Green tea has a plethora of benefits. Research suggests that we might be healthier, feel better and look better if we put down our double latte and instead imbibed in the warm comfort of green tea. The polyphenols in green tea act as powerful antioxidants. According to varied sources, including Psychology Today, these chemicals are associated with preventing cancer, heart attacks, Parkinson's disease and other brain diseases, and additionally, may enhance mood. Moreover, recent animal research such as described at JigSaw Health, and human research, as noted at NutraIngredients, suggests that certain active ingredients in tea, including caffeine, catechin and theanine, appear to enhance weight loss and suppress weight increase and fat accumulation.
Boosts Metabolism
Both the caffeine and the catechins contained in green tea are thought to boost metabolism and promote weight loss. According to the Diet Channel, the particular type of catechin found in green tea, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), influences enzymes involved in the metabolic process to increase thermogenesis, or heat production. This increases the amount of calories burned for all activities from chewing food to running.
Stabilizes Metabolism
The catechins in green tea appear to aid in the regulation of glucose. Green tea slows the release of digested sugar into the bloodstream, helping to prevent insulin spikes. Green tea also seems to assist in glucose metabolism by enhancing insulin sensitivity. This serves to stabilize the availability of glucose as a fuel for the body and the brain.
Inhibits Fat Absorption
The catechins in green tea inhibit absorption of glucose into fat cells. Research from China, described at Medical News Today, suggests that the catechins in green tea can significantly affect distribution of fat in moderately overweight people. This study had four groups consume tea with differing amounts of catechins daily for 90 days. The group that consumed the greatest amount of catechins showed significant decreases in body weight, body fat mass and waist size. Notably, the tea they consumed each day had very high levels of catechins, amounting to what might be contained in six to nine cups of regular green tea, far more than most people consume. The effects of more moderate catechin consumption did not reach statistical significance.
Decreases Appetite
Green tea is thought to function as an appetite suppressant. The caffeine in green tea contributes to appetite suppression, but so do the catechins. A University of Chicago study, described at UC Hospitals, found that rats injected with the particular type of catechin found in green tea, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), lost their appetites and ate up to 60 percent less food.
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