The importance of maintaining a healthy weight can be attributed to a wide variety of factors. Here are the five most important reasons:
Risks to health: Being overweight or obese raises the possibility of contracting a number of serious illnesses, such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and several forms of cancer.
Life quality: Being overweight might make it harder to participate in physical activity, which lowers life quality.
Mental health: Research has shown that being overweight or obese increases the risk of mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.
Longevity: According to studies, folks who are overweight or obese have a larger risk of dying young than those who keep a healthy weight.
Social stigma: Being overweight is frequently stigmatized in society, which can result in emotions of embarrassment, exclusion, and prejudice.
We will go in more detail of these most important reasons to maintain a healthy weight.
Health Risks
Numerous major health conditions, can be increased by being overweight or obese. Here are some of the possible conditions that can have an increased chance of developing:
Heart disease: Being overweight increases the chance of having a heart attack, a stroke, and other cardiovascular issues because it puts more strain on the heart and blood vessels.
Diabetes: Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disorder that develops when the body is unable to utilise and store glucose efficiently. Being overweight or obese is a major risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes (a type of sugar).
Obesity and excess weight can increase blood pressure, which can harm blood vessels and raise the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other health issues.
Obesity and increased risk of developing some cancers, such as breast, colon, and kidney cancer, have been linked in several studies.
Osteoarthritis: Being overweight increases the likelihood of developing this ailment, which causes pain and stiffness in the joints by putting more load on the joints.
Obesity and weight gain can raise the risk of developing sleep apnea, a condition that interferes with breathing while you sleep.
Obesity is a risk factor for gallbladder disease, which can result in discomfort, inflammation, and further issues with the gallbladder.
Kidney disease: Being overweight can harm the kidneys and raise your risk of developing the condition, which can cause kidney failure.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: Obesity is a significant risk factor for this ailment, which develops when fat builds up in the liver and can cause serious health issues.
A crucial step in lowering the risk of these and other significant health disorders is maintaining a healthy weight.
Quality of Life
Being overweight might make it more challenging to exercise, which can impair one’s quality of life. There are several reasons for this, including:
Physical discomfort: Being overweight can lead to physical discomfort, such as joint pain and respiratory problems, which can make it harder to exercise.
Reduced mobility: Being overweight or obese can cause problems with mobility, making it harder to move around and carry out daily duties.
Low self-esteem: Being overweight can result in low self-esteem and a negative body image, which can make it harder to participate in social and physical activities.
Social isolation: Being overweight is frequently stigmatized in society, which can cause feelings of embarrassment, exclusion, and prejudice. Social interaction and participation in activities may be more challenging as a result.
It could be simpler to exercise and live a more active and happy lifestyle if you keep a healthy weight.
Mental Health
Obesity and being overweight have been associated with a higher risk of mental health problems like depression and anxiety. There are several reasons for this, including:
Obesity is frequently stigmatized in society, which can result in emotions of shame, loneliness, and prejudice. The mental health of people may suffer as a result.
Low self-esteem: Being overweight can result in a negative body image and low self-esteem, which can exacerbate mental health problems.
Distress and frustration can result from physical discomfort brought on by being overweight, such as joint pain and respiratory problems.
Health issues: Being overweight or obese raises your risk of acquiring a number of major health issues that can be stressful and anxiety-inducing.
It could be feasible to lower the chance of experiencing mental health problems and enhance general wellbeing by keeping a healthy weight.
Reasons to not be overweight
Longevity
According to studies, those who are overweight or obese are more likely to die young than those who keep a healthy weight. This is due to the fact that being overweight raises your risk of contracting a number of dangerous illnesses, including as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and some types of cancer, all of which can cause you to pass away before your time.
Additionally, independent of the presence of other risk factors, obesity is linked to a higher risk of death from any cause. This implies that, regardless of other considerations, excess weight may have a detrimental effect on general health and wellbeing.
It could be able to extend life and lower the risk of premature death by keeping a healthy weight. For this reason, it’s crucial to maintain a healthy weight over the course of your life.
Social stigma
Obesity is frequently stigmatized in society, which can result in emotions of embarrassment, exclusion, and prejudice. There are several reasons for this, including:
Negative stereotypes: People who are obese are frequently portrayed negatively in the media and may be the subject of jokes and jeers.
