We’ve all heard about green tea and the slew of health benefits that it offers, but few of us actually even drink it. I’ll admit: when I first heard about green tea and it’s ability to help with my weight loss, I shrugged thinking it was just another natural food fad. Then I read actual studies suggesting that dieters lost twice as much weight while drinking green tea than those that did not – no fluff, just a human-controlled study. I was sold and put it on my to-buy list. When I read about traditional Japanese Matcha green tea, which has 137 times more antioxidants than regular green tea, I ran out of the house like a madman intent on getting my hands on the magical elixir and all the benefits that came with it.
Boosts Metabolism
One of the most powerful weight loss benefits that green tea offers is the ability to naturally boost metabolism. The antioxidants in the tea have been found to help increase metabolic rate in humans. During a study conducted by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, it was demonstrated that the consumption of green tea increased the body’s natural rate of burning calories by nearly 400%!
Increases Fat Oxidation
In a study published by the National Institute of Health, green tea was shown to increase fat oxidation by an average of 17%, showing that the tea actually selectively increases the burning of fat and utilizing it as an energy source for the body. This works because the main antioxidant in the tea helps inhibit an enzyme which in turn signals fat cells to break down.
Increases Endurance During Exercises
Green tea is proven to also increase endurance during exercises. In a study with mice, running time to exhaustion was increased by a whopping 30% in those that were fed green tea extract. Researches concluded that this was unsurprisingly tied in with the two benefits mentioned previously – the increase in metabolism and the body’s increased use of fat as an energy source allowed the test subjects to last longer during the exercise. Imagine having a longer and better workout just by drinking tea!
Improves Overall Health
What is the point of weight loss without an improvement in your health? Unlike synthetic weight loss pills or crash diets, drinking natural Matcha green tea has virtually no negative side-effects. On top of making you look great, it’ll have you feeling great! In fact, green tea is loaded with antioxidants which fights free radicals and oxidants and keeps you healthy and focused during your weight loss period.
With so many of the benefits of green tea being attributed almost entirely to the antioxidants found in it, it is no surprise why Matcha has been considered the healthiest tea on earth. In a study by the University of Colorado, Matcha green tea was found to have 137 times more antioxidants than green tea, making it the no-brainer choice of tea. The enormous amount of antioxidants is due to how Matcha is made. It is essentially ground down premium green tea leaves, so when you drink Matcha you ingest the full leaf, where the majority of the health benefits are, rather than just the water of a typically brewed tea.
Now finding the matcha green tea might be a bit more tricky. It is widely popular, and has been for almost a thousand years, in Japan but it is a bit more difficult to find outside of Asia. You probably won’t find it at a local grocery store, but a larger organic retail store or even a specialty tea store should probably have it. Also Amazon has a variety that you can pick from or you can check out specialty tea e-tailers online and order there.
Happy drinking!
Alfred Mai is a health enthusiast, an entrepreneur and an avid writer. He has published articles relating to nutrition and the body, and has advocated for healthier alternatives to everyday diets and routines. As a big believer in tea, Alfred became the founder and CEO of Teaglad (www.teaglad.com), an online store with the goal of promoting a healthier drink choice and lifestyle.