Does green tea burn fat? Recently, many people have been wondering if green tea burns fat or whether drinking green tea increases fat burning compared to common burning supplements.
This question certainly has some merit, but I decided to do my own thorough research on it, so I consulted our nutritionist, checked a lot of data online, and invited some of my clients, who were willing to commit to trying green tea and exercise. After six weeks of research and testing, I’ve compiled all the data and feedback in this article, so here’s what I learned.
What does green tea do to your body?
Green tea does a few things in the body, including aiding in weight loss, promoting the breakdown of fats, relieving headaches, easing digestive issues, and improving cognitive alertness.
One of the prominent components of green tea (EGCG), it is still being studied for its potential effectiveness against cancer and heart disease. Green tea contains caffeine, which has a positive effect on alertness throughout the day.
If drinks and supplements with any caffeine content are disrupting your sleep pattern, you should keep that in mind when consuming them later in the day.
The benefits of green tea in burning fat
Yes, green tea can burn fat, because it contains caffeine and is rich in catechins, flavonoids with powerful antioxidant effects, which are being studied for their potential indirect effect on fat loss by reducing fat cell production of triglycerides.
EGCG is thought to do three things that help with weight loss: speed up metabolism, prevent the formation of new fat cells, and positively affect the breakdown of fat.
As one study suggests, green tea helps burn fat during a consistent exercise routine and may significantly increase fat oxidation and improve body composition by reducing visceral fat and increasing lean muscle mass.
What are some other benefits?
Studies show that there are some other healthy reasons to drink green tea besides losing weight, including improving blood flow, lowering cholesterol, fighting high blood pressure, and controlling blood sugar.
In our test group, some chose to take green tea extract supplements instead of steeping green tea leaves. Whichever form was taken shortly before hitting the gym, by the second week, the majority felt a little better.
Another unexpected benefit noted by a few participants, myself included, is that green tea pre-workout not only burns body fat, but also improves recovery from exercise.
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What is the best green tea for burning fat?
- Matcha may be the best green tea for burning fat, and it is the green tea most rich in antioxidants. Matcha contains more EGCG than other green teas, which may increase its weight loss and fat burning benefits.
- Matcha is processed differently than other green teas, as it is ground into a powder rather than the leaf form like the rest of other green teas, making it almost a green tea extract of sorts since it is much stronger than the regular kind.
- For two weeks before harvesting, the whole matcha plant is left in the shade. This process increases chlorophyll, which increases caffeine, to 80 mg per cup, versus 35 mg in loose leaf green tea. Matcha also contains more calories than green tea, which should be taken into consideration when trying to lose weight.
- Matcha is also pricier than traditional green tea, which can be a problem for some, including a few of my clients who opted for loose leaf green tea and exercise to burn excess fat and lose weight during testing. Another good option is actual green tea extract that is commonly found in nutritional supplements and energy drinks.
- Green tea extracts are a concentrated form of tea leaves that offer the same health benefits. Be aware of any unnecessary additives such as sugars and fillers in these products as they may also affect your ability to lose weight.
Questions and answers
- Does green tea burn belly fat?
Yes, green tea can burn belly fat when combined with exercise and a healthy diet. Aerobic exercise with green tea in the morning can greatly help in weight loss and improve exercise performance in anaerobic exercises as well.
- When should I take green tea to burn fat?
You should have green tea shortly before your workout to help burn fat. For continued weight loss and other health benefits, it is considered safe to drink green tea or have an all-natural green tea drink every day.
A summary
Based on the data I gathered through my research and testing, I definitely recommend adding green tea to your fitness plan along with plenty of exercise and a healthy, balanced diet.
If you want to speed things up a bit, you can do what has been shown to be very effective in burning fat for my clients which is combine running with one of the following fat burners.