You've probably heard the idea that tea can boost your metabolism and help you burn more calories. Study after study shows it can – but to what extent? In one study done by the University of Geneva, Switzerland (albeit small, but still conclusive with this group), participants were divided into three groups: Group One took 50mg of green tea extract, Group Two took 50mg of caffeine and Group Three took a placebo.
During the study, participants were housed in a respiratory chamber where their energy expenditure and thermogenesis were measured. At the conclusion of the study, Group One showed a 4% increase in thermogenesis and a 4.5% overall increase in energy expenditure over the other two groups.
So can tea really make a difference?
Can a 4.5% increase in energy expenditure really make a difference in one’s weight loss endeavours? Yes and no.
From the aspect that whatever we can do to help speed up our metabolism, and ultimately help with weight loss, is beneficial in the long run. And when added to the other things we are doing to speed up our metabolism, yes it can.
No, from the aspect that it is unreal to expect that drinking a cup or two of tea per day will be the answer to weight loss for an obese person. After all, 4.5% of a 1,500 calorie diet is only about 60 calories, but as said before, it can be part of a synergistic effect when added together with other metabolism-increasing efforts.
Types of tea
Although the study referenced only took green tea into consideration, other types of tea have also proven themselves to increase metabolism and ultimately weight loss:
Oolong – Increases fat burning by 157% in addition to increasing metabolism and blocking fat absorption.
Pu erth – Improves digestion along with increasing metabolism.
Feiyan – Suppresses your appetite along with improving metabolism and the burning of fat.
White – Stimulates the burning of fat while stopping the generation of new fat cells.
Peppermint – Served hot or cold, it not only speeds up digestion, but helps burn more calories.
Porangaba – Boosts weight loss while suppressing your appetite. Has also shown to reduce fatty deposits and cellulite.
Drinking tea is not enough
While drinking tea does help increase your metabolism, alone it is not enough to promote any appreciable weight loss. However, when added to a consistent exercise routine including both cardio and weight lifting along with a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats, the three-pronged approach creates a recipe for substantial weight loss.
