We hear all the time that tea can boost your metabolism, but is it true, and should you start drinking it? Is this the miracle beverage if you’re trying to lose weight?
Can tea boost metabolism?
Certain teas like green tea, white tea, black tea, pu-erh tea, oolong tea, etc., can raise your metabolism, just like eating certain spices like chilis can also raise your metabolism. But if you look into the research and studies, the amount of extra calories you burn from consuming these teas are very little, like an extra 10 or 20 extra calories, maybe 30.
In order to have a calorie deficit to lose weight, you need to be burning a few hundred calories a day to lose weight, not 10-20 calories. So even though the tea might boost your metabolism slightly, by itself it won’t have a significant effect on your weight.
What will boost your metabolism?
The only thing I believe has the best impact on your metabolism, by boosting it, and keeping it strong (especially as you age), is exercise and building muscle. The more fit you are, the stronger your metabolism will be. If you build muscle, and maintain the muscle as you age, this will help keep your metabolism strong.
Other ways tea can help you lose weight:
Even though I don’t think tea will do all that much for your metabolism, I do believe tea can be used as a weight loss aid.
Tea can boost your exercise performance
Drinking tea (green tea, white tea, black tea, pu-erh tea, oolong tea, etc.) before exercise can give you an energy boost for a more vigorous workout. The more vigorous your workout, the more calories and fat you will burn. The caffeine in tea will give you an energy boost. If you’re trying to lose weight, and you’re exercising regularly, perhaps try and have a cup of plain tea 30-60 minutes before working out to see if it improves your workout and endurance.
If you drink coffee or espresso before you workout, try tea instead! I think tea is a much better alternative to coffee because the antioxidants in the tea, especially green tea, can counter free radical damage from exercise, and the minerals in tea can aid in recovery as well. Coffee tends to be quite acidic and inflammatory, two reasons why you’d want to avoid it if you’re exercising regularly.
Try drinking a cup of tea 30-60 minutes before you exercise and see how it goes. Make sure it’s a plain tea, no sugar added!
Tea can be used as an appetite suppressant
Caffeine is widely known to be an appetite suppressant. That’s the active ingredients in most diet pills. Drinking one or two cups of plain tea a day, can in fact help to decease your appetite.
Tea is a good alternative to a snack. Not only can it bring your appetite down, it’s also calorie-free (when consumed plain), and can have nutritional benefits as well from the antioxidants and minerals. Like any other caffeinated beverage, make sure not to drink too much, or too late in the day because you don’t want the caffeine interfering with your sleep, or making you jittery or anxious!
In conjunction with a healthy diet, regular exercise, and drinking moderate amounts; tea can very well be part of your weight loss arsenal. Just make sure to use it as an additional weight loss tool, and not rely on it as a miracle drink!
Watch today’s video below for more on my opinion of tea, metabolism, and weight loss.
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