Appetite Suppression & Green Tea

Green tea may increase metabolism and fat oxidation, your body's ability to burn fat -- and it may also work for appetite suppression, although further research is needed. Green tea contains both caffeine and powerful antioxidants. Caffeine may exert an appetite suppressant effect that can assist with weight loss. As with any supplement, consult your doctor before using green tea.

Green Tea

Green tea is less processed than oolong and black tea and comes from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. Its minimal processing results in high levels of antioxidants known as polyphenols. Antioxidants help to protect the body from free radicals, particles that can damage cells. Green tea's polyphenols are catechins; the most active and potent catechin in green tea is EGCG.

Effects

Green tea contains stimulants such as caffeine, theobromine and theophylline -- and the amino acid L-theanine, which exerts a calming effect on the nervous system, the University of Maryland Medical Center reports. The combination of caffeine's possible appetite suppression effects and the calming activity of L-theanine may help you to eat less.

Drinking green tea with a meal helped study subjects feel satisfied sooner and experience less desire to eat more of their favorite food, compared to drinking water with a meal, according to researchers from Sweden's Skane University Hospital who published their findings in the November 2010 "Nutrition Journal."

Considerations

Drinking green tea instead of black tea, coffee or energy drinks may help to curb your appetite. Although caffeine may have an appetite suppressant effect, consuming too much caffeine can cause stress and nervousness, which can trigger excess calorie consumption in some people.

Your choice of food can affect appetite. Protein and foods rich in fiber such as whole grains, beans and vegetables promote stable blood sugar. Consuming sugar, alcohol, processed carbohydrates and starches can cause a rapid rise in blood sugar and the crash afterward triggers food cravings. Consuming a balanced whole-food diet and reducing empty calories can keep your appetite under control.

Warning

If you add green tea to your diet, reduce other sources of caffeine. Chocolate, cocoa and certain medications such as headache tablets, menstrual pain products and weight-loss supplements often contain caffeine. Excessive caffeine intake can cause dizziness, heart palpitations, irritability and insomnia.

Loss of appetite can be a sign of caffeine overdose and may be accompanied by headache, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. Abdominal spasms or vomiting from drinking a lot of tea may be a sign of caffeine poisoning.