If you’ve ever reprimanded yourself for pouring yourself another cup of tea, now you can enjoy your favourite hot beverage guilt-free. Because in addition to tea’s well-known soothing and anti-inflammatory properties, it could actually help you shed some kilos.
Some studies have found that drinking tea regularly may support weight loss and help fight belly fat. Of course, eating right is also important to losing and maintaining weight, but a little extra support goes a long way.
Read on to discover three of the best teas for weight loss.
Thanks to its many health benefits, green tea is by far the most popular tea. But more recently, green tea has been linked to weight loss.
Loaded with powerful antioxidants called catechins, including a substance called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which is believed to increase metabolism and help burn fat, a study published in Physiology & Behavior found that those who drank green tea lost on average 3.3 kilograms during a 12-week period.
As well as assisting with weight loss, green tea also helps promote sleep, protects against age-related cognitive decline, and may lower your risk of heart disease. According to a study published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, enjoying at least three cups a week is linked to a longer lifespan.
Have you ever tried cacao husk tea before? It may be lesser known, but its health benefits are huge.
Originating in South America, Cacao husk tea, often referred to as chocolate tea, is made from cacao husk, the outer shells of the cacao bean. The best part is, it tastes just like chocolate without the added guilt or calories.
“Think of cacao husk tea as a rich, dark hot chocolate with no sugar, no dairy, no gluten and almost no calories,” Husk Mill co-founder Elaina Downey says. “Out of all the ways to taste chocolate, drinking cacao husk tea is easily the healthiest.”
Cacao husk tea contains a compound called theobromine, which increases metabolism, causing you to burn more calories, Downey explains. It’s also a natural mood booster, full of powerful antioxidants, and jam-packed with just about every nutrient your body needs, including B vitamins, vitamin A, iron, zinc, calcium and magnesium.
Black tea is actually made from the same plant as green tea despite their very different taste — the difference is that black tea is oxidised and green tea is not.
Several studies have found that black tea can increase weight loss and speed up your metabolism. One study published in Food & Function found that over three months, those who drank three cups of black tea per day experienced significant weight loss.
Flavonoids — powerful antioxidants found in black tea — have also been shown to lower visceral fats, the excessive weight that develops over time around the centre of the body. Some studies also show that black tea may help prevent certain cancers, boost heart health and improve gut health.