Green tea is derived from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant and contains potent antioxidant catechins called epigallocatechin-3-gallate or EGCG. Antioxidants like EGCG can protect against cell damage and studies show that it may help prevent cancer, heart disease, inflammation and other chronic diseases. Now research reports that green tea catechin EGCG may even help boost belly fat loss in overweight people.
Promotes Belly Fat Loss
A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that EGCG from green tea promoted belly fat loss in obese men and women on an exercise program. Researchers at Japanese and U.S. institutions assigned 107 overweight and obese adults to receive either regular exercise with a placebo beverage or regular exercise plus an EGCG beverage for 12 weeks.
The researchers found that both exercise groups lost weight and body fat. However, the EGCG exercise group lost more belly fat than the placebo exercise group. This result suggests that EGCG catechins may enhance abdominal fat burning.
Reduces Belly Fat and Body Weight
Research published in the journal Obesity suggests that EGCG catechin green tea drinks can reduce belly fat and body weight in overweight adults. Scientists from Shanghai Medical School, China, administered either a high-dose catechin green tea drink plus one placebo drink, two high-dose catechin green tea drinks, two extra-high dose catechin green tea drinks, or two placebo drinks daily to 182 overweight adults.
The researchers found that drinking two extra-high dose catechin green tea beverages daily resulted in the greatest loss in total body fat and belly fat. The extra high catechin group had an additional 5.6 cm decrease in the belly area, 1.9 cm decrease in the waist area and 1.9 kg weight loss, compared to the placebo drink group. These results show that there was more fat loss in the belly area.
Increases Belly Fat Burning
A study published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that green tea catechin EGCG from green tea can increase fat burning up to 50 percent in obese men. Researchers from Universitary Medicine, Berlin, administered either a low dose EGCG (300 mg), high dose EGCG (600 mg), EGCG plus caffeine (300 mg/200 mg), caffeine (200 mg) or a placebo to 10 overweight and obese men.
The researchers found that the low dose EGCG group had a 33 percent boost in fat burning. The high dose EGCG group had a 20 percent boost, compared to placebo. The caffeine group produced a 35 percent increase, while the EGCG/caffeine group had a 49 percent boost in fat loss. The study authors note that high doses of EGCG do not provide additional fat burning benefits.
References
- Maki KC et al. Green Tea Catechin Consumption Enhances Exercise-Induced Abdominal Fat Loss in Overweight and Obese Adults. J Nutr 2009 Feb;139(2):264-270.
- Wang H et al. Effects of Catechin Enriched Green Tea on Body Composition. Obesity 2010 Apr;18(4):773-9. Epub 2009 Aug 13
- Thielecke F et al. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate and postprandial fat oxidation in overweight/obese male volunteers: a pilot study.
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