Green tea?

[Kerpal]

I heard on here that green tea is good for fat loss, so I bought some. How much does it really help? I bought the kind that comes in the bags, and I got caffeine free because I don't want to be wired all the time.

Right now I just put a couple of bags in my Nalgene water bottle and let it sit in the fridge for a while, then drink it. Is this the right way to do it? Do I have to boil it? Also, does it stain your teeth like iced tea does?

 

[Throttle]

it's good for boosting your metabolism maybe 3-4%. to brew it ideally, you want to bring an appropriate amount of water up to boiling (6-8oz per teabag, generally, or follow the directions). let it cool just long enough that it stops boiling, then drop the bags in, leave 'em for 3-5 minutes then pull 'em out. these two steps avoid some of the bitterness otherwise often associated w/ green tea. yes there's potentially some risk of staining; you'll want to keep an eye on that if it worries you. after brewing, it can be chilled and drank as iced tea.

 

[Bible_Belt]

I think the weight loss comes from the caffeine coupled with filling yourself up with a zero-calorie beverage. And yeah, use almost-boiling water to brew it.

 

[Skilla_Staz]

Green Tea, from what I've read/heard, increases fat metabolism. Now, I wouldn't be able to give you accurate dosage information, but I personally am planning on taking green tea capsules, one in the morning, and one about an hour before a workout. Off the top of my head, can't recall how many mg or g or whatever are in each capsule.

Not only does green tea aid fat metabolism, it gives you a nice subtle energy boost. Leaving you feeling a little more ready to go. Nothing crazy, no jitters or anything. Just pleasant.

 

[Omen]

Obesity (Silver Spring). 2007 Jun;15(6):1473-83.Click here to read Links
A green tea extract high in catechins reduces body fat and cardiovascular risks in humans.
Nagao T, Hase T, Tokimitsu I.

Health Care Food Research Laboratories, Kao Corporation, 2-1-3, Bunka, Sumida-ku, Tokyo, 131-8501, Japan. nagao.tomonori@kao.co.jp

OBJECTIVE: The body fat reducing effect and reduction of risks for cardiovascular disease by a green tea extract (GTE) high in catechins was investigated in humans with typical lifestyles. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Japanese women and men with visceral fat-type obesity were recruited for the trial. After a 2-week diet run-in period, a 12-week double-blind parallel multicenter trial was performed, in which the subjects ingested green tea containing 583 mg of catechins (catechin group) or 96 mg of catechins (control group) per day. Randomization was stratified by gender and body mass index at each medical institution. The subjects were instructed to maintain their usual dietary intake and normal physical activity. RESULTS: Data were analyzed using per-protocol samples of 240 subjects (catechin group; n = 123, control group; n = 117). Decreases in body weight, body mass index, body fat ratio, body fat mass, waist circumference, hip circumference, visceral fat area, and subcutaneous fat area were found to be greater in the catechin group than in the control group. A greater decrease in systolic blood pressure (SBP) was found in the catechin group compared with the control group for subjects whose initial SBP was 130 mm Hg or higher. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol was also decreased to a greater extent in the catechin group. No adverse effect was found. DISCUSSION: The continuous ingestion of a GTE high in catechins led to a reduction in body fat, SBP, and LDL cholesterol, suggesting that the ingestion of such an extract contributes to a decrease in obesity and cardiovascular disease risks.

Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 Jan;81(1):122-9.Click here to read Links
Ingestion of a tea rich in catechins leads to a reduction in body fat and malondialdehyde-modified LDL in men.
Nagao T, Komine Y, Soga S, Meguro S, Hase T, Tanaka Y, Tokimitsu I.

Health Care Products Research Laboratories No.1, Kao Corporation, Tokyo.

BACKGROUND: Catechins, the major component of green tea extract, have various physiologic effects. There are few studies, however, on the effects of catechins on body fat reduction in humans. It has been reported that the body mass index (BMI) correlates with the amount of malondialdehyde and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances in the blood. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the effect of catechins on body fat reduction and the relation between oxidized LDL and body fat variables. DESIGN: After a 2-wk diet run-in period, healthy Japanese men were divided into 2 groups with similar BMI and waist circumference distributions. A 12-wk double-blind study was performed in which the subjects ingested 1 bottle oolong tea/d containing 690 mg catechins (green tea extract group; n = 17) or 1 bottle oolong tea/d containing 22 mg catechins (control group; n = 18). RESULTS: Body weight, BMI, waist circumference, body fat mass, and subcutaneous fat area were significantly lower in the green tea extract group than in the control group. Changes in the concentrations of malondialdehyde-modified LDL were positively associated with changes in body fat mass and total fat area in the green tea extract group. CONCLUSION: Daily consumption of tea containing 690 mg catechins for 12 wk reduced body fat, which suggests that the ingestion of catechins might be useful in the prevention and improvement of lifestyle-related diseases, mainly obesity.