Prejudice at work: According to certain research, obese people are more likely to be passed over for promotions and job openings and may experience workplace discrimination.
Social isolation: Being overweight is frequently stigmatized, which can result in feelings of guilt and loneliness and make it more difficult to establish and maintain relationships with others.
Health stigma: Obesity may be perceived by some as a character flaw or a lack of self-control, which can cause shame and stigma.
The social stigma associated with obesity can have negative effects on a person’s mental health and general wellbeing. Keeping a healthy weight may make it less likely to experience discrimination and social stigma.
In conclusion, there are a variety of plausible causes for why it’s critical to keep a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese raises one’s risk of contracting a number of serious illnesses, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart disease. Because of the physical discomfort and restricted mobility, it can also result in a lower quality of life. Being overweight or obese has been linked to a higher risk of early death and a higher risk of mental health problems like depression and anxiety. Additionally, obesity is frequently stigmatized in society, which causes emotions of embarrassment, exclusion, and prejudice. Maintaining a healthy weight can assist to lower the chance of developing major health disorders, improve quality of life, and promote overall health and wellbeing.
There is sometimes ambiguity surrounding the definition of the word “obesity,” which is used frequently. Does it apply to everybody who is overweight or needs to drop some weight? Or does it go beyond that? Both the phrase “overweight” and “obesity” have medical definitions.
Overweight: What Is It?
Based on body mass index, overweight is defined medically (BMI). Since BMI is expressed in kilograms per square meter, both height and weight must be entered into the formula.
A BMI of 25.0 to 29.9 kg/m2 is considered overweight.
1 A BMI that falls between 18.5 to 24.9 is considered normal. One is considered underweight if their BMI is under 18.5. Body Mass Index (BMI) is an outmoded, unreliable indicator. It disregards elements including age, race, sex, ethnicity, and physical composition.
BMI is still frequently employed in the medical industry despite being a biased assessment since it is a quick and affordable approach to assessing a person’s probable health status and consequences.
The term “overweight” is now used in medical terminology both as an adjective and as a noun (as in “obesity and overweight”). Such language has the effect of emphasizing that obesity and being overweight are symptoms of a disease process; more on that later.
The BMI calculation determines the medical definition of obesity, just like it does for being overweight. A patient must have a BMI of 30.0 or more to be considered obese. 1? National standards advise using a BMI cutoff of 40.0 or higher, which is sometimes referred to as “morbid obesity,” to determine whether patients may be candidates for bariatric surgery.
Naturally, it should be mentioned that some highly muscular athletes may have a high BMI that is caused by their higher muscle weight rather than by body fat. BMI is therefore meant to be a small component of a larger clinical evaluation.
Why Is It Important?
Numerous studies have demonstrated that as BMI rises, there is an increased risk of both poorer health outcomes (in terms of conditions like cancer, cardiovascular disease, obstructive sleep apnea, diabetes, high blood pressure, and others) as well as overall premature death. 2 Additionally, the clinical definition of obesity—a BMI of 30.0 or higher—is frequently utilized to choose the best course of action.
Insurance coverage and the kinds of treatments that might be deemed medically essential are also affected. The American Medical Association (AMA) formally recognized obesity as a disease in 2013, stating that it “requires the medical care, research, and education attention of other important worldwide medical disorders” due to its tremendous humanitarian and economic impact. 3
The American College of Cardiology (ACCF), The Obesity Society (TOS), and the American Heart Association (AHA) also released new, eagerly awaited obesity guidelines in 2013, which were titled “2013 ACCF/AHA/TOS Guideline for the Management of Overweight and Obesity in Adults.”
In addition to increasing public awareness of the issue, the official recognition of obesity as a chronic condition is anticipated to have an impact on policy at all levels. Third-party payers may be more likely to pay physicians and other healthcare professionals for the treatment and management of obesity as a recognized condition, whereas policymakers may feel a stronger need to fund and execute programs for treating and intervening with obesity.
Since 2004, obesity has been classified as a chronic condition by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Since 2011, Medicare has been paying for behavioral therapy for people with an obesity diagnosis. 5 This could include high-intensity behavioral therapy, dietary assessment, and screening with BMI and waist circumference. Under some conditions, bariatric surgery is also covered.
