Couple of cups of green tea before exercise could help burn fat
Drinking a couple of cups of green tea before exercise could help burn fat, researchers at the University of Birmingham suggest.
The team of researchers, led by Dr Asker Jeukendrup, carried out two studies on young healthy men, who took either Green Tea Extract (GTE) – the equivalent of 3.5 cups - or a placebo before performing in cycling trials. Scientists found that in the first group, the average fat oxidation rates were higher and that the contribution of fat oxidation to total energy expenditure was also significantly higher.
Green tea, discovered in China nearly 5,000 years ago, has long been thought to have health benefits. Dr Jeukendrup said: ” Over the last 10 years we have tried to find ways to increase fat burning during exercise. Apart from exercise training none of these ways have been very successful. EGCG, the active compound in green tea, seems to be different and caused a significant increase in fat burning. This has potentially positive effects for athletes who want to increase their fat burning capacity or obese and diabetic patients who want to burn fat and lose weight.”
In addition to effects on fat metabolism, green tea may have an effect on glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity by improving glycemic control after an oral glucose load. After a meal insulin increases and this hormone makes sure that the nutrients are taken up by different tissues. In patients with type 2 diabetes tissues are insensitive to insulin. The study showed, however, that green tea extract ingestion can increase insulin sensitivity by 13 per cent and can reduce the insulin response to a glucose load of 15 per cent.
Dr Jeukendrup said: “There is indirect evidence that the capacity to burn fat is related to various health benefits. An increased ability to burn fat may reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity.
“The best way to increase the capacity to burn fat is by regular physical activity. Nutrition supplements, sold as ‘fat burners’, are often claimed to have these effects but most of them are ineffective. Therefore the findings of this study are very exciting. The green tea extract had substantial effects on fat oxidation. We now need to study this further and find out what doses are needed and what the clinical implications are for obese and diabetic patients.”
Source: By University Of Birmingham
White tea said,
March 10, 2008 @ 3:35 pm
It is reassuring to read continual evidence of the benefits of green tea. More and more people need to take this information seriously and incorporate green tea into their diet. We need to continue to focus more on the foods that make us and keep us healthy rather than the drugs that just cover up symptoms and pose many health risks.
Green Tea & Black Tea Drinker said,
April 3, 2008 @ 2:06 am
I have only just started to drink tea within the last two weeks and have been told to drink Green and Black tea as these teas help provide energy and weight loss. I have been drinking a mug of green tea 20mins to an hour before exercising and I have so much energy its amazing. Even after slogging it out at the gym for 2 hours I had plenty of energy afterwards and wanted to keep going.
I highly recommend drinking either Green or Black tea. I once was skeptic about tea but now I am a true believer. I am yet to see the benefits of losing weight.