White tea is the least processed type of tea created from the leaves and buds of the Camellia sinensis tea plant. White tea has the mildest flavor of the four tea types, and is not as common in the marketplace as green, oolong or black teas. Low in caffeine and high in nutritional benefits, drinking white tea can also help curb appetite and aid in a weight loss diet.
Water
Like all brewed teas, white tea is primarily composed of water. Adults who drink two or more glasses of water before meals eat less, according to researchers at the American Chemical Society. People who drank water before meals did not eat more later to make up the missing calories and maintained steady weight loss at a higher pace than dieters who did not drink water before meals. Replacing high-caloric sugary beverages like soda and sports drinks with water or white tea keeps calories down and aids in weight loss.
Thirst
People often mistake a feeling of thirst for the sensation of hunger, according to the Columbia University Health Services. When a feeling of hunger arises between meals, drinking white tea or another healthy, no-calorie beverage may stave off the sensation of hunger and satisfy what was actually thirst. Drinking white tea when it has been some time since a substantive meal may backfire, however, by leading to overeating later in the day. Drinking tea in lieu of unnecessary between-meal snacks may be beneficial to your health, but don't skip meals in favor of drinking tea. Skipping meals can lead to nutritional deficiencies.
Catechins
A component of green tea called epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG, has been demonstrated in laboratory tests to be a powerful appetite suppressant, according to the University of Chicago's Tang Center for Herbal Medicine Research. Consuming EGCG caused laboratory rats to eat up to 60 percent less food, lose subcutaneous and abdominal fat, and experience a reduction in blood glucose and cholesterol levels. White tea is made by steaming then drying the young leaves and buds of the tea plant, without the wilting and fermentation processes used to create green, oolong and black teas, so white tea retains higher concentrations of healthful catechins, according to the Oregon State University's Linus Pauling Institute.
Considerations and Warnings
White tea contains caffeine, but little information is available on its precise caffeine content because it is rare relative to green, black and oolong teas, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. People who are restricting caffeine consumption should exercise caution if drinking white tea. White tea may also interfere with iron absorption and may interact negatively with some medications, so consult your physician before drinking white tea as a regular dietary aid.
References
- Pacific College of Oriental Medicine: Health Benefits of White Tea
- Oregon State University Linus Pauling Institute; Tea; Jane Higdon PhD et al.; 2005
- Columbia University Health Services; Herbal Teas Tame the Munchies, But Are They a Healthy Substitute?; February 2002
- University of Chicago Medical Center; Green Tea Derivative Causes Loss of Appetite, Weight Loss in Rats; Feburary 2000
- Science Daily; Drink Water to Curb Weight Gain? Clinical Trial Confirms Effectiveness of Simple Appetite Control Mechanism; August 2010
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