Obesity might explain a number of health issues you could experience, including:
A heart attack and a stroke
Cancer
Diabetes type 2
High blood pressure
Gallstones
High cholesterol
Joint issues brought on by excess weight
Breathing issues, such as sleep apnea, which causes you to momentarily stop breathing while you’re asleep
Small changes may be helpful.
The good news is that there are things you can do to lose weight. Additionally, even a small amount of weight loss can significantly improve both your health and your mood. It might not take as much weight loss as you might believe to start experiencing health advantages.
Aim to drop 1-2 pounds every week to start. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends that adults who are overweight or obese attempt to reduce 5% to 10% of their present weight over the course of six months.
If you’re prepared to begin a weight loss program, ask your doctor to assist you in developing personal goals and to recommend additional experts who can offer advice and support in achieving your objectives. A nutritionist, for instance, can assist you with a meal plan, while a physical therapist or trainer can encourage you to move more.
You should aim for gradual improvement over time and adopt long-term beneficial lifestyle adjustments. You can start losing weight and feeling better in this manner.
A healthy diet will always lead to a healthy body and weight. And maintaining a healthy body and weight can sometimes be a hard goal to achieve. But thankfully, health communities have come up with diet plans to help you lose fat and maintain your ideal body weight. Also, being healthy definitely helps you prevent diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart diseases, and any other serious health conditions. These diet plans either restrict you from consuming certain foods or make you focus on a specific one. Either way, the complexities of these approaches to weight loss might make these diet plans not work for you… or they might be effective after all.
One of the healthiest components there is when it comes to weight loss management is adding fiber to your diet. Although not as “au courant” as other terms in the health community such as paleo, pescatarian, and keto; fiber is just as important of a nutrient as the ones highlighted in the previously mentioned diets.
Fiber and weight loss
What is fiber?
Unlike proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, fiber is part of a plant that our digestive system can not completely break down and absorb. This is due to human beings lacking the enzymes that help break them down, so what happens is that they pass through the digestive tract without any difference from their initial form. With adequate intake, fiber could help reduce your risk of chronic diseases. And one of the many benefits of taking fiber into your body is that it stimulates the trillions of bacteria that are in your digestive system, called the gut microbiota. Fiber is responsible for feeding the estimated 100 trillion bacteria residing in your gut. These microbes found in your digestive system are also oftentimes called the gut microbiome or gut flora. These various species of bacteria have specific and very important roles to play when it comes to your health, from brain function to controlling your blood sugar and managing your body weight. And like any other organism, bacteria need to eat to stay healthy, and that’s where fiber comes in. One type of fiber, called soluble fiber, reaches the good gut bacteria mostly unchanged despite passing through the digestive tract, is digested by the said bacteria, and turned into a form of usable energy. And after that process is where weight loss begins. This soluble fiber benefited by your gut bacteria is also called fermentable or prebiotic fiber.
So what is soluble fiber?
Fiber is categorized into two types: soluble and insoluble fiber.
One fiber is different from the other based on how they each interact with the water in your body, but they are just as important when it comes to health, digestion, and weight loss.
Soluble fiber
Slows down digestion by attracting water and turning it into a gel-like substance.
Soluble fiber may help lower the risk of heart disease and reduce blood sugar spikes.
Found in barley, oats, seeds, nuts, lentils, beans, and in some fruits and vegetables.
Can also be found in a common fiber supplement called psyllium.
Insoluble fiber
Helps food pass through the stomach and intestines quickly.
Does not blend with water.
Found in wheat bran, whole grain, and vegetables.
Adds bulk to the stool.
Legumes have fiber
Which type of fiber can help you lose weight?
Research studies show that high fiber intake does not only help you prevent serious health conditions but can also help you lose weight. (“One large study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that increased fiber intake helped subjects lose weight independently of other factors in their diet.”)
