Best Tea for Weight Loss: What the Evidence Really Says

Drinking tea can be a nice low-calorie beverage, but don't expect it to melt the pounds away. Out of the different types of teas, green tea has been studied the most. However, even with green tea, it appears that the amount of weight you could lose is minimal and not significant enough to claim it as a method for weight loss.

There's a difference between enjoying a hot cup of tea and drinking a tea product that is sold as a "fat burner" or taking supplements.

A personal reflection:For me, I like to separate drinking tea for enjoyment and thinking that it's going to help you lose weight. There's nothing wrong with drinking a hot cup of tea. Just don't think it's going to be your miracle cure. It's better to develop healthy habits than rely on what a tea company will tell you.

Is Green Tea the Best Tea for Weight Loss?

As stated above, green tea is the most researched type of tea when it comes to weight loss. There are catechins in green tea, and it also contains caffeine. Some researchers believe that these properties can increase your body's ability to burn energy and therefore lose weight.

Research has shown that there may be some truth to this. One study that reviewed 22 studies showed that those who drank green tea lost an average of 1.23 kilograms more than the placebo group. However, this was considered low-quality evidence. It was determined that those who consumed green tea would lose approximately 1.61 kilograms more than those who just drank water. This was considered very low-quality evidence. Just because you drink green tea does not guarantee that you will lose weight.

According to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), there is limited evidence that shows green tea can lead to weight loss. They state that even if it does help with weight loss, the effect is likely to be small. Each study varies by what type of tea or tea extract they use, the dosage, and who they used in their study. It's hard to say that you will see the same results if you take a tea extract and drink a cup of green tea.

So, if you enjoy drinking green tea, continue to do so. Just know that it may not have much of an impact on your weight.

Are There Other Teas That Can Help with Weight Loss?

There isn't enough research to show that black tea can help with weight loss. The study that we mentioned earlier showed no significant results with black tea. But if you enjoy drinking black tea, then go ahead and drink it. Just try not to drink it with sugar.

Oolong tea is said to help burn fat. We don't have any studies that show that this is true. So if someone tells you that oolong tea will help you lose weight, proceed with caution. For more detail, see what research says about oolong tea for weight loss.

There are many different types of herbal tea. You cannot lump them all together and say that they will help with weight loss. Just because green tea has been shown to possibly help with weight loss does not mean all teas will.

There are teas that are marketed as helping you lose weight. These teas contain laxatives which can make you have a bowel movement. So yes, you may see a number drop on your scale. But it's not necessarily from fat loss. You can experience side effects from using laxatives as well. Make sure to read the ingredients and steer clear of teas that claim to make you lose weight quickly. You can also read about weight-loss tea ingredients to avoid.

How Can Green Tea Help with Weight Loss?

As mentioned above, green tea has caffeine and catechins in it. There are some that believe these properties can allow your body to burn more energy and fat. It has not been shown that drinking green tea will burn enough calories to result in weight loss.

There have been studies done on green tea extract, which is a concentrated form of green tea that contains a certain amount of catechins. There is no information that says drinking multiple cups of green tea will produce the same results. It also doesn't say that it will counteract other things that you do to cause weight gain.

It could help if you drink tea instead of another beverage that has more calories. An unsweetened tea has minimal calories. So if you swap out a drink that is high in calories for tea, you may lose weight from your beverage intake.

Tips for Drinking Tea to Help with Weight Loss

Drink your tea of choice and don't overthink it. Here are a few tips to help you stay on track:

Choose simple additions

Enjoy your tea with no additional ingredients, or you can add a little milk.

Watch added sugars

Watch out for added sugars. This can include honey, syrup, and bottled teas.

Consider caffeine and sleep

If you find that the caffeine in your tea affects your sleep, you can drink decaf tea.

Don't use tea as a meal replacement

Don't drink tea as a meal replacement or to "detox" your body.

Choose tea you enjoy

If you don't like green tea, there's no reason to drink it.

Just remember that tea can be one tool that you use when trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Eat foods that you enjoy and exercise. Sleep and receive the care that you need. Nothing has to be perfect in order for it to help you. Switching out a beverage that you enjoy and replacing it with something with fewer calories can be beneficial.

Just remember that tea can be one tool that you use when trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Eat foods that you enjoy and exercise. Sleep and receive the care that you need. Nothing has to be perfect in order for it to help you.

Can Green Tea Extract Be Harmful?

Just because you drink green tea does not mean that you can consume green tea extract. Some studies have shown that taking green tea extract can cause some side effects.

According to the ODS, taking green tea extract can lead to nausea, constipation, stomach pain, and an increase in blood pressure. There have been rare cases where taking green tea extract caused liver damage. There was also one study that showed participants taking high doses of green tea extract experienced elevated liver enzymes.

Green tea can also interact with certain medications. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), taking large doses of green tea can lower the levels of nadolol in your blood. Green tea extract can decrease levels of atorvastatin in your blood. Green tea has also been shown to interact with raloxifene.

If you take medication or have a medical condition, you should consult with your doctor before consuming large amounts of green tea extract. Also, if you are looking at a tea product that claims to help you lose weight, just because something is natural doesn't mean that it won't harm your body.

Tips to Keep in Mind When Buying Tea

You can always buy a tea bag that has no additional ingredients in it. If you are purchasing a tea that is marketed towards weight loss, be aware of the ingredients. Stay away from teas that claim to help you lose weight quickly.

Keep in mind that there is caffeine in green and black tea. If you are sensitive to caffeine, don't drink tea close to bedtime.

Some teas come in supplement form and will state how many mg of extract they contain. Don't assume that by increasing the dose, you will see more benefits.

A personal reflection: I believe that you can drink tea if you want to, but it's not necessary to help with losing weight. Also, be careful of teas that may tell you that you will see results quickly, especially if they have some type of extract or laxative.

Conclusion

Green tea has been shown to possibly help with weight loss, but not significantly. You shouldn't trust any tea that states it will help you lose weight. If you like to drink green tea, continue to do so. Just don't buy teas that claim to make you lose weight and stick to an unsweetened version. Speak with your healthcare provider for ways to manage your weight. You can find more articles about tea and weight loss on the Weight Loss Tea Guide homepage.