For most Americans, tea is tea. Forget black teas, white teas, greens, and reds; tea is that finely ground gunpowder that comes in bags from Lipton, or that over-sweetened sludge sloshed into plastic bottles and sold in between the Coke and the Mountain Dew.
However, in places like Japan, the UK, and large swaths of Southeast Asia, tea leaves are as diverse and nuanced as wine grapes. Not only does the flavour profile change dramatically between one tea variety and the next, but so do the health benefits. Not only can certain brews fight off various diseases, select teas have also been shown to rev the metabolism, quell hunger, slash waist-widening stress and shrink fat cells. When Taiwanese researchers studied more than 1,100 people over a 10-year period, they determined that those who drank tea had nearly 20 per cent less body fat than those who drank none!
To ensure you brew the best cups for your weight loss goals, we’ve rounded up the most potent waist-whittling teas from around the world.
Here are the top 9 best amazing teas that help you lose weight quickly.
1. Green Tea
When it comes to the best tea for weight loss, green tea surely tops the list. It contains the catechin epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which builds metabolism to burn calories and promote weight loss.
Green tea also raises the level of antioxidants in the body. Plus, regular intake of green tea supports detoxification.
A 2014 study conducted at Penn State showed that EGCG in green tea helps slow down weight gain by limiting fat absorption and increasing the body’s ability to use fat.
Earlier, a 2009 study published in the International Journal of Obesity highlighted the positive effects of green tea on weight loss and weight maintenance.
Aim to include 3 to 4 cups of green tea in your daily diet.
To make the tea:
1. Put 1 to 2 teaspoons of good quality green tea leaves in a cup.
2. Pour hot water over it.
3. Cover and steep for 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Strain, add a little raw honey and drink it.
2. Peppermint Tea
As peppermint works as a natural appetite suppressant, tea made from fresh or dried peppermint leaves also supports weight loss.
Drinking a cup of peppermint tea between meals reduces hunger pangs. This in turn prevents overeating and reduces intake of calorie-rich snacks. Moreover, peppermint is low in calories, thus naturally reducing your calorie intake.
This herb also aids digestion and reduces stress to support weight loss. Even the soothing scent of peppermint helps suppress appetite.
To make the tea:
1. Add 1 tablespoon of either fresh or dried peppermint leaves to a cup of boiling water.
2. Cover and steep for about 10 minutes.
3. Strain the tea, add a little bit of raw honey and stir well before drinking.
4. Drink this tea not more than 3 times a day.
Note: Women who are trying to conceive, pregnant or breastfeeding should not drink peppermint tea.
3. Oolong Tea
Oolong tea supports weight loss by boosting your metabolism. Like green tea, it also contains catechins, which help your body metabolize fat faster. It even reduces cholesterol and the concentration of fat in the body.
A 2009 study published in the Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine highlights the beneficial effects of oolong tea consumption on diet-induced overweight and obese subjects as it could decrease body fat content and reduce body weight through improving lipid (fat) metabolism.
Earlier, a 2001 study published in the Journal of Nutrition showed that intake of oolong tea stimulates both energy expenditure and fat oxidation in normal weight men.
Besides weight loss, it is good for diabetic and heart disease patients.
To make the tea:
1. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil, then allow it to rest for 2 minutes.
2. Pour the water into a pot or cup.
3. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of oolong tea leaves to the water.
4. Cover and steep for 1 to 5 minutes.
5. Strain and drink.
6. Drink 2 cups of this tea daily.
Used tea leaves can be steeped a couple more times, producing new flavors with each subsequent brew.
4. White Tea
White tea is one of the teas highly rich in antioxidants that prevent new fat cells from forming. It even slows down the body’s ability to absorb fats. The caffeine in it also speeds up the metabolism process.
A 2009 study published in Nutrition and Metabolism reports that white tea extracts can effectively block adipogenesis (the formation of fat cells) as well as boost lipolysis (the breakdown of fat). This in turn fights obesity and reduces the risk of obesity-related diseases.
This tea also works as natural appetite suppressant, thus helping you cut down on unnecessary snacking.
To make the tea:
1. Put 1 tablespoon of loose white tea leaves into a cup.
2. Pour in hot water up to ¾ inch of the rim of the cup.
3. Steep for about 5 to 7 minutes. The tea may take longer to brew (about 10 minutes) if it consists of buds only.
4. Strain, add lemon juice or a little mint for flavor and drink it.
You can drink 2 to 4 cups of white tea a day.
