Green Tea

WHAT IS IT?
All teas (green, black and oolong) are derived from the Camellia Sinensis plant originally. The difference is in how the leaves are prepared that generates different blend of teas. Green tea is prepared by picking, lightly steaming and allowing the leaves to dry. Due to differences in the fermentation process, a portion of the active compounds are destroyed in black tea, but remain active in green tea. The active constituents in green tea have a powerful effect on body fat, accelerating both the loss of stored fat and reducing fat storage. This is why green tea has been known for many years to be very good for the digestive system and dieting, amongst other numerous anti-oxidant properties.

HOW DOES  WORK?
According to Chinese legend, tea was discovered accidentally by an emperor 4,000 years ago. Green tea contains vitamins, minerals, and caffeine, but the primary constituents of interest are the polyphenols, particularly the catechin (pronounced kat-a-kin) called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). The polyphenols are believed to be responsible for most of green tea’s roles in promoting good health. You can view the content of active green tea polyphenols on any label that specifically states the exact standardised extract of useful compound. Some state how much EGCG is specifically contained within a product.

Green tea has been shown to mildly lower total cholesterol levels and improve the cholesterol profile (decreasing LDL “bad” cholesterol and increasing HDL “good” cholesterol). Research suggests as much as 10 cups of green tea per day is necessary to obtain noticeable benefits from green tea ingestion.

What's more, green tea extract (which contains high levels of EGCG) has been shown in a recent trial at the University of Geneva to speed up the rate at which stored fat is burned for energy by a very noticeable huge 35%. Three months of supplementation with green tea extract alone — without any diet or exercise — has also been shown to accelerate weight loss and reduce the size of your waist. This is rather impressive research and most definately food for thought on any diet of any form.

The study, published in the prestigious journal Phytotherapy Research, shows that as well as boosting the metabolic rate, green tea extract helps to block the absorption of fat. In other words, not only does green tea extract help you to lose the fat you've already got, it also reduces the amount of fat you digest and store on your waist, thighs, chest or hips.

It's important to remember all of the research showing the potent effect of green tea on fat loss used green tea extract, and not the drink itself. Just drinking green tea leaves you open to unmeasured quantities of the correct chemical compounds, if any, depending upon the quality of the brand and the actual leaves you buy. Although a drink of green tea does contain a small amount of EGCG, you'd need almost 10 cups a day to reach the doses used in the research. What's more, there's no guarantee that the particular brand or type of green tea you drink will contain the precise amount of EGCG needed. Many factors, such as the time it was harvested, how it was processed, and how long it was stored, affect the potency and purity of the tea.

In much the same way that the size of the engine determines how powerful a car is, the effectiveness of green tea extract depends on how much of the active ingredient it contains. Any type of green tea supplement you buy should state on the label that it contains a standardised amount of polyphenols. If it doesn't have this information, there's no guarantee that it will work as well as the product tested in the research. Look for green tea extract standardised to at least 90% (preferably 95%) polyphenols.

It's effect on the metabolic rate makes green tea extract suitable for anyone who wants to lose weight faster or reduce the size of their waist.

Combined with a healthy diet and regular effective exercise program, green tea extract will help you lose weight more quickly and easily. When green tea extract is combined with other thermogenic nutrients you can expect to lose 1-3 pounds of fat each and every week, until you reach your target weight. This is the aim of most athletes embarking upon a fat loss program.

HOW MUCH AND WHEN?
Green tea extract is most effective in a dose of 200-300 milligrams per day, split into 3 divided doses at a standardised dosage of 90 - 95% polyphenols.

Although green tea extract is highly effective when taken alone, most weight loss experts believe that combining it with other thermogenic ingredients such as Caffeine and Bitter Orange Peel or ephedra will be highly effective for promoting fat loss.