Adding green tea and raisins to your diet could help you lose tummy fat and gain health benefits. Green tea contains metabolism-boosting antioxidants that also promote heart heath and longevity. Raisins, although not as trendy as goji berries --- the "super food" of the new millennium --- has the same mixture of fiber, vitamin C and antioxidants as the dried Chinese berries.
Fat-Fighting Powers of Green Tea
Catechins, antioxidants found in abundance in green tea, help burn fat---particularly abdominal fat, according to a United States study. Kevin Maki, president of a private research company, compared the effects of drinking green and black tea. The green tea drinkers in his study, published in February 2009 in the "Journal of Nutrition," lost significantly more fat around their waistlines and nearly twice as much weight overall than those who drank black tea. The green tea drinkers lost 5.4 lbs. compared to 2.9 lbs. lost by the black tea drinkers, all of whom also exercised and reduced caloric intake during the 12-week study.
Raisins and Abdominal Fat
Regular consumers of raisins and other dried fruit are less likely to experience abdominal obesity, according to a study led by Debra Keast, president of Food and Nutrition Database Research. The study, presented at an experimental biology conference, examined five years of body weight and waist measurements among adults who did and didn't eat dried fruit. The belly-slimming benefits applied to adults who ate at least 1/8 cup of dried fruit daily.
Sweet and Good for Teeth
Raisins may satisfy your sweet cravings and save you some trips to the dentist at the same time. In addition to natural sugars, raisins possess phytochemicals that inhibit cavity-making bacteria. The same chemicals prevent raisins from sticking to your teeth, according to "The Toronto Star." However, the dental benefits may not apply to commercial raisin bran cereals because of the extra sugar manufacturers add to the dried grapes, according to a study conducted at the University of Illinois at Chicago and led by Dr. Christine Wu, a professor and director of cariology research. In Wu's study, published in January 2010 in "Pediatric Dentistry," acidity that can cause plaque reached a "danger zone" when children ate raisins with added sugar but not when they ate plain raisins.
Catechins
If you are drinking green tea to lose weight, look for sources with the highest catechin content. Green tea brewed from loose leaves contains 132mg of catechins per cup, 10 times as much as you'd find in a serving of bottled green tea, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. Some brands of tea bags contain nearly as many catechins as loose leaf tea, while some --- especially flavored and decaffeinated versions --- may contain less than 20 percent as many. You can also take green tea in pill form, but be certain to check for its catechin level, which may also be listed on labels as flavonoids, epigallocatechin gallate or EGCG.
Calories and Nutrition
Green tea contains no calories. It contains about one-quarter to one-half as much caffeine as a cup of coffee, depending on the strength of each brew. If you ate 1/8 cup of raisins --- the amount shown effective Keast's weight loss study --- you'd be consuming 170 calories. That amount of raisins --- 120 if you want to count them --- also provides 2g of fiber,1.4mg of vitamin C and 28mg of calcium, along with more than a dozen other vitamins and minerals.
References
- "Daily Record"; Vital; a Cheap Option to Superfoods; Craig McQueen; Feb. 11 2008
- "The Toronto Star"; 'Low Fat' Label an Invitation to Overeat; March 13 2009
- "Business World"; Sweet Yet Healthy; Raoul J. Chee Kee; Aug. 18 2005
- UIC College of Dentistry: Added Sugar in Raisin Cereals Increases Acidity of Dental Plaque
- "Drug Week"; Raisin and Dried Fruit Consumption Associated With Reduced Abdominal Obesity; May 8 2009
- "The Globe and Mail"; Green Tea a Possible Factor in Why Japanese Live So Long; Michelle Fay Cortez; September 13, 2006
Member Comments