Green tea is a rich source of antioxidant compounds called polyphenols, which are responsible for numerous benefits including reducing inflammation and improving eye health. You can consume green tea as a beverage or in capsule form. Research suggests that the green tea polyphenol epigallocatechin-3-gallate, or EGCG, might play a critical role in inducing fat loss. Consult your health care provider before taking any supplements.
Energy Expenditure
Green tea might boost energy expenditure and fat oxidation, or fat burning, according to a study conducted by lead author Abdul Dulloo and colleagues from University of Geneva in France. They reported in the December 1999 issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" that healthy male subjects consuming green tea extract, which consisted of 50 mg caffeine and 90 mg EGCG, on three separate occasions experienced increases in 24-hour energy expenditure and fat oxidation compared to those consuming caffeine and a placebo.
Fat Oxidation
In research reported in the April 2010 issue of the "European Journal of Clinical Nutrition," lead author Michael Boschmann and colleagues from DSM Nutritional Products studied the effects of EGCG on fat oxidation in healthy obese men. They discovered that subjects taking a low dose of 300 mg of EGCG experienced increases in fat oxidation after a test meal.
Body Composition
Scientists from the University of Melbourne in Australia investigated the impact of different teas on body composition, or fat-to-muscle ratio in the body, in rats adhering to a high-fat diet. Lead author Nora Chen and researchers found that participants taking green tea for 16 weeks reduced their body weight and increased their lean mass. Researchers stated that green tea increased calorie burning and prevented the development of fat cells, according to research published in the November 2009 issue of the journal "Nutrition Research."
Green Tea and Exercise
Michelle Venables led a team of researchers from the University of Birmingham who examined the impact of green tea extract on fat oxidation and glucose tolerance in healthy humans and published their report in the March 2008 issue of the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." Scientists found that subjects performing a moderate amount of aerobic exercise and ingesting three capsules of green tea, which consisted of 13 mg polyphenols and 366 mg of EGCG, experienced increases in fat oxidation and improved cell uptake of glucose compared to those consuming a placebo.
References
- "Amer. Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Efficacy of a Green Tea...; A. Dulloo, et al.; Dec 1999
- "Eur. Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate...; F.Thielecke, et al.; July 2010
- "Nutrition Research"; Green Tea, Black Tea and Epigallocatechin Modify...; N. Chen, et al.; Oct 2009
- "Amer. Journal of Clin. Nutrition"; Green Tea Extract Ingestion...; M. Venables, et al.; March 2008
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