Today, we will know about the benefits of green tea and green tea recipes for weight loss.
Did You Know?
- Green tea is known as the healthiest beverage in the world.
- One drinks green tea for weight loss.
- Green tea improves the metabolism.
- The green tea has specific properties, which can activate the beneficial substances. This can trigger biological effects, and improve the health.
We keep hearing so much about green tea being so beneficial and all that. But, do we actually know why this green tea has suddenly become so popular, and what makes it an instant hit with the weighty people? Well, this article will illustrate the goodness of this tea and the green tea recipes for weight loss.
Green tea contains antioxidants, along with a compound known as EGCG, or the Epigallocatechin gallate. These potent ingredients make the tea so highly popular. This leads to people losing weight, with an increase in the metabolism. Caffeine, present in green tea, also plays a major part in enhancing the metabolism. Though the amount of caffeine in green tea is not as alarming as the amount present in coffee, it has enough to stimulate the resting metabolism. So, this leads to burning more fat and boosting of performance during exercises.
Benefits of Green Tea
Green tea has got various weight loss benefits, which makes it hugely popular amongst all age groups. And, the best part of benefits of green tea is that it does not cause any kind of side effects.
1. Mobilizes The Fat Cells
The loss of fat actually depends upon the ability of the body to process the stored food, and move it from the bloodstream, so that it can be used as energy. Green tea has all the potent compounds, which can boost the fat burning hormones so that they are mobilized. There is a hormone called Norepinephrine, which sends signals to the fat cells in the body so that they can break down and release the stored lipids. The popular antioxidant in the green tea helps in stopping the production of enzymes, which limits the norepinephrine action. So, this helps in increasing the metabolism, which makes the fat available for the body muscles and cells. This can be useful for providing the energy.
2. More Fat Gets Burnt During Exercises
Green tea has the ability to increase the fat burning capacity while exercising. Sometimes, even after exercising, one is not able to lose the weight quickly. But, green tea can put you on a faster path to weight loss. It can help you burn almost 17% more fat during exercises, as compared to doing exercises without consuming green tea. In fact, even after the workouts are complete, the green tea continues to have the metabolism boosting effects.
3. Improves The Resting Metabolism
The rate at which the resting metabolism is increased is between 3 to 8% if one has green tea. So, for example, if a person has to take 2000 calories per day for maintaining the body weight, he would be able to burn out 60 to 80 calories more, without undertaking any extra activity. And, even if one stops drinking the tea, one can see a continuous increase in the resting metabolism.
4. Loss Of Appetite
A lot of people gain weight because of their eating habits. In spite of doing a lot of exercises, they are not able to control their diet. Some people resort to binge eating. But, when one drinks green tea, the appetite is reduced, which means that a person ends up eating less. This can directly lead to weight loss.
5. Reduces The Fat Around The Belly
One of the main concerns for people is the weight around the belly. The tyre around the belly is the most difficult to lose. So, the belly fat that refuses to go, in spite of trying everything, can budge, with some green tea. Green tea has some specific ingredients, which can lead to visceral weight loss and has an impact on the fat oxidation.
How Much Of Green Tea Should Be Consumed For Weight Loss?
Though there are no scientific proofs, which support the theory of weight loss with green tea, the experts suggest drinking 2 to 3 cups of tea every day, for getting the maximum weight loss benefits. But, one should know when exactly to have the green tea. One can try drinking the tea in the morning, instead of the regular morning cup of coffee. And, then, they could add another cup in the afternoon, just before lunch, so that the appetite is suppressed, and then another one just before dinner.
Green Tea Recipes For Weight Loss
There are various methods of preparing this wonderful blend, which can give you maximum weight loss benefits. Given below are some of the easier green tea recipes for weight loss.
1. By Using Teabags
You get green tea tea bags in the markets. You can easily make the tea with the help of that.
Ingredients-
- Green tea bags
- Hot Water
- Basil Leaves
- Lemon juice
- Honey
Process-
- First of all, find out how many tea bags would be required for brewing the necessary amount of green tea.
- Place these tea bags in a tea strainer.
- Heat the water, making use of a glass or a pot.
- Now, put the tea strainer into the cup or the glass, before you pour the hot water onto it. Add basil leaves and honey to it.
- Do remember not to keep the tea bag dipped in water for longer than 2 minutes, as it will leave a bitter taste.
- Let the tea cool down a bit, and then add lemon juice to it. Drink it when it comes to a temperature that you are comfortable with.
2. By Using Green Tea Powder
You can also prepare your healthy infusion by using green tea powder, which is again very easily available in the market.
Ingredients-
- Green tea powder
- Water – 1 cup
- Honey – 2 tablespoons
- Lemon – half
Process-
- Depending upon the amount of tea to be brewed, add the tea powder to the water.
- Take a steel pot and add water to it. Boil it till the tea powder sinks in.
- Now, pour the tea in a cup or a mug, with the help of a strainer, so that you are able to separate the liquid from the powder.
- Add honey and lemon juice to it so that the taste is enhanced.
Other Variants Of Green Tea Recipes For Weight Loss
Dieting is a really boring option, and if one can lose weight by just having some green tea, it would make life easier. And, if you don’t like the bland taste of green tea, you can check out some of the interesting green tea recipes for weight loss, below.
