Green tea for weight loss: does it help and how to drink it correctly?
Today, the Internet is replete with a variety of weight loss methods using some product or drink. Popular kefir, coffee, water diet. One can argue about their effectiveness for a long time, however, green tea is considered to be one of the leaders in this list. It is quite common in our country, but not everyone knows its beneficial properties in weight loss.
What is useful?
Green tea is produced by a minimal fermentation or oxidation technique. Its homeland is China. Now, together with Japan, they are considered leaders in the production of this drink.
Green tea has a light pleasant taste. It acts as a good remedy for thirst on a hot day, especially when cold. In addition to gastronomic properties, tea has a lot of healing qualities. The drink is rich in antioxidants, minerals, thanks to which you can increase vitality and slow down the aging process of cells. This product is literally filled with B vitamins. It also has a large amount of vitamin K, ascorbic and folic acid.
Due to the fluorine content, green tea has a beneficial effect on dental health. The presence of copper, manganese and zinc makes this drink extremely beneficial for vision.
An interesting fact: the famous European actress Sophia Loren believes that she owes her eternal youth to the systematic use of green tea for many years.
Green tea is rich in catechins. These substances are polyphenolic, aromatic compounds that have antioxidant properties and slow down the aging process of tissues. In addition, they have the ability to activate metabolic processes and break down intracellular fat. In terms of antioxidant effect, this drink surpasses vitamin C and tocopherol.
One of the most popular properties of green tea is to help in weight loss. This is due to the stimulation of metabolism and the removal of toxic compounds from the body.
Another important property of green tea for weight loss is the ability to suppress appetite and reduce hunger. Instead of another heavy snack, you can drink a cup of unsweetened green tea. Thanks to this method, you can save yourself from overeating.
Green tea contains virtually no calories. It helps to gently reduce weight by speeding up metabolism and suppressing appetite. In addition, this natural drink helps prevent a nervous breakdown and improve mood. People who exhaust themselves with a variety of diets, as a rule, are in a state of nervous tension and psycho-emotional imbalance, so such a light antidepressant will come in handy for them.
Also, green tea helps to normalize blood pressure and restore the proper functioning of the heart muscle, activate the protective functions of the body and improve overall well-being.
For many centuries, green tea has helped ladies of all ages to achieve harmony.In order for weight loss to be significant, it is necessary to replace all other liquids absorbed by a person during the day with this drink. However, green tea should not be considered as an alternative to food.
Starvation combined with an increased intake of green drink can lead to disruption of some internal organs. To lose a few pounds of excess weight, just add a few cups of this traditional drink to your usual diet. At the same time, this method eliminates the need to comply with debilitating diets or other methods of dealing with excess weight.
The main beneficial effects that green tea has on the human body include the following properties:
- promotes the removal of toxic compounds from the body;
- stabilizes blood pressure;
- improves the general condition of the body in various inflammatory diseases;
- strengthens the walls of blood vessels.
In addition, this drink has a healing effect on the condition of the gums and teeth. With the systematic use of green tea, you can forget about what stomatitis and gingivitis are.
Due to the colossal content of antioxidants in green tea, it is an effective prophylactic for cancer. It also contains zinc, which is necessary for a person in the process of regeneration of damaged tissues.
Among other things, green tea has some properties that indirectly affect weight loss.
- Diuretic action. This effect can be increased by adding a couple of tablespoons of low-fat milk to the drink. Such a cocktail helps well in the fight against kilograms.However, it is important not to overdo it here, because if too much fluid comes out, this will lead to negative consequences for the body.
- Enhancement of heat transfer. It is carried out due to the high content of polyphenols in the drink. We can say that this is the main process that ensures the burning of body fat.
- Decreased glucose concentration in blood.
Another unique quality of green tea is the stimulation of collagen formation. With its deficiency, the skin loses its elasticity and looks flabby. Systematically drinking a cup a day, you can significantly improve the condition of your skin, reduce the number of wrinkles on your face. In addition, green tea prevents the formation of stretch marks during sudden weight loss. Also, this drink is an effective remedy against the hated "orange peel". Thanks to all these qualities, green tea is often called the elixir of youth.
Contraindications
We have already found out that green tea is an incredibly valuable product with a large number of unique medicinal properties. However, one cannot discount the fact that for a certain category of people, the regular intake of this drink can result in some health problems. Consider the main contraindications.
- Advanced age. After 60 often there are diseases of the joints. Excessive consumption of green tea can aggravate such pathological conditions, and even cause the development of gout (deposition of uric acid salts in the joints).
- Glaucoma (persistent increase in intraocular pressure).
- Inflammatory, erosive, peptic ulcers gastrointestinal tract.
- Urolithiasis disease and chronic renal failure.
- Fever.
- Thyroid diseases (endemic goiter, hyperthyroidism).
It should be noted that nutritionists recommend drinking not very strong green tea so as not to provoke a migraine.
You should not save and buy low-quality green tea at a low price. Also, you can not use the same tea leaves to make tea many times. From this, he will lose all his taste and medicinal qualities.
Green tea is an effective weight loss remedy. However, it must be remembered that the expected therapeutic effect may not occur if the allowable dose is exceeded or there are contraindications. But reasonable moderation in the use of this miraculous drink will contribute to mild weight loss.
How to choose and apply?
There are several ways to take green tea as a weight loss aid.
- Drink a drink 30 minutes before a meal. Sugar should not be added to a cup of tea, otherwise you will neutralize its beneficial effect. Drinking a healthy drink on an empty stomach, you help speed up the process of splitting food. To increase the therapeutic effect of green tea, you can combine it with taking herbal decoctions: hibiscus, hawthorn. It would also be nice to add cinnamon to enhance the taste and health benefits of the drink.
