Fad diets come and go but one of the most popular continues to be the Green Tea diet. While introduced as part of an all-around diet plan only a few years ago, the tea, always popular in Japan and China, has become a popular health drink around the world, according to DietsinReview.com. Taking part in the Green Tea diet offers consumers the health benefits of antioxidants, which are plentiful in tea, as well as its ease of use, being available in either tea or capsule form.
History
Green tea is a traditional drink in Asia, and has been for thousands of years. The tea comes from a plant called the Camellia Sinensis, which is the same plant that produces common black tea. However, green tea is produced in a different manner by steaming fresh leaves of the plant, which turns them green. These leaves are then brewed into tea for drinking. Steaming also enables release of extracts that are used in capsules available at most drug or vitamin stores. Green tea and its extracts are believed to promote weight loss, as well as lowering cholesterol, though adequate scientific data regarding such claims has not yet been proven, states DietsinReview.com.
Benefits
Green tea has been known to benefit people in a variety of ways, from weight loss to increasing the metabolism due to its ability to create thermogenesis (process that increases metabolism) heat and its ability to resist Alzheimer's due to its effects against chemicals in the brain that damage cells by forming deposits of plaque in the brain's gray matter. Green tea is also rich in antioxidants that help fight and repair damage caused by toxins and cell death that result in wrinkles, as well as for its immune boosting properties (L-theanine) that help fight flu.
The most popular use of green tea may be for what is called the Green Tea Diet, which is believed to increase metabolism and oxidize fat, according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (see reference below).
Dosage
A cup of green tea (1 tsp. of crushed green tea leaves, balls or prepackaged slip mixed with 6 to 8 oz. of hot water) may be consumed three to five times a day, or in supplementary form in the amount of two 500-mg capsules of green tea extract taken two to three times a day.
What to Look for in Green Tea Beverages
When considering adding green tea or green tea supplements to any diet plan, choose your green tea beverages carefully. Some premade green tea products and drinks contain ingredients like guarana or ginseng, considered natural energizers, according to bcdsp.org. These will help avoid the sudden crash in the middle of the day that many caffeinated drinks may cause. For added benefits, choose green tea extracts, capsules or powders that are 100 percent organic for the best sources and strength of the Camelia Sinensis plant extract and its benefits.
Diet
Green tea as a drink or as a supplement can be added to a sensible diet plan that contains daily recommended amounts of proteins, carbohydrates, fats and sugars as determined by your weight and height, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (see link below for MyPyramidPlan according to your own age, sex, current weight and height). It does not work by itself, but in conjunction with proper diet and exercise, offering a variety of additional benefits for health and wellness.
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