Does Drinking Green Tea Really Help You Lose Weight?

Green tea has long been used in Japan, China, India and Thailand to treat medical conditions ranging from heart disease to flatulence, but recently researchers have begun to explore green tea's use as a weight-loss aid. Research into its benefits for weight loss is still ongoing, and more research is needed to determine its effectiveness and safety. Always check with your health care provider before adding any alternative treatments to your care regimen.

Identification

Green tea extract has become a common ingredient in weight-loss products, according to the Colorado State University Extension. Like green tea, green tea extract is made from potent unfermented tea leaves. For weight loss, the standard dose is two or three cups of green tea per day or 100 to 750 mg of standardized green tea extract per day, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Significance

Green tea contains chemicals called catechins, a type of polyphenol--strong antioxidants that neutralize free radicals and that might have the power to improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels and help speed up the metabolism and burn stored fat, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.

Considerations

Even if you incorporate green tea as part of a weight-loss regimen, the only way to lose weight and maintain weight loss over time is to reduce the number of calories you consume each day and burn more calories every day.

Benefits

There's some evidence that green tea might have a positive effect on weight loss and weight management for some people, according to researchers from the Netherlands who published their findings in a 2009 issue of the "International Journal of Obesity." The study showed that people who had low levels of habitual caffeine intake saw the greatest increase in weight loss.

Warning

The caffeine in green tea can make you nervous and cause insomnia, a combination that can lead to overeating for some people. If you drink a lot of green tea or take green tea extract as part of your weight-loss program and start to feel extremely nauseated or start vomiting, seek medical attention: You might have caffeine poisoning.