- Green tea can be consumed not only as a drink, but also in dry form. In order to prepare such a remedy, you need to grind tea leaves in a mixer to a powder state and add it to other dishes. You can also take half a teaspoon a day on an empty stomach with water. In this form, green tea does not lose its valuable properties.This method of preparation is suitable for those who cannot appreciate the taste properties of the drink, but at the same time want to get all the useful substances contained in this product.
- Green tea is combined with almost all popular diets. Without making any dietary adjustments, you can improve your results.
There are several varieties of green tea. For weight loss, nutritionists recommend using Oolong, as compared to other varieties, it contains more polyphenols that stimulate the fat burning process.
If you want to get the most out of drinking green tea and not harm your own health, you need to choose a quality product. In order not to purchase a base fake, when purchasing tea, consider the following nuances.
- The lighter the leaves, the better the product.
- Try to give preference to tea that is made in loose form, and not in bags.
- The varieties produced in China are considered the most delicious and healthy.
- On the surface of high-quality tea leaves, the villi should be clearly visible.
- Tea made in accordance with all technological standards should not turn into powder if it is rubbed in the palms.
- Pay attention to the smell of tea - a low-quality variety will not have a subtle aroma, you can clearly distinguish the smell of dry grass. You should also beware of too strong synthetic odors, which are the result of the use of flavors in the manufacture of the product.
Effective Recipes
Nutritionists identify two main principles for losing weight with green tea: diet and unloading.
The diet includes eating light meals in combination with green tea.At the same time, it should be consumed during each meal, and in the interval between them three more times. After 6 pm, green tea should not be drunk - this can lead to insomnia due to the significant content of caffeine.
The intake regimen is quite simple - the drink should be brewed (each time using a new tea leaves) weak and taken no more than 6 times a day. You can also add a little honey to tea at one of the receptions, however, it should be remembered that it cannot be added to boiling water, otherwise such a drink will acquire harmful properties.
With regular use of green tea, you can almost immediately feel a significant decrease in appetite, so it will not be so difficult to cope with food restrictions. In addition, thanks to it, you will not feel a breakdown, as the drink perfectly tones up and gives energy for the whole day, despite the absence of calories.
Even if you do not adhere to any particular diet, but simply introduced this healthy product into your regular diet, you will still be able to lose a couple of kilograms without making any effort.
The unloading program using green tea is also popular. However, it should be used no more than one day. It is mainly used by women who need to fit into their favorite dress for some significant event.
The essence of this program is to take a drink brewed with milk (a pinch of tea per 1 liter). If you do not want to drink milk in such quantities, then you can prepare the usual green tea and put a couple of tablespoons of milk there. It is necessary to consume 2-2.5 liters of such a drink per day.
Several times you can add honey to warm tea - such a drink will be an excellent sedative.Thanks to this unloading, you can lose up to two kilograms per day. A similar effect is achieved due to the diuretic action of the drug and unloading the intestines. This diet is suitable even for the most weak-willed, as the combination of milk and tea gives a feeling of satiety.
There are several more effective recipes for weight loss.
- Green tea with jasmine. Jasmine in regular green tea will speed up the fat burning process and add a pleasant taste. You can find high-quality jasmine green tea in almost any tea shop, so you do not need to purchase it separately to add it to a cup with a ready-made drink every time.
It should be noted that sugar should also not be added to such tea, otherwise the positive effect of the diet will be significantly reduced.
- Green tea with cinnamon. To prepare such a drink, you need to pour boiling water over a teaspoon of cinnamon. 150 ml of green tea should be added to the resulting solution. Strain the liquid and take no more than 3 cups a day before meals.
- Green tea with ginger. By adding ginger to green tea, you will not only get an effective fat burner, but also an excellent remedy for colds.
Diet Tips
Judging by the recommendations of most reputable nutritionists, green tea should be drunk as often as possible when losing weight. To improve and diversify the taste of the drink, you can add lemon (or other citrus fruits), apple, mint, honey there.
To speed up the process of weight loss, you need to limit or abandon the use of confectionery, while increasing the amount of fresh vegetables and fruits in your daily diet. Meat must be boiled, stewed, grilled or baked, but never fried.And of course, it is important to follow the "golden" rule of all nutritionists - do not eat at night.
After two weeks of systematic consumption of green tea and compliance with certain food restrictions, the body begins to actively burn excess fat. At the very beginning of this path, a kind of purification occurs by removing toxic compounds and excess fluid.
According to numerous reviews, a diet that has room for green tea quickly yields positive results. A person who adheres to the correct nature of nutrition gets used to it well, thanks to which he is more likely to keep his weight at a normal level for a long time.
Many nutritionists say that in any case, you have to be patient. It will not be possible to quickly lose weight on a green drink, but the lost kilograms will not return to you with a “makeweight”.
The healing qualities of green tea are recognized not only by folk, but also by official medicine. Many major cosmetic brands produce green tea-based face and body care products. Among them are moisturizers, tonics, serums, cleansers. The names of these funds are full of popular glossy publications and catalogs.
With a sharp decrease in weight, the skin begins to rapidly lose elasticity. To avoid this, cosmetologists advise not only drinking green tea, but also using it as a cleanser.
Green tea is a drink familiar to Russians, which can be a great addition to a hearty lunch or a light snack. However, it is impossible to overestimate its healing properties, especially its ability to accelerate the process of weight loss.Thanks to this miraculous drink, you can say goodbye to hated kilograms without much effort and harm to health, as well as normalize many physiological processes.
How to lose weight with green tea, see the following video.