Interestingly enough, though, only soluble fiber appears to be helpful when it comes to weight loss and weight management. While soluble fiber affects your health and weight significantly, insoluble fiber mostly acts as a bulking agent by helping form your stool. Unlike insoluble fiber that doesn’t attract water, soluble fiber(glucomannan and beta-glucan) mixes with water and turns into a gel with a thick viscosity, which helps slow down digestion. Marissa Moore, R.D.N., L.D., a culinary and integrative dietitian, said, “Fiber slows down the speed of digestion, which makes you feel full and may help you eat less and stay satisfied longer.” Another significant role fiber plays when it comes to weight loss is: “Because fiber helps slow down digestion, it also slows down how quickly your body responds to the carbohydrates you eat and can help you better manage your insulin and blood sugar response to food,” explains Krista Linares, R.D.N., specializing in diabetes management in the Latino community.
Soluble fiber is also considered to be a powerful and natural appetite suppressant. Reduced calorie intake from your appetite being suppressed is another way to lose weight. One theory about how soluble fiber could help you reduce your appetite is that a high intake of the soluble fiber reduces the amount of ghrelin in your body, which is a hunger hormone. Soluble fiber also increases the body’s production of cholecystokinin, peptide YY, and GLP-1, all three are hormones that make you feel full.
Another theory is the slowing down of food movement through the digestive tract. This theory explains that when nutrients like glucose are released into the digestive tract at a slow rate, the release of insulin becomes slower too, thus the less hungry you feel.
Despite soluble fiber being more effective when it comes to weight loss, insoluble fiber could help relieve constipation and more. Due to its bulking agent action, insoluble fiber is vital for digestive health. “Fiber is not digestible, so that extra bulk is added to your stool, which helps you stay regular,” according to Linares. She also added that “having healthy, regular digestion can have long term health benefits such as reducing the risk of colorectal cancers.
Where can you get soluble fiber?
Soluble fiber can be found in a lot of plant-based foods, making it easy to add to your diet plan. Food such as sweet potatoes, apricots, flaxseeds, legumes, and grains contain a high amount of soluble fiber. It is advised to ease into a high fiber diet because taking in a high amount of soluble fiber right away can cause diarrhea, bloating, and cramps. The US Department of Agriculture recommends men consume 30-38 grams of fiber a day, and 21–25 grams a day for women. You can read this article to find out more about how much fiber to consume.
We get many questions related to weight loss. This article will go over the most common questions asked that are related to sauna use and weight loss. Here are the questions and answers in no specific order.
How long does it take to lose water weight in a sauna?
Start with 15 to 20-minute sessions once or twice a week and work up to daily sessions to get the most out of the weight reduction advantages of a sauna.
Does a sauna burn fat?
It’s thought that taking a sauna session will assist you to lose extra weight. If you share this belief, you are utterly mistaken. A sauna only briefly removes easily replacement water from the body, not aiding in weight loss. Overheating causes your body to perspire, and perspiration can cause fluid loss.
Does a sauna speed up metabolism?
According to studies, our metabolic rate can rise by about 30% following an hour in the sauna. The more calories we burn, the greater our metabolic rate is.
Does sweating burn belly fat?
The internal cooling process is a clue that you’re burning calories even though sweating doesn’t burn fat. The primary reason we perspire while exercising is that the energy we expend heats up our bodies internally.
Can you lose 5 pounds in a sauna?
You can’t solely rely on utilizing a sauna to shed pounds. This is due to the fact that all of the weight you lose while sitting in one is water weight. You perspire in the heat, releasing additional water from your body that has been stored. In one sauna session, you can lose roughly 5 pounds, but if you start drinking fluids again, you’ll gain it back.
Will a sauna help with water retention?
Although it’s important to drink water when perspiring, doing so can reduce edema and help the body remove accumulated sodium and water. Utilizing a sauna or steam room will help you retain less water; nevertheless, you must continue to drink water to stay hydrated.
How many calories do you burn in a sauna for 10 minutes?
It ranges from 100 and 333 calories for 10 minutes on average.
Sauna and Weight loss
Is a sauna or steam room better for weight loss?
While saunas are hotter and dryer, steam rooms only deliver wet heat. According to Columbia University, a sauna normally has a temperature between 160 and 200 degrees Fahrenheit and a humidity level between 5% and 30%. Unfortunately, Columbia University reports that using a sauna won’t help you lose weight either.
How often should you use a sauna for weight loss?
You might think about visiting the sauna two to three times each week, depending on your personal health and wellbeing objectives. Maybe even 4-5 times per week if you are so inclined.
How many calories do you burn in 30 minutes in a sauna?
