Green Tea has been consumed in China for more than 5000 years, with bacteria defying and fat burning effects you can understand why green yea still upholds its reputation as one of the healthiest beverages known to man. Green tea comes from the same plant as black tea, but is harvested at a younger age. It is consumed “fresh”, while black tea is consumed roasted. Green tea is thus less processed and retains more of its nutrients and antioxidants than black tea. It is loaded with antioxidants and nutrients that have powerful effects on the body.

What’s in it?

Green tea, because it’s less processed, has a higher concentration of polyphenols, also called catechins, then any other types of tea, including black and oolong. The catechins in the green tea are one of the active ingredients linked to weight loss. In addition to catechins, green tea is also a source of caffeine.

What does it do?

If you look at the ingredients list for any fat burning supplement, chances are that green tea will be on there. Given that green tea can boost the metabolic rate in the short term, it makes sense that it could help you lose weight. Several studies show that green tea leads to decreases in body fat, especially in the abdominal area.

In one study in 10 healthy men, green tea increased energy expenditure by 4%. Another study showed that fat oxidation was increased by 17%, indicating that green tea may selectively increase the burning of fat. Caffeine itself has also been shown to improve physical performance by mobilizing fatty acids from the fat tissues and making them available for use as energy. In two separate review studies, caffeine has been shown to increase physical performance by 11-12%, on average.

How much do you need?

To get the amount of caffeine and catechins purported to help you lose weight, you’d need to drink 2 to 3 cups of green tea a day, 1 cup of green tea has about 120 to 320 milligrams of catechins and 10 to 60 milligrams of caffeine.