Green Tea and Weight Loss
There has been a lot of good things being said about green tea lately. From a dieting standpoint newer studies indicate it does give your metabolism a small boost. The catechins in green tea give the body its fat burning fire. Most studies suggest at least two to five cups a day to get the fat burning advantage of losing 60 extra calories a day (just don’t forget your eight glasses of water too). It also comes in tablets, extracts, and other forms. Just be cautious as it does have caffeine if you are sensitive to that.
The catechins in green tea also seem to inhibit fat absorption and help glucose regulation all beneficial for weight management. And apparently it seems to even regulate appetite, another weight loss plus. And just maybe it can replace all the high calorie double mocha frappucinnos, sodas, and pasteurized juices with all their extra calories and additives people consume in the morning or afternoon. You don’t have to settle for the plain versions of green either, there are numerous other varieties of other great tasting green teas that are combined with flower essences or fruit flavors. My favorite is the jasmine green tea.
Double bonus: green tea is being studied for its breast cancer reducing effects with favorable results.
Posted by: Julie | Jul 18, 2009 8:13:27 PM
Lynn,
I'm with you on this. Your critics are not up to date on the dehydration/rehydration issue.
Posted by: Caroline | Mar 11, 2009 8:38:28 PM
lynn-
Ok, first of all you SHOULD NEVER only drink water when you are thirsty. Being thirsty is the first sign that you are beginning to become dehydrated.
Secondly, you need water for burning fat and carbohydrates through certain biological processes.
Thirdly, with as much sodium intake that most people get from food you it is nearly impossible to become over-hydrated. You would have to drink several gallons and you would puke most of it up before you could. 8 glasses of water a day is half a gallon, not that much. it is said that you should be drinking 3 to 5 liters, which is roughly 12 to 20 cups of water.
fourthly, if you are not hydrated enough your blood becomes acidic and if it continues in that state it messes with your entire body's functions.
Fifthly, Green tea is a diuretic. Meaning as you drink it, you lose more water. Therefore, you should drink even more water.
i dont think you sould say things about ill informed myths when i doubt you work in the health or medical field. and where do you learn your information? its totally contrary to EVERY STUDY
Posted by: Elaine Murphy | Feb 23, 2009 1:25:03 PM
Hi Lynn, I am talking about water for weight loss not dehydration. Yes other liquids and foods contribute to water in the body. And, despite lack of studies my 25 years of experience (in weight loss specifically) has shown that people who drink adequate amounts of pure water simply lose weight quicker. Read my blog from 1.31.08 for more on how the liver works with water intake. Incidentally very few people are really not in danger of over hydrating. It literally takes quite a bit of liquid to result in death. MOST people simple really don't drink that much.
Posted by: Lynn | Feb 22, 2009 7:06:13 PM
I'd like to correct you on a couple of points:
You do not need eight glasses of water daily. It's a strange myth that's been passed down from ill-informed generation to ill-informed generation. The latest research shows you should just drink when you're thirsty. There has never been a study that found eight glasses of water is the exact amount a human needs every day.
Secondly, if you're drinking green tea, you are by definition drinking water. Any fluid rehydrates, whether it's green tea, juice or plain water. Therefore, you do not need to drink eight more glasses of water in addition to however many glasses of green tea you are drinking. In fact, you could end up over-hydrating yourself, which can do worse damage, even resulting in death. Moderation, as in all things, is key.






