Herbal slimming tea manufacturers make all sorts of promises about fast and painless weight loss, but there's very little truth behind their claims. The reality is that there just aren't any shortcuts to losing weight and keeping it off. Herbal diet teas aren't harmful as part of an active lifestyle that includes a varied, nutrient-rich diet, but it's a mistake to believe that drinking any herbal diet tea will magically melt away those extra pounds.
Identification
Herbal slimming tea is not actually made of what we think of as tea, which comes from the camellia sinensis plant. Most herbal slimming teas are based on dried buckthorn, senna and rhubarb root, either alone or in combination. Almost all diet teas also contain hoodia gordonii, ma huang, or kola nut, and some offer licorice, ginger or citrus extracts for flavor. Dieters are encouraged to drink several cups of herbal slimming tea throughout the day, supposedly to suppress appetite, burn fat and speed up their metabolism.
Misconceptions
Green tea is not "herbal tea," but some slimming teas do contain it. According to the researchers at MayoClinic.com, preliminary studies suggest that there might be compounds in green tea that facilitate weight loss, but these results are inconclusive and many more clinical trials need to be done. Contrary to popular belief, herbal teas are not caffeine-free. Many herbal teas contain caffeine as well as other stimulants, which is what makes them attractive to the manufacturers and consumers of slimming teas.
Stimulants
One of the most prevalent ingredients of slimming tea is hoodia gordonii. Hoodia is a natural appetite and thirst suppressant, according to the experts at the University of Texas, and has been used for centuries by South African Khoi-San herders to endure long periods without food or water. Other natural stimulants in slimming teas are guarana, kola nut and ma huang. According to "National Geographic" magazine, guarana contains more caffeine than either coffee or tea. The idea that the stimulants in these herbal teas can speed up your metabolism and burn fat faster is what sells them. In reality, no studies have proven any appreciable weight loss through the use of these kinds of stimulants.
Diuretics and Laxatives
Among the herbs used most often in herbal slimming teas is cassia angustifolia, also known as senna. Senna contains compounds that stimulate the colon, encouraging elimination. Drinking enough slimming tea generally leads to diarrhea. According to Columbia University's Health Q&A Internet service, many dieters believe that diarrhea keeps your body from absorbing calories or fat. This is not true and can lead to dependency on laxatives and dehydration.
Warning
Herbal slimming teas only "work" in the short run. Prolonged use can lead to serious health problems such as laxative dependence, dehydration and malnutrition. In extreme cases, warns Columbia's GoAskAlice.com, overuse of laxatives can cause the colon to shut down completely, which requires it to be removed.
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