What Are The Benefits Of The Tea Diet?

A "tea diet" emphasizes daily consumption of tea coupled with healthy food choices. The basis of the tea diet is the ability of tea's healthy antioxidant catechins to help burn calories. However, a tea diet also offers numerous other benefits to your overall health and well-being. When evaluating the benefits of a tea diet, remember that you must also adhere to a healthy daily food diet, or else your food choices may cancel out the benefits of daily tea.

Weight Loss

To achieve weight loss on a tea diet, you'll want to drink green teas. Green teas contain more antioxidant catechins than black or oolong teas. In a 2009 study by Provident Clinical Research and Consulting, researchers found that the increased catechins in green tea prompted twice as much weight loss when compared to other tea varieties. The same study reports that you should drink about 660 mg of catechins daily to aid in weight loss -- one cup of green tea contains about 100 mg of these important antioxidants, so you'll need to drink up to seven cups daily. Catechins help increase weight loss, but only if paired with exercise, so you must combine green tea consumption with physical activity.

Cholesterol

A tea diet can lower your cholesterol. The United States Department of Agriculture reports that both green and black tea will lower your cholesterol, reducing your risk for heart disease. Most people notice lower cholesterol within 3 weeks of drinking daily cups of tea. Cholesterol is lowered independent of your supplemental diet or exercise; simply drink tea to enjoy lowered cholesterol levels.

Insulin

Green, oolong and black teas increase insulin activity, according to the USDA. If you have diabetes, a tea diet can help control your blood sugar. Both caffeinated and decaffeinated teas are effective at increasing bodily insulin production. While a special diabetic solid food diet is recommended for further insulin control, liquid tea diets will provide insulin benefits even without additional diet or exercise.

Metabolism

An increased metabolic rate will lead to further weight loss, as well as increased cellular respiration for clearer skin. Caffeine increases your metabolic rate, providing metabolic benefits. Caffeine is also a stimulant, improving your mood and alertness. However, be sure to use caffeine is moderation. According to the University of Hawaii at Manoa, you should limit your caffeine consumption to 400 mg daily to avoid dependency and high blood pressure. Teas typically have between 20 and 90 mg of caffeine per cup.

Cancer

Black teas contain a flavonol called TF-2, which inhibits the growth of certain cancer cells, according to a report published by the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Rutgers University. The tea diet will not eliminate your risk for cancer, but combined with exercise and a low calorie diet, drinking tea can reduce risk.