I can`t explain how happy I was when I found out how effective the green tea is in fighting obesity. It boosts the metabolism more than any other food or drink in the world. What is more according to the researchers, people who combine the drinking of this tea with exercising lose two times more weight than people who only practice exercising.
Since then I start buying all kinds of products that contain green tea such as ice cream and noodles. But I didn’t thought for a minute that the green tea flavor is just a flavor and does not have the benefits that the tea has. Its weight lose benefits are in the epigallocatechin gallate (a.k.a. EGCG, a health-boosting antioxidant) found in it.
After realizing this I started thinking about what kind of green tea should I drink to get rid of the fats. I also wondered about the way in which I should consume it if I want it to be really effective. I got the answers of all my questions and more from the Women’s Health’s nutrition expert Keri Glassman. And in the following text I will share the information with you:
Do you get the same green tea benefits with flavored green teas?
Glassman states that “The benefits of green tea shouldn’t be lessened by the addition of flavors”. When we say flavored green teas we are referring to pomegranate green tea, cranberry green tea, etc. All of this do not affect the benefits of the green tea but if any of the flavorings contain sugar the tea will contain more calories says Glassman. She recommends avoiding green teas with any added sugar or artificial sweeteners.
Does the brand of green tea play any role?
Glassman confirms that the brand is also important, because as she says there are different qualities of the tea and the number of additional, unnecessary ingredients. She adds that the essential thing for the effectiveness of the tea is not to combine it with sugar. Green tea does have many healthy benefits, but is does not contain a bunch of vitamins. To get the maximum benefits of the tea Glassman advises to choose brands that use all natural ingredients and have no artificial preservatives, such as Traditional Medicinals or Yogi.
What about the iced green tea?
The iced green tea is the same the only difference being the temperature, but the problem is that iced teas are usually diluted with water. The best way to reduce weight is to consume it hot.
Brew a better cup using this tip from the pros at Bigelow: do not allow the water to start boiling, pour the water over the green tea right before the boiling point. After this leave the tea to cool down for 2-3 minutes.
Can green tea go bad?
The green tea can’t be spoiled but the fresh tea obviously has more benefits. Glassman states: “If using loose tea or tea bags, make sure to [drink up] within six months.” If you consume it for a longer period than this it might not contain some of its antioxidant powers.
If I don’t like drinking tea, will a green tea extract do the trick?
Yes it will. Glassman says “Adding green tea extract to water is a great way to get the benefits of green tea while on-the-go,” and she adds “Depending on the concentration of the formula, 1 ml of green tea extract can allow you to reap the benefits of drinking roughly 8 to 10 cups worth of antioxidant-rich green tea.”
