Top Fat Burning Foods No2 Green Tea

Expensive green tea supplements have become all the rage amongst the "fad diet crew" over recent years. You have probably noticed the adverts, if not actually tried some of the supplements themselves. But while I believe green tea has fat burning qualities, I'm not so sure that expensive supplements are necessary.

For me, green tea is a delicious alternative to water. And if you're not into hot drinks you can always serve it cold; serve it over ice for ice tea! Like I've already touched upon, there is no need for anything more than the good old tea bag in my opinion.

Is Green Tea Really Good For Weight Loss?

If you are thinking about going for green tea supplements then I'd take a second look. I think these things are over hyped, and use some very clever marketing. Green tea isn't going to change your life just like that. However, it is a great weight loss tool when used as part of a complete nutritional program.

Green tea is a natural source of the fat burner caffeine. However, unlike coffee it won't increase your heart rate uncomfortably or give you a light headed buzz; green tea delivers a conservative dose.

So this makes green tea a pretty decent fat burner. But that's not the only benefit...

Antioxidant Power

In addition to caffeine, green tea also contains Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG). This potent antioxidant has been likened to caffeine in its ability to raise metabolic rate, but also mooted as a potential anti-cancer, natural chemical.

Did you know that research has shown that EGCG is 200 times more powerful than vitamin E as an antioxidant?

For some great studies on the benefits of green tea check out pubmed.com and the American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition.

So far we've discovered that green tea boosts your metabolism and has high antioxidant activity. But there is still more!

Regulate Blood Sugar/ Glucose

If you are looking to lose fat then it is very important to limit spikes in your blood sugar levels. These are known to cause an insulin response. And insulin is a fat storing hormone. Green tea helps us out here by actually slowing the rise in blood sugar levels following a meal.

So if you want to store less body fat and control your junk food cravings then a cup of green tea with every meal would not be a bad idea.

It is able to accomplish this by slowing down the digestive enzyme amalase. This enzyme is key in the process that breaks starches (carbs) down into sugars. By slowing this process blood sugar levels are kept at a regular level.

Store Less Fat

In addition to inhibiting amalase, green tea may also get in the way of synthase. This fatty acid is involved in the process of turning carbohydrates into fat. At the moment research is in its early stages, but studies have shown that this can lead to weight loss.

There have also been studies to show how LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglyceride levels can be reduced.

So then, green tea is providing us with fat burning benefits from several mechanisms. And like I've said already, all you need is several cups of tea a day; there's no need for expensive supplements.

Research has shown that the benefits to drinking green tea kick in after 2 to 3 cups. And don't forget that oolong, chamomile and black teas etc all have their own set of unique antioxidants benefits on offer, so why not experiment a little? Always go for organic tea from a well-known brand.

Don't forget that you can put your tea in the fridge and serve over ice for some refreshing ice tea. But if you can't be without your hot drinks make sure you never pour boiling hot water direct onto your tea bags. This can destroy the antioxidant power due to the high temperature. I like to let my water cool off in the mug for a few minutes before throwing in the bag.

Just one last point: don't sweeten your tea with sugar or artificial sweeteners. These "bad guys" will undo all of the good work your green tea can do for you!

I hope you found this article interesting. But there is more out there than just green tea that can help you get in shape. Check out this List Of Fat Burning Foods for some more delicious ideas. For more info on Fat Burning Foods head on over to my website.