There are many health benefits associated with drinking tea. But did you know that tea can also help you lose fat? Especially if you drink the following types of tea.

GREEN TEA

Green tea has been prized for its health benefits for centuries. The tea is made from unoxidized leaves and is one of the least processed teas. For this reason, it contains the most antioxidants and beneficial polyphenols of all teas. Polyphenols are natural compounds that have health benefits, such as reducing inflammation and helping fight cancer.

Studies indicate that the catechins and caffeine in green tea may play a role in increasing energy metabolism, which may contribute to weight loss ^{[ ii ] [ iii ]} . More research has shown that green tea signals fat cells to release fat and then promotes the liver’s ability to convert that body fat into energy.

The effect is small, and many studies that have shown small changes in metabolism have used green tea extracts with high concentrations of catechins.

Even then, green tea is the ideal drink for your cut. The tea itself contains virtually no calories, the caffeine in it keeps you alert, and as mentioned, the drink offers many health benefits.

Don’t add green tea to boiling water. It’s bad for the catechins, those healthy chemicals in the tea. Better: water of 160-170 degrees.

TURMERIC TEA

Turmeric, or Indian turmeric, is a spice extracted from the curcuma longa plant. Numerous health benefits are attributed to the substance ^[ iv ] .

The active ingredient in turmeric, curcumin, has been shown to accelerate weight loss. That is why Turmeric is labeled as one of the best teas for weight loss.

A 2019 meta-analysis involving 1,646 patients with metabolic syndrome showed that curcumin use resulted in significant reductions in BMI, weight, waist circumference and leptin, as well as a large increase in adiponectin levels ^[ v ] . Low levels of adiponectin, a protein produced almost exclusively in fat cells, is associated with reduced insulin sensitivity.

Turmeric is usually available in capsule form, but it can also be taken as a tea (also known as golden tea). Curcumin is best absorbed by the body when taken with black pepper and a healthy fat. Black pepper increases the bioavailability of the active substances. Many turmeric supplements contain a patented form of black pepper for this very reason.

WHITE TEA

White tea is the least processed of all teas and has a light, sweet taste. It usually contains higher concentrations of catechins and polyphenols than other more processed teas. These compounds help to prevent new fat cells from developing.

Researchers found that white tea contains high amounts of EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), a type of catechin. It is this catechin that helps prevent fat cells from forming, which in turn can help reduce weight gain. EGCG also helps to speed up fat metabolism, providing more energy and faster results ^[ vi ] . This is a laboratory study; whether white tea has the same effects in the human body remains to be seen.

White tea is related to green and black tea (see below). All these teas come from the same plant, the tea plant, also known as camellia sinensis.

PEPPERMINT TEA

Peppermint tea does not contain caffeine, but it may contribute to fat loss in another way. The tea can help prevent the well-known cravings, the cravings to snack that lurk during a heavy cut. Research suggests that the strong scent of peppermint can trigger important olfactory responses in your brain that affect your appetite.

In addition, peppermint tea helps to reduce anxiety and stress ^[ vii ] . These effects, in turn, reduce the negative impact that higher cortisol levels have on your metabolism.

BLACK TEA

Black tea is a fermented tea made from the leaves of the camellia sinensis. Fermentation is a process that chemically changes the composition and often increases the caffeine content. The tea tastes a bit stronger than other types and also contains more caffeine than the somewhat weaker teas. A cup of black tea (125 ml) contains about 30 mg of caffeine. Green tea contains around 20 mg.

Caffeine has been shown to promote fat burning by boosting metabolism ^[ viii ] , although you will need to drink quite a few cups of black tea to notice any effect. In addition, drinking black tea makes you feel full.

Black tea contains just as many antioxidants as green tea and is good for your health for many reasons ^[ ix ] .

OOLONG TEA

Like black and green tea, oolong tea comes from the camellia sinensis plant. The production process of this traditional Chinese tea is similar to that of black tea, but the fermentation phase is shorter. The taste is in between that of green and black tea.

Oolong tea, also known as “black dragon tea,” is packed with catechins similar to those found in green tea. These catechins work by promoting your body’s ability to break down fat, which can boost your energy levels and accelerate fat loss.

The positive effect of oolong tea on fat loss is currently only apparent from a human study ^[ x ] and a study in mice ^[ xi ] . So more research is needed, but drinking oolong tea is very healthy anyway.

PU-ERH TEA

Pu-erh tea is a popular Chinese tea with a distinctive dark red color and a strong earthy taste. Pu-erh tea is also produced from the leaves and leaf buds of the tea plant, camellia sinensis.

Researchers found that daily consumption of the tea among overweight individuals contributed to significant weight loss, reduced BMI and an improved lipid profile. The participants also reported decreased appetite. In addition, the tea appeared to improve the patients’ overall cholesterol levels ^[ xii ] .

KOMBUCHA

Kombucha is a fermented tea made with a symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast. The long list of health benefits includes B vitamins, detoxifying glucuronic acid, and antioxidant-rich polyphenols. But most importantly, kombucha contains probiotic bacteria and acetic acid. These compounds have been scientifically proven to aid weight loss.

Studies have shown that not only can probiotics reduce the number of calories you absorb from food, they can also affect the hormones your body produces related to appetite, fat storage and obesity. By improving the balance of healthy bacteria in your gut, you keep your natural weight management functions in check ^[ xiii ] .

Acetic acid can also aid weight loss by inhibiting your body’s ability to form fat cells and curbing hunger cravings.

ROOIBOS TEA

Rooibos comes from the Aspalathus linearis, a plant from the legume family that grows only in South Africa. This plant belongs to a different family than the tea plant, which is why rooibos is not officially a tea variety. Unlike ‘real’ teas, rooibos does not contain caffeine. However, the drink can help with fat loss in other ways.

Rooibos is rich in polyphenols, including flavonoids, which are directly linked to weight loss. A 2014 study suggests that rooibos may help improve weight loss by increasing leptin levels ^[ xiv ] . Leptin is the hormone that tells your brain that you are full so you don’t overeat.

Rooibos also contains aspalathin, a compound that helps ward off hunger and reduces levels of the ‘stress hormone’ cortisol. Cortisol can cause hunger pangs and encourage your body to store fat. But whether rooibos can actually contribute to fat loss in this way has not yet been convincingly demonstrated ^[ xv ] .

Since rooibos is caffeine-free, you can drink it any time of the day.

FINALLY

Tea is tasty, has calming effects, is good for health and can contribute to fat loss. The latter to a limited extent; To successfully lose weight in fat mass, you will first of all have to follow a calorie-restricted diet and combine it with (more) exercise.

Drinking tea can be a welcome addition to this: the drink contains little or no calories and it contains ingredients that have a positive effect on fat burning. In this article you could read which teas are most associated with fat burning and why.

The 9 best teas for weight loss