Drinking Green Tea

Green tea is the latest health drink that has taken the whole world by storm. Nowadays, if you want to be healthy, you have to be drinking green tea regularly. Although there are many studies that have provided well-documented evidence to the perceived benefits of green tea, only a few have extensively tackled the link between green tea and weight loss. Can this healthy drink lead the path to physical fitness as well?

The Health Benefits of Drinking Green Tea
Before we attempt establishing a link between green tea and weight loss, let's begin by studying the various health benefits associated with green tea.

Green tea is actually a drink that has been used for medicinal purposes as early as four centuries ago in China. Today, it continues to be a widely important drink in the Eastern world although its influence is growing in the Western hemisphere as well especially because more and more people are becoming health conscious.

Besides providing general aid to the human body and helping it become and stay healthy, green tea can also assist in the following situations:

• Reduce Cholesterol Levels - Several studies have also shown that there's a link between cholesterol levels and green tea. The more you drink, the lower your cholesterol levels. This will be discussed further later on and when the connection between green tea and weight loss will be established.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis - People suffering from arthritic problems can now have a less painful lifestyle with the help of green tea. The curative properties of green tea can effectively reduce the symptoms of arthritis in the long run, enabling affected individuals to have a normal lifestyle once more.
• Other possible benefits for drinking tea are a more effective treatment for infection and heart diseases and even the prevention of tooth decay.

The Link between Green Tea and Weight Loss
Finally, we come to the most important part: can drinking green tea help you lose weight?

If you ask the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, they'll either say no directly or appear undecided since they're maintaining the position that the health benefits of green tea are still unproven. The American Medical Association, however, states the contrary and some of the benefits it does acknowledge include possible links to weight loss.

Lowering Cholesterol Levels - Once again, we go back to cholesterol, which is a compound that can make it harder for us to lose weight. There are two types of cholesterol: HDL and LDL. The latter is what causes us weight problems, and thankfully, drinking green has been shown to effectively reduce the amount of LDL in our bodies.

Increased Metabolism - A body's metabolism rate determines the speed of which our body is able to digest the food we've eaten. A higher metabolism rate is generally better for people who intend to lose weight because this means that their bodies are able to quickly get rid of the food they've consumed, thus preventing them to carry excess fats.

Lower Stress Levels - Stress and pressure has been long acknowledged as an important factor in gaining weight. Consequently, if you can significantly lower your stress levels, you'll have better chances of losing weight. Drinking green tea has also been shown to have the desired effect on a person's stress levels because of the high amount of antioxidants it possesses.

Possible Concerns When Drinking Green Tea
Drinking green tea however is not for everyone. If you are carrying or breast-feeding, anemic, or experiencing sleeping problems, certain properties of green tea may simply aggravate your situation so it's best if you consult your doctor first before proceeding to drink green tea.

In the end, whether you believe or not that green tea can help you lose weight, you'll gain more and lose nothing at all if you try drinking it all the same. Drinking green tea to be healthy has already been satisfactorily proven; if it helps you lose pounds as well then so much the better! If it doesn't, then at least you're healthy!