Although it was Chinese and Indian tea that first popularized the drink in the West, Japanese green teas have become a staple in many Western pantries. In recent years, Japanese green tea has also become a staple in some dietary supplement houses, with claims that it can help you lose weight and lower your cholesterol. Although there is some truth behind these claims, the advertising copy may be exaggerating the data.
Green Tea Basics
Green tea is one of the three branches of "true teas," made from the camelia sinsnsis plant. The other two are black and oolong. Green tea differs from the other two in that the leaves are not fermented prior to roasting. Although Japanese do drink other forms of tea, green varieties are the most common.
Caffeine
Green tea contains caffeine, which can stimulate weight loss in three ways. First of all, caffeine is a stimulant, which encourages a higher activity level leading to more calorie-burning. It's also an appetite suppressant, which means you'll eat fewer calories. Finally, caffeine is a diuretic. It will make you urinate more often and in greater volume, meaning you will retain less water and shed a few pounds of temporary water weight.
Catechins
Dr. Stephen Pratt reports that the catechins in green tea may temporarily hinder your body's ability to absorb dietary fat. This means you may take in fewer calories, and produce less cholesterol, in the hours immediately after drinking Japanese tea. As of 2011, research supporting this trait of Japanese tea is incomplete, but hopeful.
Zero-Calorie Beverage
Unsweetened tea has no calories. According to CNN Health correspondent Dr. Melina Jampolis, drinking a zero-calorie beverage before a meal can help you control your calorie-intake by creating a feeling of fullness. Drinking green tea as your first response to snack cravings can have a similar effect.
Bottom Line
Several physical and chemical traits of Japanese green tea may help you reach your weight-loss and cholesterol control goals. However, the effects are not strong enough for you to succeed using Japanese tea alone. Like many other dietary supplements, Japanese tea is best used as an adjunct to a holistic approach, including a healthy lifestyle, diet and exercise.
References
- USDA: Brewing Up the Latest Tea Research
- "Superfoods Rx"; Dr. Stephen Pratt; 2006
- "The Book of Tea"; Kakuzo Okakura; 1997
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