You can burn 1.5 to 2 times as many calories as you would be sitting anywhere else for 15 to 30 minutes in the sauna. Therefore, a woman weighing 150 pounds on average would burn 68 calories every 30 minutes in a sauna. Sauna use can undoubtedly alter your way of life. They encourage both physical and emotional health.
Is the sauna just as good as cardio?
Visiting a sauna does not cause your blood pressure to drop; rather, it causes your heart rate to increase. A recent study found that this gain is even comparable to the results of a brief, moderate workout.
How many calories do you burn in a sauna for 1 hour?
It is only possible to use a sauna to help you lose weight if you are also consuming fewer calories overall. In an hour-long sauna session, some sources claim that up to 600 calories can be burned, while others claim that only 50 can be.
Should I wipe the sweat off in the sauna?
Don’t wipe until you’re completely wet. By evaporative cooling, sweat dissipates heat. Sweat absorbs 2,428 joules of energy from the body and releases heat into the environment as each gram changes from liquid to the gas phase.
Can I bring my phone to a sauna?
No, you shouldn’t bring your phone into the sauna since the high temperatures will harm the internal parts of the device. The operating temperature range for phones is 0° to 35°; any higher or lower will damage the phone’s internal parts.
As you can see, there are some differing opinions when it comes to sauna use, but we hope we were able to answer some of your questions effectively. Please let us know if you have any more questions or if you have anything to add to the above FAQs.
In this day and age, people who are keen on losing extra weight will try every remedy available to aid fat burning. And to further their weight loss journey, comparing these remedies with one another and choosing the best working one with the highest leverage among the rest is highly important. Two of the most popular beverages right now that can help you lose weight are apple cider vinegar and green tea. Green tea is known to have countless health benefits, and that includes having weight loss properties. Green tea also helps control cravings, does not contain calories, and is a great drink to eliminate toxins. Apple cider vinegar, on the other hand, is popular for its appetite-suppressing manner, which aids fat burning and helps reduce belly fat. And just like green tea, it is essentially calorie-free. But which of the two is the better aid for weight loss? Which one is more effective in body fat reduction?
So let’s talk about each of these beverages in detail: what’s in them, what they do to help you lose weight, and which one is better.
Let us start our comparison with apple cider vinegar and its countless health benefits, including the claim that it promotes weight loss. Despite it being raved about in recent years for its newfound weight loss properties, it has actually been used for hundreds of years as a health tonic with benefits such as lowering blood sugar. It has been used as a remedy for diabetes before insulin. One of the main reasons for the claim that apple cider vinegar aids weight loss is due to a component it has, acetic acid, which to an extent can help you lose weight. For us to fully understand how this liquid works, let us first know what it is and how it is made.
Apple cider vinegar is a fermented beverage made in a two-step process of fermentation.
The first step is to cut or crush apples and combine them with yeast so that the sugar in them is converted into alcohol.
The second step will be adding bacteria to the apple and yeast mixture, this will ferment the alcohol into acetic acid.
Traditionally, making apple cider vinegar can take up to one month. But with the latest technology in food production, some manufacturers have found a way to accelerate production in just a single day.
As aforementioned, the main active component in apple cider vinegar is ethanoic acid, also known as acetic acid. Acetic acid is derived from the Latin word acetum, which means vinegar in English. Apple cider vinegar consists of 5 to 6 percent acetic acid, the organic compound responsible for its strong odor and sour taste. Aside from acetic acid, apple cider vinegar also contains water and small amounts of other acids, such as malic acid.
Now, how important is the main active component in apple cider vinegar called acetic acid?
Acetic acid, a short-chain fatty acid, dissolves into acetate and hydrogen in our body.
Also, apple cider vinegar virtually contains no carbohydrates, for every tablespoon of the beverage contains only three calories. From that alone, you can tell that it is great for weight loss. So let’s dive deeper into the benefits acetic acid provides to aid weight loss. These are some of the ways acetic acid promotes weight or fat loss:
Acetic acid reduces the ratio of insulin to glucagon, which helps with burning fats.
Acetic acid increases the number of genes responsible for fat burning which leads to lesser buildup of body fats.
Acetic acid improves liver and muscle health and increases their ability to absorb sugar from the blood.
Acetate suppresses appetite, which means reduction of food intake.
