Green Tea is being touted so heavily on the internet these days that you might think it is the universal “cure all” for every disease and ailment known to mankind. The latest news is all about green tea weight loss and how it can help ypu lose weight. The problem is, how can you differentiate between fact from fiction when it comes to green tea?

Green Tea and Herbal Weight Loss

More studies and research are showing that green tea is healthy for you. Instead of coffee, I’ve been drinking three cups of green tea per day for almost a year. It has made me feel more mentally clear and less hungry.

Tea has been around for hundreds of thousands of years (tea cultivation is thought to have begun in India and China), and is truly the original herbal weight loss product. You have three choices when it comes to tea:  black, green, and oolong. Dried tea leaf is the most common tea product; but extracts from leaves and buds can also be obtained.

Made from unfermented leaves, green tea is believed to contain the highest concentration of antioxidants (called polyphenols). Polyphenols combat free radicals, neutralizing them to stop or reduce damage they can inflict on the body.

Green tea can contain anywhere between 50 and 150mg of polyphenols. Due to polyphenols found in high concentrations in this tea, the substance has been studied extensively in people, animals, and lab experiments. Conclusive results have not been found, but it appears that it does help prevent and even cure a variety of ailments. There is no evidence to validate it as a remedy against coronary artery disease. However, population-based studies do show a lower incidence of heart disease in countries where people consume green tea on a daily basis.

It may protect against a variety of cancers, at least according to population studies. It is widely believed that green tea helps fight cholesterol; drinking green tea after a high cholesterol meal actually lowers the fat content in your blood. Drinking it may be one of the keys to prevention of diabetes and even liver disease. If you believe what you read on the internet, the list of “green tea cures” is almost endless.

The most surprising fact about green tea is the presence of EGCG, an antioxidant that stimulates the body to burn fat. One study found that three cups a day caused men to burn an additional 4% energy. The seemingly insignificant 80 calories burned per day can translate to significant weight loss over time. That’s an extra 2,400 calories in 30 days. Without changing your daily diet or exercise regimen, it is possible to burn a few extra thousand calories per month just by sipping on green tea every day.

Mental alertness, concentration, and problem solving are also believed to be improved by green tea. As a daily tea drinker, I can say with certainty that improved mental clarity and better concentration are two benefits to be reaped from drinking it daily. I can say with conviction that green tea sharpens my problem solving abilities.

When you buy it, the two most common forms are tea bags or loose leaf. Tea extracts and powder teas are also available for purchase. So is the green tea weight loss thing a fad? That I can’t say for certain. A slew of articles and studies on the internet will tell you that one form of green tea is better than another. All I need is a traditional tea bag. When I buy green tea bags, it’s in bulk; and I drink hot tea throughout the day every day of the week. And if that means I’m also following a herbal weight loss program, then that’s even more reason to keep drinking it.