Sencha Tea – The Best Green Tea Ever

For some time now, the alarm sounded: the number of people with excess weight increases from day to day. In Quebec, 33% of the population is overweight and 14% are obese. The approach to achieve weight loss is clear: reduce the number of calories consumed and increase energy expenditure. This is obviously moving in more than one increases its energy expenditure. But could there be other ways of increasing it? Green tea is the subject under scrutiny. Some studies have shown that it would help burn some extra calories.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate what?

The data available to date indicate that this would be the combination of caffeine and catechins in green tea that would increase energy expenditure. Of the various catechins is epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), which would be at stake. This is also the molecule that is being studied for its potential anticancer.


Burn calories without moving from your chair

Most studies that have examined the ability of green tea to increase energy expenditure showed positive effects. In the first study, extracts of green tea – containing EGCG and caffeine – administered in capsule form, increased fat oxidation and energy expenditure of 78 kcal in 24 hours. A subsequent study showed that the same dose caused an even greater impact on energy expenditure, an increase of 179 kcal in 24 hours. In other words, it means burning the equivalent of about one to three apples a day.



Bottled Green Tea: A good choice?

Bottled green tea offered by different companies is gaining increasing popularity. It may be refreshing, as the manufacturers claim. However, more often contain a significant amount of sugar, it is not necessarily a good source of EGCG. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has calculated that the bottled green tea contained about 20 times less EGCG as green tea brewed.


You lose weight?

If green tea increases energy expenditure, allows it to lose weight and does not resume? That’s what we really want to know! An observational study showed that people drinking green tea for over ten years have accumulated less body fat and a waist smaller. The effect is proportional to the number of years smoked. In clinical studies, the picture is less clear. Indeed, studies have observed that weight loss resulting from the consumption of green tea showed most significant methodological shortcomings. The more rigorous research on the technical side for their part have shown that green tea extracts are not swinging the needle of the scale.

With regard to the maintenance of weight lost following a low calorie diet, the results are mixed. Indeed, a study suggests that green tea extracts have no effect, while another study, they would give a boost, but only in people who do not consume caffeine in normal times. So be it weight loss or maintenance, it is premature to conclude anything.


Extracts of green tea, please!

It is important to emphasize that studies to date have been made from purified extracts of green tea in capsule set. It is therefore impossible for now to rule on the effect of green tea liquid. In addition, the concentration of EGCG varies considerably from one type of tea to another, it is more difficult to extrapolate.


Green tea helps to lose weight if …

If you replace the juice, soft drinks and other calorie beverages with green tea, which contains a negligible number of calories, it can certainly help you lose weight. However, as to whether the mere fact of drinking green tea makes a difference on the scale, it is too early to tell.