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Which Green Tea Speeds Up Metabolism More: Hot or Cold?

Nov 8, 2010 | By Milo Dakota
Which Green Tea Speeds Up Metabolism More: Hot or Cold?
Photo Credit Green tea image by huaxiadragon from Fotolia.com

Hot foods and beverages --- spicy or thermostatically heated --- speed metabolism more than cold. But the metabolic boost is minor and temporary --- it lasts about as long as it takes a cup of tea to go from tongue-burning hot to tepid. Green tea's effect on your metabolism will likely depend more on the amount of catechins it contains.

Difference Between Green and Other Teas

Green tea is one of four types of tea that comes from the same plant --- camelia sinensis --- and what separates each type is its degree of oxidation. Black tea, the most common, is fully oxidized, and white tea the least. Oolong, or brown tea, and green tea fall in the middle. Lighter teas have a delicate taste while dark teas may be somewhat harsh. When it comes to metabolism and weight loss, the most important factor separating the teas is the amount of catechins each contains. Green tea, provided you brew it yourself, contains four times as many catechins per cup as black tea.

Green Tea Catechins

Catechins, also displayed on tea labels as epigallocatechin gallate, EGCG or flavonoids, contain fat-burning properties, according to scientific studies. People who drank green tea lost more overall weight than drinkers of black tea in a study conducted by Kevin Maki and others. Maki said participants in both groups followed calorie-restricted diets and all lost weight. But those who drank green tea containing 660 mg of catechins lost 5.3 lbs during the study compared to the 2.9 lbs lost by the people who drank black tea containing 22 mg of catechins. Green tea drinkers also lost more abdominal weight, according to the study published in 2009 in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition."

Scientific Studies

Green tea catechins also helped men burn fat in a study led by Michael Boschmann, of the Center for Clinical Studies. The men in his study drank 300 mg of catechins and lost significantly more weight than participants who drank other beverages, according to the study published in October 2007 in the "Journal of the American College of Nutrition." And green tea catechins helped dieters maintain weight loss in a study by R. Hursel and colleagues from Maastricht University in the Netherlands. Hursel's study, published in 2009 in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," found that green tea had greater weight maintenance benefits for people who included adequate protein in their diets.

Catechins Vary by Brand and Type

If you brew tea at home, hot and cold green tea will include the same amount of catechins. The amount may vary considerably, however, depending on the type and brand you buy. Loose tea contains about 127 mg of catechins, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. Green tea bags under the brand name Stash Darjeeling Organic Green Tea contains 100 mg of catechins, five times the amount you'd find in Celestial Seasonings Green Tea. If you buy bottled tea, check the label for catchins. A 20-oz. bottle of Lipton's Green Tea with Citrus contains about 30 mg of catechins, two-thirds fewer than in a cup of Lipton's green tea brewed at home from tea bags.

Cautions

Green tea contains caffeine, a well-known metabolism booster, but you can drink decaffeinated green tea and benefit from catechins. In Hursel's study, some people drank caffeinated and others decaffeinated green tea with similar results. Decaffeinated green tea contains small amounts of caffeine. Pregnant women should limit their caffeine intake, and anyone with a preexisting health condition should consult a physician before drinking green tea for weight loss.

References

Article reviewed by Tina Boyle Last updated on: Nov 8, 2010

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