Thermogenesis in green tea is heaven-sent if you’re dead serious about losing weight. You may not be aware of it, but that extra baggage of fats around your waist can spell tons of health complications for you. 

Studies have shown that people tipping the scale are more prone to insulin resistance, the precursor of diabetes, and a host of life-threatening diseases. The list includes: 

• Asthma and breathing issues,
• Hypertension,
• High cholesterol,
• Heart disease,
• Stroke,
• Fatty liver disease,
• Gout,
• Gallbladder disease, and gallstones
• Osteoarthritis
• Cancer

In this post, we’ll point out the 3 major components of green tea that you can make the most of to shed fat — and bring the best version of yourself in every sip. What makes these ‘secret sauces’ more compelling is that they can help you lose weight while fast asleep. Basically, doing nothing. Read on.

It’s All About Energy 

You may not believe it, but it’s pretty simple actually. Your weight now is all about energy and how you manage it. 

When you take in food, what you eat is transformed into liquified nutrients that your body can use. In essence, food becomes energy. 

Now, you use this energy to work and do your daily business. This is your energy expenditure. When you lead an active life, your energy expenditure rises, but when you nail yourself to the couch all day, it diminishes. 

So, if your food intake exceeds your energy expenditure, you store body fat. Small wonder overeating and a sedentary lifestyle is a surefire formula for getting fat. Unfortunately, this has become a trend in first-world countries such as America and the United Kingdom.

Table 1: Obese and Overweight Population in the UK and the US.

The table above shows the number of overweight and obese people aged 15 and above in the US and the UK. This is based on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OCED) data and the population statistics we have sourced from Statista.

The problem is tipping the scale increases your risk of life-threatening diseases. In short, your life could be cut short dramatically if you don’t take hold of your body weight. 

Life-Threatening Diseases & How Thermogenesis Can Help

According to the US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), being overweight and obese are the leading causes of increased morbidity. Morbidity is the rate at which the population suffers from health conditions. 

Below are some health conditions associated with obesity and being overweight based on an evidence report published by the NHLBI.

Obesity and being overweight are also commonly associated with other health issues, such as complications during pregnancy, menstrual irregularities, and unwanted hair growth.

On the other hand, thermogenesis can be the ally you should seek in this hour of need. By definition, thermogenesis is the “dissipation of energy via the production of heat.” This occurs in the human body in specialized tissues that include skeletal muscles and brown adipose tissue.

Thermogenesis in pictures (with permission from Sciencedirect.com)

Adipose tissue is just another name for body fat. It’s the fatty tissue under your skin (subcutaneous fat). This fat is also found around your internal organs (visceral fat) and in the breast (tissue), among other areas in the body. 

By facilitating thermogenesis, thermogenic foods help you manage your weight better. Specifically, these foods generate heat that helps you manage your body's energy better. In effect, you dispose of extra energy and facilitate weight loss in the process. 

The good news is green tea can facilitate thermogenesis in the body. Thanks to its 3 secret sauces, the highly-unoxidized Camella Sinensis leaves can be your foremost ally in getting your desired ideal weight. 

3 Green Tea Thermogenesis Components

Thermogenesis comes from the ancient Greek words “thermos” and “genesis” which means heat and production, respectively. As such, it refers to generating body heat from digesting, absorbing, and metabolizing food. 

Increasing the thermogenesis in the human body helps it lose fat due to increased core temperature. This means the metabolism rate is also faster, and more calories are burned. The thermogenesis in green tea allows you to burn these calories and turn them into heat, which increases the body’s temperature. 

Thermogenesis in green tea helps in weight loss because it significantly increases the temperature level in the body. Increased levels of thermogenesis aid in losing more fat and burning more calories. This is due to green tea compounds like caffeine, ephedrine, and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).

So without further ado, let’s get it on. Below are the 3 major components that make thermogenesis happen in green tea. 

Secret Sauce1: Catechins

Cathechin Molecular Compounds

For secret sauce number 1, you have the ever-desired catechin. Catechin is a naturally occurring antioxidant in green tea that has been credited with many health benefits, including cancer prevention and weight loss. This type of flavonoid protects plants from environmental toxins and repairs their damaged parts. 

The color and taste of wines, teas, and chocolates are also because of the catechins. Catechin helps increase the thermogenesis in green and black tea, where they’re also found. 

Indeed, catechins provide a distinct way for you to lose weight. Just think about it. Drinking green tea and losing weight is no hassle at all. You can do it while talking to your besties and relaxing with Netflix on your smart TV.

Or you can put it a notch even higher in terms of having fun. Why not use green tea in your bubble tea? That means you can really have a great time sipping tea and at the same time slimming down — just watch your sugar.

In one double-blind study, the group that consumed a 500ml beverage containing 625mg of catechins daily lost more body weight than the placebo control group. Both groups were committed to moderate physical activities every week to test if catechins can improve exercise-induced abdominal fat loss.