Here is the problem with MOST who take GTE. And I tell people this all the time, so i'll help you all out here.

What you drink from your green tea is not enough to make any type of effect, regardless of what the study is, unless your drinking 6-8 cups a day MAYBE.

The green tea most drink is good for taste, to get your liquid in, and for social reasons.

I heard the radio person go... Oh I drink my green tea every day, after the health food store guy on air told how green tea was good. I kind of laughed and said... As usual, the public doesn't get it.

I almost called in and said... You failed to mention its NOT the drink, and you need to consume the caps or straight powder.

I take it every day. In fact I take a combo of green tea and white tea. I put an ounce or two of water in a cup, get it warm, then dump in 1/16th or so or more of powder in the cup. I swish it around until it is dissolved (white dissolves quicker) and then add 8oz of OJ in there and drink it.

So all of you that are considering GTE, you need to be taking CAPS or the straight powder, and NOT the drink.

Your Catechins, your EGCG content and all that good stuff is going to be EXTREMELY low in your drinks compared to what you need. The 2x a day I take mine... most would prob have to drink a whole box to get that type of potentcy.

Also too, your GTE is NOT all the same, so make sure you get one one high in everything, cause some companies go low and your not getting the best bang for your buck.

The GTE I take is about 99% Polyphenols, 79% Catechin, and 50% EGCG.

The WTE is almost the same and with 2.41% Caffeine

 

[Warboss Alex]

I think the weight loss comes from the caffeine coupled with filling yourself up with a zero-calorie beverage.

no, decaf green tea still has the fat burn effect, it is the polyphenols that do the magic.

 

[bbestar]

After you eat ice cream or anything sweet.

Drink some hot green tea as well.
Green kills the bacteria that causes tooth decay.

 

[djtdot]

Before studying I drink some green tea. Keeps my mind alert. I tried coffee, but it didn't help me that much.

 

[hoofhearted]

Green tea will really help speed up your metabolism as well as an antioxidant etc. Article Here http://www.healthandfitnessforums.com/green.html
Good Luck with you program!

 

[breakztrax]

The best way to make green tea is by boiling a bag of it. Try to get the real green tea leaves vs. lipton style teabags, which are less potent.

Even the decaffeinated green tea will give you energy throughout the day.

Green tea will help spike up your metabolism throughout the day essentially.

I use it regularly and it really is great for fatigue overall. It will give you more energy throughout the day, thus helping you burn more fat overall.

As far as staining teeth,I have not had any reactions such as this and I've been drinking it now for years.

Just combat that with some crest whitestrips if you encounter it and you should be fine.

 

[HandyAndy]

How funny, I just finished drinking a cup of green tea.

 

[KontrollerX]

I think the weight loss comes from the caffeine coupled with filling yourself up with a zero-calorie beverage. And yeah, use almost-boiling water to brew it.

Yep.

Green Tea is no more beneficial for fat loss than regular Diet Coke with caffeine is.

Its the caffeine speeding the heart rate and zero calories via no sugar that makes a drink good for fat loss.

 

[simon]

"Scientists have found that green tea stimulates thermogenesis and this effect cannot be completely attributed to its caffeine content because the thermogenic effect of green tea is greater than an equivalent amount of caffeine. An in vitro study by Dulloo et al (2) found that a catechin that is abundant in green tea, EGCG, increased the respiration rate of brown fat (stimulated thermogenesis)."

Dulloo AG, Duret C, Rohrer D, Girardier L, Mensi N, Fathi M, Chantre P, Vandermander J "Efficacy of a green tea extract rich in catechin polyphenols and caffeine in increasing 24-h energy expenditure and fat oxidation in humans" Am J Clin Nutr 1999, Vol 70 (6), Pg 1040-5

Dulloo AG, Seydoux J, Girardier L, Chantre P, Vandermander J "Green tea and thermogenesis: interactions between catechin-polyphenols, caffeine and sympathetic activity" Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2000, Vol 24 (2), Pg 252-8.

 

[Omen]

Yep.

