What tea is the best for weight loss? And are there any actual scientific studies to back up this seemingly miraculous concoction?
The best weight loss tea should have two primary functions: boost your metabolism and improve your health. So weight loss isn’t the goal – health is.
If becoming healthier is your starting point, here’s a list of things that will help you find your cup of tea:
Besides helping you reach your weight goals, drinking tea has plenty of benefits. Let’s find out what types of tea are the best options.
You may have heard the case of the 56-year-old man who nearly died due to drinking too much tea.
In his case, the man said he was drinking 16 eight-ounce glasses of iced black tea daily.
Why is drinking too much tea bad for you?
Black tea is high in oxalate, a compound in plants that can lead to kidney failure if consumed in high quantities.
Teas, in general, contain caffeine that can disrupt your sleep patterns, increase anxiety and stress levels, and create a caffeine dependency — similar to a mild drug.
Teas are also a rich source of tannins that can interfere with iron absorption. If you have low iron levels, drinking too much tea may exacerbate your condition.
That being said, those are the side effects of drinking too much tea.
On the other side of the coin, countless studies have also proved the benefits of drinking tea help reduce the risks of heart attack and stroke, support weight loss, protect your bones, and boost your immune system.
The question is, “How much is too much?”
Weight loss is not a thing. Health is a thing. Weight loss is just a byproduct of health.
— Eric Edmeades, trainer of Mindvalley’s WILDFIT Quest
Moderate intake of tea offers numerous health benefits for most people, and drinking too much could lead to adverse health effects.
The question is, “How much tea should you drink a day?”
For most people, they can drink 3-4 cups (24-32 oz) daily without any of these side effects, but some may be more sensitive to tea that they can experience side effects at lower doses.
To find out which dosage is the most ideal for your body, try gradually cutting back until you find the right level. Or consult your healthcare provider.
That’s the recommended intake to reap the health rewards of tea. What about losing weight?
Drinking tea won’t necessarily help you lose weight, but if you combine drinking specific teas with a healthy lifestyle, this combo can support you in your weight loss journey.
Drinking tea on its own won’t necessarily make you lose weight.
Studies have shown that tea appears to induce a small, insignificant weight loss in overweight and obese adults.
It’s best to think of tea as something that will assist you in your weight loss efforts, and not as a magical herb.
It’s also worth noting that certain types of teas work better for you than others. Again, pay attention to how tea is affecting your body to get the most out of it.
The eight teas below are some of the best teas for weight loss.
You might think, “The more tea I drink, the more I’ll lose weight.”
Well, think again.
Studies have shown that tea plays a small part in weight loss and too much tea is harmful to your health.
That being said, it’s recommended to drink 3-4 cups (24-32 oz) of tea a day to shed some stubborn fat.
The actual amount will vary from person to person, so pay attention to how your tea habits may be affecting you personally. Then, gradually adjust the amount.
The reason why the following teas are effective in supplementing your weight loss efforts is thanks to their specific compounds that can help you burn fat faster, reduce bloating, or even prevent fatty cells from forming.
Read on to find out which tea is great for weight loss and a couple of their benefits.
Green tea works great by burning excess fat.
Before workouts, supercharge the fat-burning effects by having a cup of green tea.
In a 12-week study about green tea consumption, participants who regularly had 4-5 cups of green tea each day combined with a half-hour exercise session lost an average of two more pounds than the non-tea drinkers.
This is because of the compounds in green tea called catechins. These antioxidants burn fatty tissues by triggering the release of fat (particularly your belly). Then, they speed up your liver’s capacity to turn released fat into energy.
Lemon water has been known for its cleansing and weight loss properties, but what about lemon tea?
Can lemon tea help you lose weight?
If you do it the right way, yes, it can!
Lemon tea is any type of tea with added lemon juice. You can make this at home with your green tea, black tea, or any other best tea for weight loss that works for you.
