Weight loss is among the many great benefits obtained from drinking green tea. Green tea contains powerful antioxidants called catechin polyphenols that help fight free radicals in the body that cause disease, aging and weight retention. Green tea alone will not negate the effects of a poor diet or a lack of exercise, but it can help boost your metabolism, assist in burning fat and give you a little more oomph in your workout.
Increased Metabolism
The International Journal of Obesity reported in 2000 that the antioxidant epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) within green tea works with caffeine to stimulate the metabolic system. EGCG activates the central nervous system, making you burn more calories. The inclusion of three to four cups of tea per day makes you burn an additional 60 to 80 calories.
Burn More Fat
Green tea's thermogenesis targets fat. The polyphenols in green tea cause an acceleration of the enzyme responsible for dissolving excess triglycerides that would otherwise be stored as fat. A study from Provident Clinical Research in Indiana reported in the Journal of Nutrition in 2009 suggests that green tea consumption helps people lose fat at the belly---a particularly insidious type of fat that is a risk factor for heart diseases, diabetes and cancer. If you exercise to lose weight, drinking green tea assists the body in using fat for fuel, further accelerating weight loss.
Alternative Beverage
Green tea has only 4 calories per serving. Replace three or four sodas or juice drinks with green tea can save as many as 500 calories in a day, causing you to lose up to 1 pound per a week. Drinking a cup of tea before meals can help increase sensations of fullness, also leading to less overall calories consumed over the course of a day.
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