Secret Sauce 2: Caffeine and Ephedrine 

Caffeine and Ephedrine Molecular Compounds

Caffeine is a naturally occurring stimulant found in the leaves and fruits of certain plants. When consumed as a stimulant, it can enhance muscle performance, energy expenditure, and thermogenesis. The key reason that caffeine is effective for losing weight is that it boosts metabolism and reduces appetite.

And green tea has tons of caffeine. The tea type has more caffeine compared to oolong, which also espouses thermogenic effects. 

Ephedrine is another stimulant often combined with caffeine to enhance its metabolic effects. In most studies, both caffeine and ephedrine are found to have indistinguishable effects when consumed separately. Together, combining both stimulants produced a significant increase in metabolism.

Secret Sauce 3: ECGC 

Aside from caffeine and ephedrine, a specific type of catechin called EGCG  (epigallocatechin gallate) is abundant in green tea and is often touted for its metabolic effects. EGCG is a potent, naturally occurring polyphenol known for its antioxidant properties. You can also find EGCG extract as a commonly sold dietary supplement.

When EGCG is consumed together with caffeine, a study found that it had a significant effect in reducing body fat and body weight, especially on participants without a high caffeine intake before the intervention.

Imagine all these 3 secret sauces working together to help you slim. These can definitely help sculpt a better body for you. 

Green Tea Studies on Weight Loss

Study 1: The 24-hour Energy Drink

In the study titled “Effect of a thermogenic beverage on 24-hour energy metabolism in humans”, 31 male and female subjects were given 3 servings of 250ml of a beverage with green tea catechins (GTC), caffeine, and calcium for 3 days.

After the study, it was discovered that simply drinking a beverage that contains GTC, caffeine, and calcium is enough to increase energy expenditure by 4.6% over 24 hours.

While the individual effects of the substances are indistinguishable and the increase was modest, the researchers said that the results indicated sufficient evidence supporting the prevention of weight gain. It was concluded that if the regular consumption of the beverage was paired with a healthy diet and regular exercise, it might be beneficial for weight control.

Study 2: Rate of Losing Fat

According to a 2012 Cochrane Systematic Review, their analysis of 14 randomized control trials showed that individuals who consumed green tea lost an average of 0.2 to 3.5 kg compared to those in a controlled group. 

Please note that these trials lasted for 12 weeks and used green tea preparations involving the extraction of catechins and caffeine of greater concentration than a regular cup of tea. However, the review proved that supplementing with green tea extract is still an effective way to lose weight.

Study 3: The Anti-fat Family of Teas

Based on another study titled “Thermogenic ingredients and body weight regulation,” the consumption of compounds such as caffeine, capsaicin, and a variety of teas like green, white, and oolong tea are said to increase energy expenditure by 4 - 5% and body fat burning rate by 10 - 16%.

As such, drinking a few cups of green tea or consuming thermogenic ingredients like green tea extracts to supplement your body before your exercise regimens is effective in helping it burn more calories and body fat.

The study also tells you that other tea types from the Camella Sinensis evergreen shrub can do wonders to help you lose weight.

FAQs About Green Tea

What’s the best time to drink green tea to lose weight?

The best time to drink green tea is every morning and before starting your workout sessions. Green tea is a great substitute for daily morning coffee as it contains caffeine, albeit in a lower concentration. It should still improve your mood and boost your energy level.

Ingesting a cup or two of green tea before working out is also effective in improving the rate at which body fats are burned during your exercise session. In particular, you want to drink a blend with high EGCG and caffeine levels. Using very hot water and increasing the steeping time should also help you extract more of these compounds.

Can green tea reduce belly fat?

Green tea reduces belly fat, body weight, and body mass index (BMI). A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted on studies done on individuals suffering from type 2 diabetes, which summed up their results and clarified the efficacy of green tea.

The meta-analysis revealed that there was a slight decrease in body fat, BMI, and body weight of the test subjects. With overweight patients, it was observed that lower doses of green tea extracts below 800 mg showed beneficial effects in long-term interventions of more than 8 weeks.

How many cups of green tea should I drink daily to lose weight?

It varies depending on the quality and brewing time of your drinking green tea. For the best effect, it’s better to measure the amount of catechin content in your cup of green tea instead.

The average 250 ml cup of green tea contains between 50 to 100 mg of catechin. Based on a study conducted on green tea catechins, between 300 - 500 mg of the compound showed desirable weight loss effects. If you usually take high levels of caffeine, you have to take a higher dosage to feel the desired effects.

This means you’ll need to drink at least 3 to 6 cups of green tea daily to obtain its weight loss effects.

Is it advisable to drink green tea daily to lose weight?

It’s good to drink green tea every day to lose weight. Not only is green tea associated with many different health benefits but it’s also effective in increasing thermogenesis and improving your metabolic rate to burn calories and body fat faster. 

Green tea with a good amount of catechins and caffeine is highly recommended. You also need to drink at least 3 to 6 cups of green tea to ensure you get its desired weight-loss effects.

But that shouldn’t be a problem with thermogenesis and a cuppa’s three secret sauces. What’s more, drinking the best green tea is definitely a pleasure.