This method can be even healthier than any teas because you’re adding lemon’s health benefits (including weight loss) to a cup of nutrient-packed tea.
“Why lemons?”
The vitamin C in lemons may increase the absorption rate of a beneficial compound in tea — polyphenols, that are primarily responsible for the health benefits of tea.
Oolong tea is a traditional Chinese tea that is harvested from the same plants like green tea and black tea.
Unlike its siblings, oolong tea is semi-fermented — meaning it’s allowed to oxidize partially to lock in the rich flavor.
A compound in oolong tea that is primarily responsible for helping weight loss is catechins.
According to a 10-year study, people who drank tea regularly showed a 19.6% reduction in fat percentage and a 2.1% reduction in waistline compared to non-tea drinkers.
Besides weight loss, oolong tea offers numerous health effects by positively interacting with your gut bacteria, managing type 2 diabetes, and improving mental alertness.
White tea has a secret weight loss superpower: it prevents the formation of fatty cells and contains 3x more polyphenols than green tea!
It is naturally dried, the least processed and contains the richest source of antioxidants among green teas.
A study published in the journal Nutrition and Metabolism showed that white tea naturally inhibits adipogenesis and stimulates lipolysis-activity — which means it reduces the number of fatty cells formed and converts fat into energy.
With less fatty cells formed and more fat converted into energy, naturally, you’ll lose weight.
This tea is your tea for weight loss.
Rooibos tea owes its weight-loss reputation to a compound called flavonoids and has the potential to combat obesity.
Originated from South Africa, rooibos is a caffeine-free tea with a sweet, delicate, and rich flavor that has been used for a myriad of health benefits for centuries.
One type of flavonoid, Aspalathin — found only in rooibos — helps reduce stress hormones that stimulate hunger and fat storage.
Researchers believe that the effects of rooibos treatment on adipogenesis (the formation of fatty cells) can help in preventing obesity, making it a great drink for weight loss.
Commonly praised as a weight loss tea, thyme tea offers numerous health benefits to other parts of your body other than your waistline.
How does thyme tea aid in weight loss??
This herbal remedy can suppress your appetite and still deliver energy and nutrients, making you eat less.
Other health benefits of thyme tea include, 1) soothe coughs and throat congestion, 2) eliminate menstrual cramps, 3) boost the immune system, and 4) improve memory and focus.
So the next time you feel a tickle in your throat, start brewing some thyme tea!
Mint tea is a calorie-free tea, which makes it a great choice when you want to lose weight. However, not many researchers have studied the link between mint tea and weight loss.
Still, mint tea has other health benefits that you wouldn’t want to miss.
It is sometimes referred to as the stomach healer — because it eases digestive upsets such as bloating, gas, and indigestion.
Mint tea has also been linked to relieving pain from headaches, migraines, and menstrual cramps, as well as unclogging sinuses and boosting our energy levels.
Moringa is an Ayurvedic medicine used to treat skin diseases, diabetes, and infections for thousands of years.
Supposedly, moringa tea may help in promoting weight loss because it inhibits lipogenesis — the formation of fat.
Still, most studies have looked at the herbal formulation containing moringa combined with other ingredients. It’s unclear to suggest whether moringa or one of the other herbs support in weight loss.
Although it’s not proven that this herbal medicine is a tea for weight loss, studies suggest that it may offer other health benefits such as regulating blood sugar, lowering blood pressure and reducing inflammation.
Even if you’re primarily drinking tea to lose weight, remember this:
Weight loss tea is a tool to help you reach optimal health.
Each cup of drink is packed with a ton of nutritional benefits that can complement your weight loss efforts and help you achieve your health goals.
Nothing tastes as good as health and longevity feel.
— Eric Edmeades, Author of Mindvalley’s WILDFIT Quest
Whatever your health and weight loss journey may look like, make sure you keep a warm cup of nutrient-packed weight loss tea in hand as you prepare for great changes ahead.
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