Weight loss can be an exhausting process. From finding time to work fat-blasting exercises into your daily routine and cutting out some of your favorite desserts and snacks, there are a lot of hard things you may have to do and sacrifices you may have to make in order to reach your goals. Luckily, though, it doesn’t have to be difficult every step of the way. In fact, sometimes giving your metabolism a bit of a boost can be as simple as sipping on a hot cup of tea.
That’s right: many teas offer up incredible benefits—including weight loss. To uncover one of the best teas that may help you shed some pounds and maintain a fast metabolism, we spoke to nutritionist and personal trainer Mary Sabat. She told us all about the amazing benefits of green tea. Read on to discover them for yourself.
Green tea
Unfortunately, there's no magical tea out there that will allow you to melt fat immediately. However, green tea has many promising benefits when it comes to weight loss.
"Green tea contains compounds called catechins, particularly one called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is believed to have metabolism-boosting and fat-burning effects," Sabat says. She explains that because of this, green tea could help increase thermogenesis, which is the process by which your body generates heat and burns calories. "The catechins in green tea may help stimulate this process, leading to increased calorie expenditure," she goes on.
Additionally, EGCG may increase the oxidation of fat, helping your body used stored fat for energy. "This could potentially contribute to fat loss over time," Sabat notes.
On top of all this, she points out that some studies show that the compounds in green tea could work to suppress your appetite, "leading to reduced feelings of hunger and potentially aiding in calorie control." This means you'll also be less likely to overindulge in processed foods that make it difficult to lose weight. Score!
Finally, Sabat says, sipping on green tea may also improve your insulin sensitivity. She tells us that this can be especially beneficial for weight management and metabolism regulation. Sounds like a win all around!
The bottom line
It's important to remember that there's no miracle elixir that will make you effortlessly thin (and that includes meal replacement shakes!), which means that green tea certainly can't do all of the work for you when it comes to losing weight. However, when combined with a balanced diet, a great workout routine, and other healthy habits, it certainly couldn't hurt.
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