- Slimming mechanism
- Contraindications
- Slimming methods
- Useful tips
- Recommended varieties
- Recipes
- Questions and answers
Green tea is considered the number one eco-product. Nutritionists recommend actively using it for weight loss, while doctors warn about dangerous effects of its frequent use. This tea is said to have both relaxing and stimulating effects. It contains many tannins (including caffeine tannin) and alkaloids, amino acids and vitamins. Unlike black tea, it is not fermented during production, which is its main valuable property that preserves the maximum amount of nutrients in it.
So far, there have been disputes in scientific circles and among consumers on whether green tea helps to lose weight, whether it makes any effect at all, or it is better to choose some other method. Let’s take a closer look at this issue.
Slimming mechanism
It is worth recognizing right away that green tea contributes to weight loss, this is a fact. However, it is not a magic wand and a powerful product for diets that can be used for mono-diets, but rather an excellent maintenance tool that accelerates the process of fat burning in combination with other slimming systems.
If you combine this magic drink with any type of diet (low-carb, protein, etc.) or intensive sports, it will give good results. And all thanks to the chemical composition of this divine elixir of life, as it is called in China.
Here is a list of useful properties of green tea with regard to weight loss:
- speeds up metabolism;
- has a diuretic effect, removing all excess fluid from the body;
- polyphenols enhance heat exchange in the body, utilizing stored fats;
- reduces blood sugar levels, which suppresses hunger – a very useful property for weight loss. That is why it is recommended to drink this beverage half an hour before meals so that you eat less than usual for lunch or dinner. It also helps to curb your appetite during the diet;
- improves well-being: as you know, any diet can cause dizziness and nausea, but it does not happen if you drink green tea;
- improves mood, which allows you to steadfastly endure even the most severe hunger strike; many of which lead to nervous breakdowns and depression.
Those who do not believe in the efficacy of green tea for weight loss can refer to the following research results: if you drink up to 6 cups of this beverage for a week, the amount of burned fat increases by 45%. This means you can tidy up your figure and finally get rid of ugly folds on your belly and other parts of your body. But all this is possible only if your body can withstand the flow of this miracle drink.
Interesting fact. Green tea leaves contain over 300 different chemical compounds, most of which are still unknown to science. They are difficult to study as they are subject to constant changes and depend on the age of the tea bush, season when the raw materials were harvested, processing method and storage conditions.
Contraindications
Despite the fact that green tea is undoubtedly beneficial for weight loss (when used properly), it can be harmful and even toxic. This happens in two cases.
Firstly, if contraindications for its active use are ignored. Secondly, if the beverage that has been brewed for over 6 hours is being drunk all the time. Harmful phenolic compounds form in it, which can lead to poisoning.
Contraindications for use:
- any heart problems, which cannot withstand such a large amount of caffeine and tannin when the heart is sick;
- tendency to develop kidney stones;
- old age;
- exacerbation of ulcers, gastric erosion, gastritis;
- fever;
- severe arrhythmia;
- insomnia;
- high blood pressure;
- gout;
- glaucoma.
Diets are very often accompanied by digestive disorders. This is where green tea will also have an effect. This may ultimately lead to a perforated ulcer and a hospital bed. Drinking large amounts of the beverage can cause tachycardia and heart palpitations.
Therefore, this elixir has both benefits and drawbacks in terms of weight loss, which you should objectively assess before starving yourself this way. To avoid exhaustion or poor health, it is very important to choose a proper use plan.
Unfortunately. Green tea puts a lot of strain on the heart, which is unacceptable when it is sick. So do not experiment with this weight loss method for those who have cardiovascular problems.
Slimming methods
There are different methods of losing weight using green tea. Here it is very important to choose the best option for your body so as not to harm it.
If you only need to slightly trim your figure and lose a couple of pounds, a fasting day will be enough. If you need more impressive results, you cannot do without a one-week diet. For those who are obese, nutritionists recommend using pharmaceutical nutritional supplements with green tea extract.
Fasting day
If you need to urgently lose weight by tomorrow, arrange a fasting day on green tea. For this you will need to drink a cup of this fragrant beverage throughout the day. Its total daily amount should be around one liter. In between you should definitely drink plenty of plain water.
For breakfast, you can have a piece of whole grain bread, for lunch a small cucumber without salt, and an apple for dinner. Since green tea is not recommended before bed, it can be replaced with low-fat kefir.
Diet
There is a fully developed diet based on green tea. It suggests supporting the hunger strike with green tea. There are different schemes for using the beverage for this purpose:
– drink a cup half an hour before every meal to satisfy hunger and avoid overeating;
– drink after a meal (after 15 minutes) to facilitate digestion and fat breakdown;
– between meals.
Different diets offer different dosages: from 3 cups (minimum) to 1.5 liters (which is too much) per day. It is recommended to start with a small amount to see how the body reacts to the beverage. If there are no side effects, portions can be gradually increased with each passing day.
Pharmaceutical extract
If you have purchased the extract in capsules, it is a dietary supplement. Therefore, it is better to take it with one of the meals. The recommended amount is 3 tablets per day. The duration of the slimming course is one month. Different manufacturers may have different dosages and diet duration.
Look for such products from manufacturers like Evalar, Source Naturals, Country Life, MyProtein, etc.
For green tea to fully manifest its weight loss properties, it should be consumed very carefully so as not to harm your body. Any of the above methods can yield good results: fasting day -2 kg, one-week diet – about 3-5 kg, pharmaceutical extract – up to 10 kg.