Despite all these, apple cider vinegar can still have side effects for some people.
If consumed undiluted, apple cider vinegar might wear away your tooth enamel. To avoid this, one could use a straw or clean their teeth after taking the beverage. Some of the other side effects of apple cider might include:
Acid reflux
Low pottasium levels
Altering insulin levels
Nausea
To safely consume apple cider vinegar, it is best advised to have it diluted in water first. You may also add it to your food and drinks.
With all that being said, while it is claimed to help you lose weight, it would work better and faster if you take apple cider vinegar with a combination of exercise and low-calorie intake.
Now, let’s talk about green tea and how it could help you lose weight.
Green tea is deemed one of the healthiest beverages in the entire world. It is packed with antioxidants and loaded with various plant compounds that are highly beneficial to our bodies. Due to its being rich in nutrition and antioxidants, green tea is claimed to be a great beverage for helping you lose weight. Caffeine, one of the plant compounds found in green tea, is a stimulant well-known to improve exercise, thus aiding in fat burning and weight loss. Although the amount of caffeine in green tea is not as much as the one in coffee (20-40 mg in green tea and 100-200 mg in coffee), it still contains enough to have an effect on the body. Despite that, what puts green tea on top of the heap is the number of antioxidants it contains. Green tea contains, and is loaded with, the potent antioxidant called catechins. And drinking only a cup of green tea is enough to increase the number of antioxidants in your bloodstream. Another substance in green tea, which is one of the most important, is epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). This substance can boost your metabolism.
Studies suggest that the compounds found in green tea help with weight loss by boosting the effects of some hormones that help with fat-burning, such as norepinephrine. EGCG, the main antioxidant in green tea, helps increase the amount of norepinephrine, by inhibiting an enzyme that breaks down the aforementioned hormone. As the amount of norepinephrine increases, fat breakdown is highly promoted. The combined power of caffeine and EGCG, both found in green tea, brings the fat cells in your body to break down more fat, which will ultimately be used as energy by your other cells, such as muscle cells.
Just like apple cider vinegar, green tea also helps suppress your appetite. Your weight loss journey will be furthered with its primary effect, which is burning fat by increasing your calorie expenditure. Couple that with a low amount of calorie intake, and your weight loss journey will be furthered.
“It certainly isn’t a cure-all, but if you like the taste and enjoy drinking it, a few cups of green tea daily can help complement a healthy eating routine and may help you gradually lose weight”, says Stefani Sassos, MS, RDN, CDN, Registered Dietitian for the Good Housekeeping Institute. According to her, these are some of the ways green tea can further your weight loss journey:
Workout booster.
An “ergogenic aid”, the caffeine in green tea activates your nervous system, helping you perform your routine slightly better.
Helps you cut back sugar.
Aside from being a sugar-free beverage, green tea helps you avoid sugary drinks, which are a threat to your overall health. And the polyphenols that green tea contains steer you away from heart disease risk factors such as high cholesterol and blood pressure.
Healthy metabolism.
“Some research suggests that the caffeine and catechins found in green tea may assist with modest weight loss, likely because they raise your metabolic rate” says Sassos. The metabolic rate is referred to as the number of calories your body burns when doing mundane things such as sitting down or sweeping the floor.
In conclusion
When it comes to weight loss, the impact both apple cider vinegar and green tea have is minimal at best. It all goes down to how you pair these two beverages, either by taking in low amounts of calories with either of the two or pairing them up with an effective exercise routine. But what’s certain is that both have various health benefits for your body when consumed, such as having amazing gut health or even having a positive impact on your heart health. At the end of the day, it will always be you and how you take care of your body.
Consumed by over 159 million tea-loving Americans in a single day, tea is the second most popular beverage next to water, being served in approximately 2.16 billion cups every day. Even though it is now widely popular in many Western countries, the Chinese have actually been using green tea for ages now in their traditional medicine, often using it as a remedy to a lot of illnesses, including minor ones like healing wounds or treating headaches. Containing boatloads of antioxidants and plant compounds that are highly beneficial to your health, green tea is considered one of the healthiest beverages in the entire world. Green tea can potentially protect you from illnesses like cancer and heart diseases, it can also boost your mental alertness. One of the associated health benefits of consuming green tea, and is now gaining a lot of attention, is weight loss. What links green tea to weight loss is its ability to help the body’s metabolism to function more efficiently. Apart from green, there are also other varieties of tea, from black to oolong and white. Nevertheless, all these varieties contain the substance known as catechin flavonoid, a health-promoting substance known to bring down inflammation and help fight illnesses like diabetes, cancer, and heart diseases.
