Tea For Weight Loss - Fact Or Fiction?

When you drink a cup of freshly brewed tea, you are taking in natural properties called "polyphenols", a group of chemical substances found in plants. This beverage by nature has a very high amount of these little guys and when absorbed by the numbers, can help the body burn fat by an action called thermogenesis as mentioned above.

Now, what is happening when this takes place is that enzymes start to dissolve fatty tissues known as triglyceride. The more this happens, the more calories start to rapidly burn away...and what that means is weight loss. Not immediate weight loss...but losing weight none the less!

However, noticeable weight loss will never occur WITHOUT proper dieting and plenty of daily exercise. This will greatly accompany the slimming benefits. Always consult your doctor before starting a weight loss diet!

The Type of Tea is Important!

One important thing to mention is what type of tea folks consume to benefit the best results. There are four main classifications; White, Green, Oolong (Wu long), and Black, but it is Oolong Tea that contains the most plant polyphenols over its three cousins. Green comes in second, hence the once popular "green tea diet".

Chinese varieties, such as wu-yi tea is currently the more popular "liquid diet" being advertised today, and for some, along with dieting and exercise, have experienced satisfying results. Wu-yi tea is a variety of oolong grown in the Wuyi Mountains located in China's Fuijan Province. It appears that this special variety has the highest polyphenol count, so in theory should provide better weight loss. However, I believe that any oolong would do the trick. The difference between wu-yi or any other oolong would not be night and day!

Loose Leaf Is King!

There are two ways to steep tea, using an average bag...or using loose leaf. Guess which method will provide better flavor and overall health benefits? That's right! Loose leaf tea! This beverage brewed using whole and fresh loose leaves contain more essential oils for aroma and true flavor, more antioxidants, and more polyphenols than ordinary bag tea. This is because they are not crushed into little pieces called “fannings” (tea dust) and put into little mesh bags only to sit on a shelf while aging and drying out before the reach your cup.

With bags flavor is compromised and so are the benefits. Sure you'll obtain some, but most are lost. Remember, tea bags can sometimes be over 12 to 18 months old! In general the leaves are best enjoyed within 6 to 8 months of the flush, no longer.

So remember, it are all these little factors: