Green tea has been touted as ‘nature’s Fat-burner’ for centuries, but only now is modern science agreeing on the evidence behind green tea and weight loss.
It’s known that obesity is a huge burden to healthcare, consequential to wellness because of comorbidities (e.g. heart disease, metabolic syndromes). Fortunately, the newest meta-analysis on green tea offers insight to the pathophysiology behind weight gain, and what measures may offer help with weight-loss.
Across existing research, green tea is agreed as relevant to what effective weight management strategies might look like [1]. Keep reading to understand exactly how green tea can help you lose weight.
Newest Research on Green Tea for Weight Loss
A most recent publication suggests green tea as particularly beneficial to those with clinical obesity, i.e. those with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of ≥30. Across test groups, obese test-groups experienced the greatest reductions in weight, BMI, and waist circumference (WC) when supplementing with green tea:
- Especially those considered obese and at increased-risk for comorbid diseases may consider green tea [1], with an average of more than 5lbs weight reduction over 12-weeks with daily supplementation.
- Those overweight (BMI: 25–29.9) also experienced reductions.
Although some people may be healthily ‘overweight’ (fat reserves may help against severe illness), the number of those with excess fat cannot be ignored. In the last four decades, obesity has tripled its incidence, affecting nearly one in every three people worldwide, with some regions more affected than others.
Green Tea for Integrative Weight-loss Strategies
Today, effective treatments often include a multifaceted approach, more than ever turning to herbal or traditional remedies, like green tea, to bring greater balance to the process of weight loss [1].
Beyond an anti-inflammatory diet, regular exercise, and ‘western’ (conventional) treatments, green tea is a leading example of both an adaptogen and daily practice (like mindfulness meditation) reported to aid therapeutic outcomes over the long term [1].
HOW MUCH GREEN TEA TO TAKE FOR WEIGHT-LOSS
The latest research is also the first of its kind to provide evidence of a dose-dependent relationship of green tea and reported benefits. It establishes supplementation of 500mg to carry significant decreases to BMI, visceral fat, and WC.
It also found those supplementing ≥800mg daily to have greater reduction to WC [1], where those ingesting a concentrated and high-quality green tea, such as matcha green tea, might expect dose-dependent effects.
- The data is of special consideration since studies evaluated were required to be placebo-controlled and to use ‘whole-leaf’ green tea and not extracts; it also excluded those with insufficient data and which did not report controlled measures [1].
HOW LONG TO TAKE GREEN-TEA FOR WEIGHT LOSS
Researchers found the spectrum of benefits of green tea were most prominent after 12-weeks (3-months) of consistent supplementation with green tea.
This is consistent outside of weight-loss with studies about antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, establishing daily matcha green tea for at least 2-months for health [2].
How Green Tea Improves Weight Loss
There are two well-studied ways that green tea’s benefits are thought to extend to weight-loss. First, that green tea may hasten fat-burning and reduce metrics like BMI and WC by acting directly on metabolism.
- One example thought to explain is by reducing ‘ghrelin,’ the hunger hormone which also triggers fat storage; green tea also is documented to elevate adiponectin and fat-oxidation, both relevant to weight loss [1].
- And second, green tea may work more indirectly in the body to bring balance to weight loss. It’s energizing qualities, including natural caffeine content and as a source of essential nutrition, may convey as appetite suppressing [1].
GREEN TEA: MECHANISMS BEHIND WEIGHTLOSS
When enjoyed daily, high quality green tea – such as matcha – may affect weight-loss by leveling nutrient absorption during digestion [1]. Also, high levels of natural polyphenols, flavonoids, and other phytocompounds are reported to activate (burn) brown adipose tissue, also known as brown fat [1].
- This effect may be comparable or amplifying alongside cold therapy.
- Naturally occurring antioxidant polyphenols are suspected to regulate glucose response, improve ketogenesis, and elevate caloric output.
Those natural antioxidants also regulate fatty-acid uptake to control cholesterol, including levels of Very Low Density Lipoprotein (VLDL) [1], while being possibly beneficial to the gut microbiome and efficiency of both glucose and ketogenic metabolism – all suggested under strategic weight-loss.
Consumption of green tea may be therapeutic , where it may offer benefits against obesity, dysbiosis, cancer, blood pressure, osteoarthritis, hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycemia, and neurodegenerative diseases [1].
Safety of Green Tea for Weight Loss
The recent literature review relayed a high level of safety in daily consumption of premium quality green tea, including the potent antioxidant epigallocatechin-gallate [1]. The regard of high safety is critical to comprehensive weight loss, where important comorbidities should be considered part of treatment.
- Often obesity itself is secondary to cormorib disease development, including hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular disease generally, and specifically atherosclerosis [1].
We see that anti-obesity properties are an objective possibility for green tea, while the disease risk factors outside of metabolism (e.g. cancer, cardiovascular disease) may too find good outcomes through green tea.
- Green tea may offer healthy weight management, while potentially offering some protections to other disease risks.
- Antioxidants in matcha green tea may improve arterial flexibility, blood flow, and healthy levels of cholesterol [3].
The Bottom Line
There’s a lot of unique ways to influence health and especially healthy weight. Beyond eating right and getting regular exercise, researchers more than ever are looking to integrative measures such as safe herbal supplements to improve outcomes.
Green tea is a noteworthy candidate for its safety and possibilities for metabolism. Researchers are confident that it may play a role in future, comprehensive treatment strategies. This most recent research also identifies the possibility of dose-dependent relationship of green tea, while correlating weight loss directly with supplementation.
So, while the details aren’t entirely uncovered to how green tea works inside the body, scientists are certainly getting closer everyday. And the evidence seems to point towards safety and efficacy of green tea – like matcha – while offering motivation to future research.
While they work to uncover how certain types of premium green tea may better amplify possibilities for health, for now we can feel assured that that morning bowl of matcha must be doing something good.
Plus, it makes you feel great! That can go a long way for balanced health.
Have more questions about using green tea to boost fat burning? Check out our article on Matcha for Weight: Questions and Answers, According to Research.
-Team Matcha Kari
SHOP MATCHA
* * *
References
[1] Lin, Y., Shi, D., Su, B., Wei, J., Găman, M. A., Sedanur Macit, M., ... & Guimaraes, N. S. (2020). The effect of green tea supplementation on obesity: A systematic review and dose–response meta‐analysis of randomized controlled trials. Phytotherapy Research.
[2] Furushima, D., Ide, K., & Yamada, H. (2018). Effect of tea catechins on influenza infection and the common cold with a focus on epidemiological/clinical studies. Molecules, 23(7), 1795.
[3] Zeka, K., Ruparelia, K., Arroo, R. R., Budriesi, R., & Micucci, M. (2017). Flavonoids and their metabolites: prevention in cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Diseases, 5(3), 19.