But how effective is green tea in promoting weight loss?
As aforementioned, green tea contains caffeine and a type of flavonoid called catechin, which is also an antioxidant. The combination of these two compounds speeds up your body’s metabolism. As we know, metabolism is the way the body processes and converts the food and drink we consume into usable energy. So, while catechin breaks down excess fat and caffeine aids the fat-burning process, the combination of both on the other hand increases the amount of energy our body uses. Although a cup of coffee (100mg and more) contains a significantly higher amount of caffeine than a cup of tea (24mg and more), the amount of antioxidants a cup of green tea contains is where it takes advantage. By drinking a cup of green tea, you introduce a potent amount of catechin into your bloodstream while also receiving another kind of antioxidant, a bioactive substance called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) which functions just like caffeine and has powerful effects on metabolism. The body’s process of burning fat starts in the actual fat cell, once the fat is broken down in it, it will move to the bloodstream where it is eliminated. This is where the compounds found in green tea come in, they aid and boost this breaking down the process and make the fat-burning hormones such as norepinephrine (noradrenaline) work more efficiently. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the main player antioxidant found in green tea, also promotes efficient breaking down of excess fats by inhibiting an enzyme that dissolves or breaks down the hormone norepinephrine. By inhibiting this enzyme, the actual amount of norepinephrine increases, thus, promoting an efficient fat breakdown.
But how much green tea should you consume for effective weight loss?
The University of Maryland Medical Centre suggests drinking 2 to 3 cups of green tea each day should be sufficient to aid weight loss, based on a medical study they have conducted. Still, the actuality in the amount of green tea one person should drink to be able to shed off some weight depends on one’s metabolism, varying from one person to another. Green tea is also considered a natural diuretic, which helps with combating fluid retention.
How to prepare green tea
Although preparing green tea sounds like an easy task, you actually have to be very careful about how you brew your tea for that can make all the difference. Never overheat the water for your tea, as this will damage the tea’s precious substance that you are after, the catechins. For the best taste, while retaining its nutrients, it will be best if you first boil the water and let it rest for about 10 minutes. Then, pour it over your prepared tea leaves and let it brew (brewing time depends on how you like it) before pulling out the leaves. Drinking green tea right after every meal is ideal if you’re consuming it for weight loss. Please take note that drinking green tea often may bother those with a sensitive stomach. Being alkaline in nature, green tea in your stomach would stimulate the secretion of more gastric juices than usual. Some people also drink green tea right in the morning and later at night, but those with sleeping issues should avoid drinking green tea close to their bedtime as it contains caffeine.
Green tea for weight loss and your health
Having wide varieties, some green tea types have more effective weight loss properties than others. Matcha green tea, for example, is the richest source of nutrients and antioxidants among any other green tea type. “The whole leaf is ground and consumed as part of the beverage, as opposed to other (most) types of green tea where the leaves are steeped and then the tea is consumed.”, as explained by registered dietitian Isabel K. Smith. Consuming matcha is known to be more nutritious because you actually drink the tea leaves themselves in ground form.
Weight loss, among others, is a health benefit you can get from drinking green tea.
This is possible because it contains a range of different compounds such as:
flavonoids
folate
magnesium
B vitamins and other antioxidants
Other health benefits linked to green tea consumption are:
Containing anti-cancer properties
Improving heart health and reducing cholesterol levels
Reducing the risk of Alzheimer’s disease
Contains brain-healthy properties
Although we have established in this article that green tea is an excellent aid for weight loss, it is also proven that green tea and its many nutrients and antioxidants, are great for you. And drinking it, regardless of what your intention is, be it for weight loss or to take advantage of its other health benefits, is something you should go for. As Isabel K. Smith said, “It contains many nutrients, including antioxidants and anti-cancer and brain-healthy compounds. All teas contain many healthful nutrients; it’s one of the healthier choices for a beverage!”
