.
- Liver Damage: A few cases of liver damage have been reported in people who have taken high doses of green tea supplements. While these cases are rare, it's important to be cautious when taking any supplement.
- Allergies: It's rare, but some people may be allergic to green tea or its components, which can result in symptoms such as hives, itching, or swelling. The good news is, it's typically not a big deal. Just stop having it.
Who Should & Shouldn't Take Green Tea?
Green tea is generally safe when consumed moderately as a beverage or supplement. However, specific populations may need to exercise caution or avoid green tea altogether.
Who should avoid or limit green tea consumption:
People with caffeine sensitivity should avoid consuming large doses of green tea due to the caffeine content. If you fall into this category but are still hoping to boost your weight loss efforts, a non-stimulant fat burner may be a better option for you.
In addition, supplements containing green tea extract have been linked to rare occurrences of liver issues. But, interestingly, a 2015 meta-analysis found green tea intake reduces the risk of liver disease13.
So, what are we to believe? As with most supplements, it's all about the doses. If you have liver concerns talk to your doctor before taking a green tea supplement.
It's also important to note that green tea can interact with some medications, such as blood thinners, antidepressants, and some antibiotics. If you are taking any of these medications, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before supplementing or drinking large quantities of green tea.
Green tea consumption may aggravate anemia because it interferes with iron absorption. This will only be an issue if a significant quantity of green tea is consumed while not getting enough iron.
Who may benefit from consuming green tea:
Okay, so who is green tea suitable for? Tons of people!
First, anyone looking to improve cognitive function or mental alertness will benefit from green tea. Green tea contains a potent combination of caffeine and L-theanine, which may improve brain function.
In addition, people who are trying to lose weight will benefit from green tea. As mentioned throughout this article, green tea can aid in weight loss and metabolism regulation.
Finally, everyone who wants to improve health and longevity. Green tea is rich in anti-inflammatory compounds and antioxidants, which can reduce the risk of chronic diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
FAQs
Any remaining questions about green tea? Let's answer them here!
Does green tea reduce belly fat?
Evidence suggests that green tea can aid in weight loss and reduce body fat, including belly fat. However, with any supplement, the effect will be small. It's best to combine green tea with other lifestyle factors, such as diet and exercise, which are likely to have a more significant impact on reducing belly fat.
How many cups of green tea should I drink a day to lose weight?
To get the amount of EGCG that has been shown to improve weight loss, you may have to drink upwards of 8 cups of green tea per day. Consuming that much tea may result in some issues for some people. However, many people habitually drink that much tea daily without problems. To lose weight, I recommend using a green tea supplement in addition to drinking it.
How much weight can I lose in a month with green tea?
How much weight you lose in a month of taking green tea depends on various factors, the biggest being a calorie deficit. Sustainable weight loss usually requires dropping between 1-2 pounds per week. However, you can lose weight slightly faster in the short term. It would be reasonable to lose up to ten pounds in a month with the proper diet and exercise program while using green tea.
Green Tea is the Perfect Addition To Your Daily Health Routine
Whether you're a fan of green tea's delicate flavor or prefer the convenience of supplements, incorporating green tea into your daily routine could help you reach your weight loss goals and improve your overall health.
However, always remember that while green tea may help, sustainable weight loss requires a complete approach that includes healthy eating habits, regular physical activity, and lifestyle modifications.
So, why not add a cup of green tea or supplement to your daily routine and see how it can positively impact your weight loss journey? With its rich history and potential benefits, green tea is worth exploring.
Ready to start incorporating green tea into your weight loss routine? You can't go wrong with PhenGold, which is packed with all-natural ingredients, including green tea leaf extract, green coffee, and cayenne pepper to help you look and feel your best. Or, for those interested in a supplement the only contains green tea, check out Nature’s Bounty Green Tea, which will provide you with a hefty dose of antioxidants while supporting your weight loss goals!
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Kyle Hunt
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