Green Tea, or Camellia Sinensis, has been a hot news topic in recent years. Green tea is a main staple consumed by Asian populations for thousands of years and is purported to have numerous beneficial effects on health - one of them being weight loss.

Adding this supplement to your diet can give your weight loss efforts a boost. Green tea contains caffeine, and caffeine speeds up production of noradrenaline. Each cup of green tea contains approximately 24-45 mg of caffeine, depending upon how long it's been allowed to steep.

Another benefit of green tea is that it contains catechin polyphenols such as epigallocatechin, epicatechin gallate, and epigallocatechin gallate, which are powerful antioxidants. There's evidence that the catechins in green tea or green tea extract (GTE) inhibit the growth of cancer cells, detoxifies cell-damaging free radicals in the body, reduces the risk of heart disease, and possibly even helps prevent Alzheimer's disease.

The antioxidant activity of EGCG is about 25–100 times that of vitamins C and E. As with all supplementation, they are not all alike. Each manufacturer has a unique blend of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) ranging from trace amounts to more powerful combinations. So it's important that you know what you are purchasing.

For example, Applied Nutrition - Green Tea Triple Fat Burner is a blend of various vitamins plus a combination of black, green, and white teas at 200 mg each (50% EGCG). In contrast, Life Extension’s Mega Green Tea Extract contains 98% total polyphenols and 45% epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) with no other added supplementation. There is also a decaffeinated version for those who may be sensitive to caffeine.

If opting for the supplement form of Green Tea, always follow the manufacture's dosing directions. More is not necessarily better and may cause your heart to race or feel jittery. If you want to maximize GTE's effectiveness, you should consider pairing supplementation with fish oil. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may enhance bioavailability and efficacy of EGCG.

Green tea supplements can give your weight loss efforts a boost, albeit don't expect a massive drop in pounds. Green tea goes way beyond just body weight. It is an impressive supplement that will improve your overall health. And that is always the goal.

If you are interested in purchasing a Green Tea supplement, please click on the Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk links below:

US: Life Extension Decaffeinated Mega Green Tea Extract 98% Polyphenolds, Vegetarian Capsules, 100-Count

UK: Life Extension Mega Green Tea Extract (Lightly Caffeinated) (100 Vegetarian Capsules, 98% Polyphenols)


Do you supplement with Green Tea? Tell us about your experiences with it, good or bad, over in the forum.

Disclaimer: I am not a doctor and the articles I write are intended to increase your knowledge about the subject. It’s always a good idea to check with your personal doctor before changing your diet or starting a new fitness routine.