This tea is naturally sweet, so there is no need to add any sweetener.
5. Hibiscus Tea
The beautiful hibiscus flower, when brewed into tea, is an excellent beverage for weight loss. It contains high concentrations of antioxidants that aid weight loss by boosting metabolism.
The enzyme inhibitor called phaseolamin in it reduces the production of amylase, which in turn allows fewer carbohydrates to be absorbed into your bloodstream to accelerate weight loss.
Plus, being diuretic in nature, it even helps you shed water weight.
In a 2014 study published in the Food & Function Journal, researchers found that people who took tablets made from hibiscus extracts for 12 weeks showed reduced waist circumference, body fat percentage and hip-to-waist ratio as compared to obese people who took a placebo.
To make the tea:
1. Add 2 tablespoons of dried hibiscus petals to 2 cups of water.
2. Bring it to a boil, then simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Strain and add raw honey and a little lemon juice for taste.
4. Drink 2 to 3 cups of hibiscus tea daily.
Note: If you are a pregnant or nursing, do not drink hibiscus tea.
6.Ginger tea
Ginger tea is also effective in promoting weight loss. It promotes satiety, which prevents unnecessary snacking and compulsive eating of high-calorie foods.
This makes it easier for you to cut back your daily calorie intake. In addition, ginger improves digestion and boosts your metabolism.
A 2014 study published in the Journal of the Science and Food of Agriculture notes that gingerol, the primary component in ginger, helps reduce body weight as well as improves levels of leptin, the hormone that signals satiety.
Earlier, a 2012 study published in Metabolism noted that drinking a hot ginger beverage after a meal reduces feelings of hunger for up to six hours.
To make ginger tea:
1. Cut 1 inch of fresh ginger root into small pieces and add them to 1½ cups of boiling water.
2. Cover and steep for 10 minutes.
3. Strain, add the juice of half a lemon and sip it slowly.
4. Drink 2 to 3 cups of ginger tea a day
7. Rose Tea
Rose tea is full of fragrance and aroma and highly effective for those who are trying hard to lose some pounds. It is packed full of different types of antioxidants that boost metabolism as well as support detoxification.
It even helps curb sugar cravings, one of the main reasons behind weight gain. Plus, it is low in calories.
Drinking a cup of rose tea between meals will help prevent hunger pangs.
To make this tea:
1. Add 2 cups of fresh rose petals (thoroughly washed under running water) to a pot containing 3 cups of water.
2. Simmer the water on low– to medium-heat for 5 to 10 minutes, then strain.
3. If desired, sweeten the tea with some raw honey, or drink it plain.
Note: Always use rose petals that have not been treated with pesticides.
8. Rooibos Tea
Rooibos tea is good at keeping your figure slim. It is rich in the powerful flavonoid called aspalathin, which helps reduce stress.
Stress is often linked to hunger pangs and excess fat storage in the body. The tea even protects the body from free radicals and promotes weight loss.
Plus, it is low in calories and naturally sweet, so you do not have to add any sweetener. This tea even reduces the risk of heart disease, premature aging and other serious conditions.
Try to drink no more than 3 cups of rooibos tea a day.
To make the tea:
1. Put 1½ teaspoons of loose rooibos tea leaves in a cup.
2. Pour boiling water over the leaves.
3. Cover and steep for 5 to 7 minutes.
4. Strain and drink the tea while it is still warm.
Note: Cancer patients going through chemotherapy should not drink this tea. Plus, due to its estrogenic activity, this tea may not be suitable for people suffering from hormone-sensitive conditions.
9. Chamomile Tea
Chamomile tea stimulates gastric secretions and promotes fat and cholesterol breakdown to support weight loss.
This herb is also known for its detoxification and diuretic qualities, which help rid your body of toxins, waste and excess water. Plus, it helps curb your appetite, filling you up to keep unnecessary munching on high-calorie snacks in check.
A 2010 study published in the Journal of Nurse Practitioners notes that drinking a cup of tea made of bitter herbs, such as chamomile, gentian or dandelion root, before each meal stimulates the production of gastric juices, which in turn promote weight loss.
For best results, drink 1 cup chamomile tea right before a meal.
To make the tea:
1. Add 1 teaspoon of dried chamomile flowers to a cup of hot water.
2. Cover and steep for 5 minutes, then strain it.
3. Add a little raw honey and drink it while it is still warm.
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