Lose Weight with These 5 Top Teas

A delicious, hot cup of tea is an excellent drink to warm you up, sooth your throat, and help you relax while you enjoy the company of a good book or your favorite TV show. However, some teas offer an extra benefit – they aid in weight loss.

The following teas all have some incredible properties that help you lose weight, from increasing your metabolism to suppressing your appetite.

Many of these teas also contribute to reducing your risk of certain health problems, such as diabetes and heart disease. Make sure you avoid bottled teas and only drink 3-4 cups of tea each day for the best results.

Here’s a list of some great teas that you can drink for weight loss.

5. THE METABOLISM BOOSTER

Green Tea

DRINK THIS: Lipton, Yogi

BECAUSE IT: Unlocks your fat cells

Before you head to the gym, drink a cup of tea to increase the fat-blasting effects of working out.

Recent studies showed that combining 4-5 cups of green tea with 25 minutes of workout each day resulted in the loss of more weight than seen in individuals who didn’t drink the tea.

Green tea contains catechins, which help blast fat by aiding in the release of your fat cells, especially in the stomach area. Then, tie catechins speed up the liver’s ability to use that fat for energy.

4. THE POUND-A-WEEK MELTER

Oolong Tea

DRINK THIS: Bigelow, Stash

BECAUSE IT: Boosts metabolism

The name, Oolong, means “black dragon” in Chinese, and this light, flora tea also contains catechins. The catechins boost the body’s ability to burn fat, helping you lose weight.

One study, which the Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine published, found that individuals who drank oolong tea regularly lost six pounds in just six weeks. That means this tea can help you melt away a pound each week.

3. THE CRAVINGS CRUSHER

Mint Tea

DRINK THIS: Tazo, Teavana

BECAUSE IT: Wards off the munchies

Pour a large cup of peppermint tea and then smell it to stay slim. Some scents make you hungry, but other scents can help suppress the appetite.

The Journal of Neurological and Orthopedic Medicine published a study showing that individuals who sniff peppermint every two hours ended up losing about five pounds each month.

While tea is relatively low in caffeine, you may want to go with a decaffeinated option if you want to sip on tea before you head to bed.

Another idea is to sprinkle several drops of peppermint oil on your pillow case before bed, or you can burn a candle with a mint smell to help you slim down.

2. THE FAT BLOCKER

White Tea

DRINK THIS: Twinings, The Republic of Tea, Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime

BECAUSE IT: Prevents new fat cells from forming

White tea is the least processed type of tea because it’s naturally dried, and in many cases, it’s dried in the sunlight. Because it’s the least processed, it also offers more antioxidants than other types of tea (as much as three times as many polyphenols as green tea!).

The Nutrition and Metabolism journal published a study showing that drinking white tea can help to block the formation of fat cells and help with the breakdown of fat. This makes this tea a potent drink if you are trying to lose weight.

1. THE HUNGER HALTER

Rooibos Tea

DRINK THIS: Celestial Seasonings, Harney & Sons

BECAUSE IT: Regulates fat-storage hormones

Rooibos tea comes from the “red bush” plant, which is only grown in a small South African region known as Cederberg. This tea is particularly good for fat loss because it includes aspalathin, a powerful flavonoid.

Studies show that Aspalathin can help to reduce the production of stress hormones in the body that trigger fat storage and hunger. The stress hormones are also linked to insulin resistance, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic syndrome.

In this case, putting on a kettle of tea can be as effective for weight loss as doing a kettlebell workout.