Not all teas have the same effects. Read on for the best weight loss tea varieties. Tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world next to water. We serve tea hot and iced and on any occasion. 158 million Americans drink a cup of tea each day. But more than just a delicious drink that you can enjoy at your desk or before bed. Drinking tea has health benefits such as protecting cells from damage and reducing the risk of heart disease. But did you know that some teas can actually help you shed pounds?
1. Green Tea
Green tea has a type of antioxidant called catechins. It works to unlock fat from fat cells (particularly in the belly). That fat is then converted into energy.
You should drink a cup of green tea before your workout to boost your exercise’s fat-melting effects.
One study showed the powerful effects of green tea for weight loss. A group of 60 obese people followed a standardized diet for 12 weeks while regularly drinking either green tea or a placebo. The ones who drank green tea lost 7.3 pounds more weight than the placebo group.
Eating a green tea extract for 12 weeks significantly decreases body weight, body fat and waist circumference, compared to a control group.
Matcha is highly concentrated powdered green tea. It produces the same results as steeped green tea.
2. Black Tea
If you enjoy Earl Grey and English breakfast, you are in luck. These are popular varieties of black tea.
Black tea is one of the best tea for weight loss and reduced waist size. One study shows that drinking 3 cups of black tea daily for 3 months greatly increased weight loss and reduced participant’s waist circumference.
What is it about black tea that makes it a weight loss tea? Black tea is high in flavones. This is a plant pigment with antioxidant properties. Antioxidants improve your metabolism so that fat is turned into energy instead of fat stores. The best weight loss tea has a good combination of flavones and antioxidants.
3. Oolong Tea
Oolong, a Chinese name for “black dragon,” is one of the best weight loss tea types. The color is between black tea and green tea. It has a floral, fragrant aroma and a unique flavor.
Just like green tea, it is full of catechins that assist with losing weight by boosting your body’s ability to metabolize fat.
Results are excellent with Oolong tea. For rapid change or if you have a lot of pounds to lose, Oolong tea is an excellent tea for weight loss. In one study, participants lost 6 pounds in 6 weeks just by sipping oolong tea.
This tea also increases energy and metabolism. This is useful if you find you lack the energy to exercise. You can expect to burn an extra 281 calories per day.
4. White Tea
White tea is one of the best weight loss tea varieties and has a host of other health benefits. Studies in test tubes found that white tea has many uses from improving oral health to killing cancer cells.
It’s a great tea for weight loss because it prevents new fat cells from forming. At the same time, it promotes fat burning.
White tea is dried naturally, often in sunlight, making it the least processed tea on the market. It is also the richest source of antioxidants.
White tea has a subtle, slightly sweet flavor that is totally unique.
Related: 10 cleansing teas to flush out your system.
5. Herbal Tea
Herbal teas are often a combination of various herbs, spices, and fruits. These herbal teas are not technically tea because they are not made from the leaves of the tea plant (Camellia sinensis).
Herbal teas do not have any caffeine. Do you worry about your caffeine intake? Maybe you cannot fall asleep if you drink tea at night. If so then herbal tea can help.
Dozens of herbal tea varieties exist such as peppermint tea, rooibos tea, ginger tea, rosehip tea and hibiscus tea. Some of these herbs can assist with weight loss.
Rooibos Tea
Rooibos tea comes from the leaves of a plant that grows near Cape Town in South Africa. It contains an ingredient called Aspalathin which can reduce the hunger trigger and reduce fat storage.
This is the best weight loss tea if your biggest challenge is overeating or hunger.
The stress hormone that triggers hunger and fat storage is also linked to various medical conditions such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. So besides weight loss, rooibos provides protection against many medical conditions.
Drink up!
Mint Tea
Peppermint tea is an aromatic, soothing tea. The smell of mint suppresses your appetite so it helps with weight loss .
The minty taste also makes you feel like you just brushed your teeth. This is also a deterrent to eating. A mug of peppermint tea after dinner can prevent you from consuming many un-necessary calories in the evening.
One study found that people who smell the scent of peppermint every two hours lost an average of 5 pounds a month.
In addition to drinking a mug-full a few times a day, you can also diffuse peppermint essential oil in your home. Why not add a few drops to your pillow to prevent the midnight munchies.
Final Thoughts on Best Weight Loss Tea
Isn’t it great that a delicious drink option exists that can help you lose weight?
Together with a balanced diet and regular exercise, a daily mug or two of tea may help you lose weight and prevent belly fat.
The best weight loss teas listed in this article show that there are various ingredients in different teas that have specific effects. Choose one or combine several to help you lose weight.
If you are not used to drinking tea, consider replacing juice or soda with tea to reduce your calorie intake and help you on your journey to weight loss.
Read more on how tea promotes weight loss.
