How effective is green tea for weight loss?
First, what differs green tea from other types of tea like oolong or black? Tea leaves come from the same Camellia sinensis plant, and they are green at harvest. If exposed to air for long, leaves darken and become “black” tea. If not, they remain green. Oolong tea is in between green and black tea. Few studies examined the effect of tea on metabolism, fat oxidation and weight loss. Physiologist William Rumpler studied the influence of oolong tea on energy expenditure. Four beverages were tested: full-strength tea, half-strength tea, water with caffeine, and water. Twelve men drank the beverages five times a day for three days. When the volunteers drank full-strength tea or water with caffeine, their metabolism was 2.9-3.4% higher than when they drank water, and they burnt on average 67 additional calories per day. The study was rather short and limited, but it suggested that oolong tea helped to burn calories. However, burning 67 aditional calories a day cannot cause substantial weigh