Green Tea is no more beneficial for fat loss than regular Diet Coke with caffeine is.

Its the caffeine speeding the heart rate and zero calories via no sugar that makes a drink good for fat loss.

Not totally true. The EGCG is what it in a lot of studies, and it has nothing to do with the caffeine content. In fact there are some out there on the market that are virtually caffeine free, and some studies use GTE pretty much caffeine free.

 

[Quiksilver]

A cup of coffee has something like 1.1mmg of caffeine.

A cup of green tea has roughly 0.1mmg of caffeine.

The reduced amount makes sure you don't have that 'crash' like some do after a cup of coffee. So you get a mild boost, and taken in 5-10 cups of tea per day, you'd wind up with the benefits of a cup of coffee without the down sides.

Your best bet is to boil water in the morning, put 5 tea bags into a big thermos and then fill with water. shake it and let it sit for 10 minutes while you get ready, then take the bags out and voila, you have yourself green tea for the whole day. Throttle likes to refrigerate his, I don't like it cold though! I just leave the tea bags in as well, though some don't like to do that.

All in all, its not such a big deal, but it does play out in the long run.

 

[j0n024]

....I have a question well actually 2.

1. I saw some "Green Tea Pills," and was wondering if taking them would have the same effect as brewing a cup of green tea or if I was just wasting money.

2. Would green tea and Fish oil pills go good 2gethor...or would I be wasting resources?

 

[Throttle]

i don't bother to refrige it anymore. also, you can vary how strong the brew is by pulling the bags out several minutes into the brewing. not sure how that affects the polyphenol concentration but i suspect that you get most of the the antioxidants in the first bit of brewing, and longer brewing adds more tannins and that lovely 'grassy' flavor typical of cheap, stale tea leaves.

the original brewers of green tea (chinese/japanese) call for brewing it at temperatures well below boiling and for no more than 2 or 3 minutes. your mileage may vary, esp. with cheap teabags.

and sure, you can take your green tea as pills, but why deny yourself such a simple pleasure? i have a bottle, and personally i find that the caffeine seems to hit me harder in pill-form, and not in a good way.

 

[Dagwood]

Only major drawback to green tea - every other month there´s a new consumer testing report again finding heavy doses of pesticides in green tea as it comes almost completely from China.
So pick your sources for your green tea extra carefully.

BTW pregnant women are not to drink green tea as if reduces their folic acid resorption.

 

[Omen]

....I have a question well actually 2.

1. I saw some "Green Tea Pills," and was wondering if taking them would have the same effect as brewing a cup of green tea or if I was just wasting money.

2. Would green tea and Fish oil pills go good 2gethor...or would I be wasting resources?

1. Both totally different. Drinking a cup of green tea is not the same as taking a pill of green tea. The potency is totally different in the two. Most of the time, it takes 7 cups or so to equal what you get in pill form. People have the notion that if they drink a cup of Green Tea, its magic or something. The benefits of taking it, need to come from the capsules, and NOT the drink. Drinking it is fine, and for enjoyment and to have a cup of tea. It is NOT to get the same polyphenol, EGC, etc etc content as capsules have. I actually use it in my carb drink. I fill a bottle with some brewed tea, and then add my 1.25 cups of maltodextrin and shake. Then this is my carb drink for a few hours. I do this so I dont have to put in some powdered flavor drink mix with artificial this and that.

2. They aren't the same thing, so taking the two is fine. I take both during the day, and in no way is it wasting resources.

 

[Omen]

Only major drawback to green tea - every other month there´s a new consumer testing report again finding heavy doses of pesticides in green tea as it comes almost completely from China.
So pick your sources for your green tea extra carefully.

BTW pregnant women are not to drink green tea as if reduces their folic acid resorption.

One I would suggest, and it may be hard to find, is TEAVIGO from DSM. The powder is actually a light pink/white, and is one of the purest on the market. Very high quality.

I have some because of supplement formulation, but companies do use their Green Tea in capsule form. You wont be able to get the stand-alone powder like I have, but you can get the capsules.

iherb carries a 60ct for a decent price.

http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails.aspx?c=1&pid=4129&gclid=CNn5msvhtZQCFQlqsgodQg3pTA

Since I have pure powder I dont take capsules and just add it to stuff, so if you dont want to swallow anymore pills, you can just pop them open and add them to a drink and what not. (The warmer the water the better) You can even infuse your green tea with it, since it will be higher potency then your cup of green tea.