Lose weight with green tea - is it really possible?
Green tea is always in the conversation when it comes to the fight against excess weight. A strong fat burner that boosts the metabolism and supports fat burning - but is that really true? We explain what you can realistically expect from green tea and what you need to watch out for.
Basic requirement: pesticide-free green tea
First things first: pesticides
Spider webs on the tea plants in Mr. Hasegawa's tea garden in Hamakita, Shizuoka, Japan.
In order to benefit at all from the positive effect of green tea, you should make sure to buy only pesticide-free green tea. Because with at least 1-2 cups of tea per day, the negative effect of the harmful substances can outweigh the healthy properties of the tea.
The basic requirement is that the tea farmer in Japan does not use pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers in the cultivation process. However, not all green teas meet this requirement, and certainly not conventional bagged teas from the supermarket. Even in organic teas, a certain amount of pesticides can occasionally be detected[1].
Our tea farmers cultivate 100% pesticide-free and do not use any chemical fertilizers. Pests are fought here, for example, by the naturally occurring spiders - the ecosystem thus regulates itself to some extent. The absence of pesticides is also tested by an independent institute. Thus, all green teas in our tea store, both Sencha green tea and Matcha, are 100% guaranteed pesticide-free.
What green tea can not
Unfortunately, without exercise and a healthy diet, green tea is pretty much on its own and thus can't do much either. Physical activity and a healthy diet are still necessary to get rid of extra pounds. Green tea is a valuable addition to a balanced diet and an active lifestyle. However, drinking green tea alone or taking green tea supplements will not help you achieve a healthy weight, as numerous studies have already found.[2] We give a hint about the widely used green tea supplements below in the conclusion.
What green tea can do
Green tea is a natural energy drink - completely without harmful additives
Increase energy & motivation
Green tea, especially matcha, contains a lot of caffeine. This is, unlike caffeine from coffee, slowly absorbed by the body. Metabolism, attention and concentration thus increase slowly, last for several hours and then slowly level off again.[3] We can use this additional energy and motivation for sports or other activities. A bowl of Matcha or a cup of Sencha is therefore especially useful before planned workouts and helps us to overcome our inner pig dog
Reduce hunger
One of the most important ingredients of green tea is EGCG. It inhibits the breakdown of dopamine in the body and thus ensures a good mood. This not only makes us happier, but also inhibits appetite. Another appetite inhibitor is CCK - a hormone that signals the body that you are full. This hormone, you have probably already guessed, is of course also released when green tea is consumed.[4] Thus, green tea, for example, drunk before a meal, is a real satiator.
Reduce stress
The challenges of everyday life, little sleep, emotional challenges - all these things cause our stress levels to rise. Cravings, disturbed metabolism, lack of motivation for physical activities, etc. can be the result. This is probably where green tea has its greatest advantage. Both oxidative stress in our body cells and psychological stress can be reduced by green tea.
L-theanine, along with L-arginine, is the most effective ingredient against mental stress, which leads to relaxation and serenity shortly after drinking green tea. We can concentrate better, sleep better and recover more intensively. These factors are basic requirements for a healthy lifestyle.[5]
Other antioxidants and polyphenols also reduce oxidative stress in our cells and counteract inflammation in the body. Even muscle growth through regular exercise is promoted by reducing muscle soreness and promoting regeneration.[6] All these effects taken together can thus support you meaningfully in a dietary change and the path to a more active lifestyle.
CONCLUSION
Green tea can be a useful and highly effective addition to a healthy weight loss strategy with a balanced diet. And best of all: with a delicious bowl of Sencha or Matcha you do your body a lot of good for heart, circulation and digestion.[7] Just look at our store for a delicious Matcha directly from Japan.
A final and clear word of warning: we generally advise against green tea preparations. The actual healthy ingredients are present here in far too high doses and can thus be extremely dangerous for health. In particular with Fatburnern, which contain beside the green tea still further extracts, is to be estimated the effect with difficulty. The Canadian[8] and Norwegian[9] ministries of health, for example, have already expressly warned against highly concentrated preparations and their effect on the liver.
[1] Herbal tea in the test: Still contaminated with many pesticides
[2] Green tea for weight loss and weight maintenance in overweight or obese adults.
[3] Will Drinking Green Tea Boost Your Metabolism? Not So Fast
[4] In vitro effect of green tea and turmeric extracts on GLP-1 and CCK secretion.
[5] L-theanine-a unique amino acid of green tea and its relaxation effect in humans.
[6] Consumption of green tea favorably affects oxidative stress markers in weight-trained men.