Does Green Tea really aid in weight loss? - Health News of the Week
We are going to be focusing on five major points.
 |
| Does Green Tea really aid in weight loss? - Health News of the Week |
Let’s think about this logically. If you don’t exercise, don’t reduce your sugar and junk food intake. But include 2-3 cups of Green Tea a day.
How is it going to help you lose weight? Green Tea is not a magic potion, But then why do so many people and companies promote it as being one?
Green Tea has an ingredient called EGCG Which is linked to weight loss but only in higher quantities. This would not mean that you need to drink 10-12 cups of Green Tea a day to avail of its weight benefits.
But if you're crazy enough to drink 10 cups of Green Tea a day. It will not only interfere with your sleep but will also inhibit the absorption of important nutrients in your body.
Then, you might say, but no, I have a friend who replaced her Chai or Coffee with Green Tea and actually did lose weight. Well of course Green Tea, provided you don't add any sugar to it, barely has any calories.
Whenever I hang out with my friends, they usually end up ordering caramel frappes, hot chocolate, cappuccinos. but I always order a cup of Green Tea. and everybody ends up rolling their eyes.
But I know what my body needs and wants. Getting back to the point, it is not the Green Tea that is making you lose weight. But in fact the reduction of sugar-intake from your other beverage options. Which you are replacing with Green Tea which is not only healthy but also very good for you.
But both Green Tea and Black Tea which we use in our Chai is made from the same plant. They only differ in the way it is processed. Black Tea is aerated or fermented in order to be oxidized giving it the reddish-brown color.
Talking about antioxidants, both Teas have antioxidants but Green Tea has more antioxidants than Black Tea. But on the other hand, Black Tea, in the form of Chai, especially with spices, has some other health benefits too.
Like Ginger aids digestion, reduces inflammation, we also have Elaichi or Cardamom has major health benefits and is also an anti-inflammatory. But the problem arises when we over-consume our beloved Chai with loads of sugar and drink more than 2-3 cups a day.
Also, if you’ve noticed Chai drinkers almost never have Chai all by itself.
They always have some of the other junk food to go along with it, it's either biscuits, namkeens, sweets or whatnot.
Hence, the blame for this over-consumption and addiction comes on Black Tea although being a very healthy option. But there is a solution here if you have 2 cups of Chai a day, replace one of those cups with Green Tea to get the best of both worlds.
On that note, let’s talk about why I like the Green Tea from Vadham teas.
You can cut open tea bags of many brands and you’ll notice a lot of tea dust in them.
But Vadham Teas, if you take the Chamomile Mint Green Tea, for example, you can literally see the Chamomile flower, Green Tea leaves, and Mint leaves, making it my go-to tea brand.
It's a certified organic and non-GMO brand, making it nutritious as well. Moving on to the next point - Consuming Green Tea.
Don’t have your Green Tea first thing in the morning after you wake up. Always have some fruits or dry fruits and then go ahead and have your cup of Green Tea.
Keep a gap of one hour after your meal to have a cup of Green Tea. Most teas can interfere with the absorption of Vitamins and Minerals.
Lastly, anything good in excess can be harmful so please do not have more than 2-3 cups of Green Tea a day. Coming to the last step, How to make the perfect cup of Green Tea.
Step 1 - Don’t use boiling water. The water should be removed from the gas or kettle before its boiling point.
Step 2 - If you're using tea bags, place the teabag in the cup and pour the hot water into it. Let it brew for 2-3 mins.
Step 3 - Take a spoon, place the tea bag on it, Wrap the thread to tie it up, and remove the excess water as you can use this tea bag for a second cup later on. I can be a bit thrifty at times.
Step 4 - If your tea bag is not already flavored, you can add a few drops of Lemon.
Step 5 - Enjoy your cup of Green Tea.