While all kinds of teas are much-loved worldwide, Green tea is all rage these days being the perfect complementary aid to almost everybody’s diet whether the goal is to lose weight, or keep up with the maintenance post the weight loss that has happened. Not to forget its extensive and powerful antioxidant and fat burner properties that are going to help you let that metabolism run high.
With anywhere between 30-100 mg of caffeine (depending on how long it is steeped), Green tea is one great alternative to coffee that many are switching to. Catechins- antioxidant found in Green tea- is to be lauded for its role in boosting the immune system functioning, heart health as well as fat loss.
It is no surprise that this amazing beverage, which can be had as many as 3 to 4 times a day, is healthier version of caffeine that you can look forward to reach out to. However, the slight bitter taste of this healthy good does not go down very well with everyone. But there is a solution for those who are not really a fan of green tea but want to reap its benefits- you can still have it in supplement form as the Green Tea Extract (GTE) which happens to be a part of most products’ formulations.
According to several studies, a regular intake of green tea has a positive effect on health, overall. Green tea, or its extract rather, cans till be a part of your diet and more so if your goal is to lose weight with considerable fat loss. The difference between taking it in a beverage form and as a pill or formulation is that its concentration as a supplement is more and therefore, better in efficacy.
The Benefits:
Green tea extract is most effective as a fat burner, for one, owing to the cellular mechanism involving antioxidant catechin and caffeine. This special combination of caffeine with catechin works up the norepinephrine production. Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter mainly responsible for the sympathetic system in tonal and reflexive changes in the heart-muscle tone. When this happens, your body gets exposed to the feel-good sensation that actually plays an important role in driving you to perform better.
Suggested Read: Get Smart, Get Green: Green Tea, Now For Your Brain!
Now that you are well aware of the potential, maximal benefit that green tea is going to lead you to, you might once need to consider the catch in the situation. While it is evident through ample research that you might need the most active cathechin- Epigallocatechingallate (EGCG) and the highest fat burning potential of GTE is found in the range of 400-500 mg of this special catechin EGCG per day. However, the catch is, the entire efficacy of green tea to help you lose weight relies on how resistant is the user to caffeine. That means, if you are in the habit of drinking highly caffeinated drinks upto 2-3 times a day on a daily basis, then you are that much more resistant to the effects of green tea.
Dosage and Consumption:
The safe way to make GTE supplements a part of your daily regimen is to ensure that you are well hydrated. Since caffeine in general, as well as certain components in the supplemental formulations act as diuretics, you need to be more careful with your fluid intake.
While it can be taken without meal, it is ideally suggested that you pair GTE along with another type of antioxidant, Quercetin (found in several vegetables and fruits) or with omega 3 containing fish oil. Both work together to give you maximum health benefits and also improve the bioavailability of GTE.
What you get:
While GTE extract is found in supplements as an isolated form of the catechins, most GTE supplements have upto 50% ECGC. But, unless specified by the supplement company, the extract is not available in any standardized composition. Another plus point of GTE supplements is that some may also have appetite suppressants (bonus!), which can be ideal if you have trouble monitoring your food intake and weight.
Last modified: June 23, 2017
