What Type Of Tea Increases The Metabolism?

After water, tea is the most commonly consumed beverage in the world, according to an article published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In addition to the health benefits provided by antioxidants, tea may also play a small role in boosting metabolism. However, no single beverage, food or diet pill can radically change your metabolism and cause rapid weight loss unless you also change your behaviors and eating patterns.

Types of Tea

Almost all non-herbal teas derive from the Camellia sinensis plant, including black, green and oolong tea. The differences in the teas stem from how long the tea is exposed to air, or fermented, explains the USDA. In addition to changes in flavor, the length of fermentation also affects the level of caffeine and other chemicals in tea.

Tea and Metabolism

Drinking tea appears to slightly increase metabolism. In one study, participants who drank tea burned roughly 67 more calories per day than people who did not drink tea, reports the USDA. Considering that most people consume around 2,000 calories each day, this increase of 67 calories is a small effect. Additional studies are needed to confirm this increase in metabolism, and whether or not it has a significant effect on body weight.

Caffeine

The effect of tea on metabolism is mostly likely due to the caffeine. Caffeine temporarily suppresses appetite and stimulates the body to generate heat and burn calories, a process known as thermogenesis. However, this increase in metabolism is only temporary, and is unlikely to permanently alter metabolism and significantly increase weight loss, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Ways to Boost Metabolism

You can take several steps to speed up your metabolism permanently and also raise how many calories your body consumes. One is to increase the amount of muscle mass on your body. Muscle consumes more calories than fat, and bulking up your muscle mass raises your resting metabolic rate, or the number of calories your body burns at rest. Another step to boost metabolism is to make sure you do not skip meals, which causes your body to slow down metabolism in order to conserve energy. By making sure you eat just enough to meet your body's energy needs, you can insure your metabolism stays high.