Does Green Tea Help Weight Loss ?

It seems that green tea is becoming a very popular ingredient in weight loss plans. A lot of people are starting to use it to assist in their weight control efforts because of its low cost and ease of use. You can drink it just like you can any other tea, brew it up and serve it either hot or iced. You can also purchase a green tea extract supplement if you just don't like tea.

So, does it work for weight loss? There has been research that shows it does help to increase thermogenesis. This is the process in which the body's metabolism is accelerated and results in an increase in the amount of body fat that is burned. Actually, many plants have compounds that produce this type of effect, but green tea is different in that it will not increase your heart rate. As a result, it is considered to be a safer alternative to most fat burning supplements and diets pills on the market.

Two common problems for overweight people are cardiovascular problems and hypertension, so considering that green tea does not stress your heart makes it a much safer choice. There are other supplement ingredients, such as synephrine, that are not recommended to be used by people with these conditions. However, green tea is considered much safer and allows you to slowly increase your exercise intensity without risking health problems.

But there are really only two ways that you can lose weight. The first is by taking in fewer calories (eating less), and the second is by increasing your metabolism (burning more calories). Green tea helps by increasing your metabolism, which can be by as much as 4%. Scientists have discovered that the catechins contained in it are the main compound that cause this thermic effect.

Green tea also contains caffeine, which is another ingredient that is known to increase your metabolism. This, combined with the catechins, seems to have a synergistic effect in the body where the two compounds working together provide more benefit than if they were working separately. Due to this synergy, decaffeinated green tea is not recommended since the process of removing the caffeine can destroy the beneficial compounds it contains.

As good as green tea is, you will still need to watch your diet and exercise regularly. Your weight loss plans will not work effectively if you are taking in more calories than you are burning. As you slowly decrease your caloric intake and increase your exercise intensity, supplementing with green tea will help to speed up your fat loss and help contribute to increased energy levels.

The bottom line is that green tea can be an excellent addition to anyone's weight loss plans. Not only is it fairly cheap to purchase, it is really easy to use as well in either a beverage or a pill form. It is completely natural, has been shown to be safe, and is recommended for anyone that is interested in increasing their weight loss.

Sean Lombardo is a fitness enthusiast whose aim is to help people achieve their fitness goals. His website at http://BellyFatBurning.com offers weight training, fat loss and nutrition advice for beginner and advanced fitness levels. Subscribe to Sean's weekly newsletter at http://BellyFatBurning.com/ and get a FREE fitness program. It includes 6 DVDs, Custom Meal Plans, a Recipe Book, Weight Training Tutorials, a Progress Tracker and is jam packed with tips and techniques guaranteed to help anyone achieve their fitness goals.

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