Green Tea For Belly Fat And Weight Loss

Consuming green tea daily may help decrease your risk of heart disease and may help reduce your body fat, according to "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." Green tea is less oxidized than black and oolong tea, giving it more nutritional value. The diet industry has capitalized on this by offering green tea in supplement form. Drinking your tea, rather than swallowing it provides you with the maximum amount of health benefits and can aid in digestion.

Tannins

Green tea is high in tannins, which are phenol, polyphenol and flavonoid compounds. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, polyphenols may help boost metabolism and burn fat. These compounds are also high in antioxidants and help protect the body from free radical cell damage.

Catechins

Catechins are a type of polyphenol and are responsible for the high antioxidant rate found in green tea. Green tea is higher in catechins than vitamin C and E. Catechins prompt your body's flight or fight response, which makes fat burning more effective, suggests Fox News. Nutrition author Lyssie Lakatos recommends drinking five 5-oz. cups of green tea daily to help boost your metabolism for effective weight loss.

Make it More Effective

Drinking green tea first thing in the morning and then before your meals can help aid in digestion and kick-start your metabolism. Adding a squeeze of fresh lemon, lime or grapefruit to your green tea may help increase the amount of catechins your body absorbs, according to "Science Daily."

Choosing a Green Tea

Green tea needs to expand when it steeps, so it should be steeped loose and not bound by a bag or small strainer. To reap the maximum health benefits of green tea, choose whole leaf versions that are not broken or packed into tea bags.