Green Tea as an Aid to Weight Loss

Green tea has been used in China for centuries for both its medicinal properties and its ability to aid in weight loss. Modern scientists have examined why green tea has been so successful in curing ailments from headaches to depression and why it helps people to lose weight. It turns out that green tea is high in antioxidants and this is what gives green tea enormous health benefits.

Green tea patches and supplements have become commonplace in the weight loss industry because of the ability of green tea to help people to lose weight. Scientists have determined that green tea can help to increase your metabolic rate by promoting thermogenesis. Thermogenesis is simply the process in which your body generates heat by increasing your metabolic rate. This is essential what happens during cardio exercise so green tea can have a similar effect to exercising when it comes to burning fat.

Scientific research has shown that green tea supplements increase the metabolic rate by about 4%. This means that a person who normally requires 1500 calories to maintain body weight would burn an extra 60 calories every day. Although that doesn't like much of benefit it is something that takes no effort and can add up over the days. Obviously green tea is not a magic bullet but it is definitely an aid to weight loss.

Another benefit claimed of green tea is that it can help to reduce your appetite. It has been theorized that this is because green tea helps to regulate your blood sugar. The theory goes that the catechins in green tea act as a glucose regulator and prevent spikes in blood sugar. Appetite is primarily controlled by blood sugar levels so maintaining a consistent level of blood sugar will help to reduce appetite.

It is important to remember that green tea is an aid in weight loss not a complete solution. Green tea supplements should be used in combination with a healthy diet and exercise. It is also important to keep in mind that green tea is high in caffeine which can be issues for people with certain medical conditions. Some supplements are made with decaffeinated green tea so if you have issues with caffeine this is something to keep an eye open for.

Green tea can be an excellent aid to weight loss by helping to increase your metabolism and to reduce your appetite. Just remember that it is not a magic bullet and needs to be used in combination with a healthy lifestyle.