Green Tea Extract and Weight Loss

According to Chinese legend, tea was discovered on accident by an emperor over 4000 year ago. Since then, tea has been used in many aspects of traditional Chinese medicine. It has often been recommended for headaches, body aches, depression, immunity enhancement, energy, detoxification and more. It has recently gained popularity as a weight loss aid.

All teas come from the same plant, with the difference between them (black, green and oolong) being in how they leaves are prepared. Green tea, unlike black and oolong tea, is not fermented, so the active ingredients remain unaltered in the herb.

Green tea extract helps with thermogenesis (the physical process of heat production in the body) and aids in the metabolism of fat, however, the extent to which this effect helps with weight loss is still unknown.

You can get the benefits of green tea by drinking it as you would regular tea. The extract from green tea is also commonly sold as an over the counter supplement, which gives you the polyphenols without having to drink the tea. Be sure to choose extracts that have a "standardized polyphenol content". As with all over the counter supplements, be sure to consult your doctor before taking them. Those taking aspirin or blood thinning medications should consult their doctor before taking green tea extracts, because it may interfere with blood clotting.

Drinking green tea or taking extracts that contain caffeine can cause side effects such as restlessness, irritability, sleeplessness, palpitation, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite and headache. Side effects are often found with consuming over 300 milligrams of caffeine per day.

Other possible side effects may be brought about by the chlorogenic acid and tannin content such as hyperacidity, gastric irritation, reduction in appetite or diarrhea. The side effects are usually found in those with sensitive stomachs and can usually be avoided by adding milk to the tea.

Below are links to more information on green tea extract:

Green Tea from Japanese Green Tea Online
Weight Loss Supplement Product Reviews - Including Green Tea

More studies are still needed to determine if green tea extracts are beneficial for weight loss, however no serious health hazards are known for the use of therapeutic doses.