1. Lavender Green Tea With Ice
This tea is low in calories and is rich in taste. The lavender in it gives it a subtle flavor. Lavender is really good for hair loss and can help in preventing the hair from falling.
Ingredients-
- Dried lavender blossoms – 1 and ½ tsp
- Green tea bags – 4
Process-
- Heat water in saucepan till it starts simmering. Remove pan from the heat and just add the tea and the lavender blossoms to the boiled water. Let it steep for around 5 minutes.
- Now, strain this in a bowl, and allow it to cool.
- Pour this brew in glasses filled with ice.
2. Green Tea, Mango And Kiwi Smoothie
This wonderful smoothie will give you the best of green tea recipes for weight loss, along with the rich taste of mangoes and kiwis.
Ingredients-
- Cut mangoes – 2 cups
- Yogurt – ½ cup
- Honey – 2 tablespoons
- Lime Rind – ½ tsp
- Kiwis (peeled and cut) – 3
- Spinach – ½ cup
- Green tea – 2 tbsp
- Water – 2 tbsp
Process-
- Take a blender and put mangoes, half of yogurt, water, green tea powder, honey, and lime rind into it. Blend it nicely till it becomes a smooth paste.
- Drop this into glasses, and keep them in freezer.
- Now, wash the blender, and put the remaining yogurt, kiwis, baby spinach in the blender, and blend them smoothly.
- Put this mixture into the mango mix, and garnish it with slices of kiwi fruit.
3. Cranberry and Green Tea Mix
Fruits and veggies are really good for losing weight. So, if you combine these with cranberries and green tea recipes for weight loss, you get a healthy and delicious blend of weight loss drink. The cranberry spritzer is wonderful and refreshing and can give a lot to the taste buds.
Ingredients-
- Cranberry juice – ½ cup
- Green Tea Bags – 4
- Sugar- 1/3 cup
- Water- 1/3 cup
Process-
- Take water in a vessel and heat it.
- Now, add sugar to this boiled water. If you do not want to use sugar, you can substitute it with honey.
- Once the sugar or honey is dissolved, and the water becomes cool, steep tea bags in boiling water for about 2 minutes.
- Remove the tea bags and let it cool completely. Now, add the cranberry juice in it, and divide the mixture into four glasses, with ices. Your drink is ready to be served.
4. Blue Berry, Almonds And Green Tea Smoothie
This is the perfect smoothie for burning off the fat, in the most delicious way. It not only boosts the metabolism, but also helps the skin of the person, and also manages the weight. It is definitely yummy, and will really give you something to look forward to.
Ingredients-
- Green Tea Bags – 2
- Vanilla Yogurt (fat free) – 300 grams
- Blueberries – 2 cups
- Almonds (dry, roasted and unsalted) – 2 tablespoon
- Flax seeds – 2 tablespoon
- Water – ¾ cups
- Ice Cubes – 3 cubes
Process-
- Boil water and pour it over the tea bags. Let it steep for around 5 minutes. Squeeze the tea bags, and remove them.
- Chill this tea overnight, by keeping it in the fridge.
- Place the tea, along with blueberries, and other ingredients in the blender. Blend it till they become smooth, and divide this smoothie into glasses, along with ice.
5. Iced Green Tea
Even the name of this drink will refresh you and your senses. Its low in calories, and when it is served chilled, it can actually be quite rejuvenating. It lowers the risk of diabetes and Alzheimer’s. Green tea is so pure that it can help in boosting the metabolism, and can invigorate you tremendously.
Ingredients-
- Green Tea Bags – 6
- Boiling water – 4 cups
- Cold water – 2 cups
- Honey – 2 tbsp (depending upon taste)
- Lime – 1
Process-
- Boil water and pour it on top of the tea bags, in a saucepan.
- Let it steep for around 5 minutes. Now, squeeze them out, and remove them from water.
- Add honey and lime juice to the cooled water. The drink is ready to be served.
6. Ginger And Lemon Grass Green Tea
The lemon grass has a subtle flavor, which gets enhanced with the rawness of ginger. So, the ginger and lemon grass green tea recipes for weight loss is the perfect drink for all the weight loss enthusiasts. It has really low levels of caffeine, and antioxidants in them, which will make you feel energized.
Ingredients-
- Fresh Lemon Grass – 1 stalk
- Green Tea – 5 bags
- Fresh Ginger – 7 slices
- Honey – 2 tbsp
Process-
- Wash lemon grass and cut them into 2-inch lengths. Crush them with a knife.
- Put 2 cups water, lemongrass, ginger and honey in a saucepan and boil it.
- Take the pan away from the heat, and add the green tea bags to it.
- Let the tea steep for around 5 minutes.
- Remove the teabags and let the tea cool down for half an hour.
- Strain the tea and put it in a pitcher.
- Cover it up and refrigerate it for about 2 hours, and pour them into ice-filled glasses and drink.
These were some of the interesting and flavorful green tea recipes for weight loss, which are easy to make, and wonderful to drink. You will not only feel refreshed and rejuvenated but will also see a tremendous weight loss benefits out of them. Go and give your metabolism a boost, and reduce the body fat. Drink for your health.