We've all been there: looking in the mirror in distress. Our modern world has truly perfected the art of eating good food, and with services like UberEats, you can have Pad Thai or a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts at your door in a matter of minutes.
In my last Wellness and Tea post, we discussed the overall health benefits of tea, including cancer-fighting EGCG cells and the powerful alertness of L-theanine. This time around, we're going to discuss how you can specifically use tea to help you lose weight and feel like your best, healthy self!
In order to work on your metabolism and curb your appetite, look no further than oolong tea.
Oolong tea is the middle ground between green and black tea. All tea comes from the camellia sinensis -- the leaves are plucked and oxygenated (or exposed to oxygen) to become tea. Black tea is highly oxygenated, resulting in its darker color, earthier flavor, and higher caffeine content. Green tea has a lower oxygenation level, explaining its lighter color and profile. Oolong falls in the middle of these two teas in terms of oxygenation -- some oolong teas are highly oxidized, resembling a black tea, and others are lighter, more like green tea. No matter what type of oolong you're drinking, you'll know it's oolong for its trademark smoothness.
Oolong also has powerful properties -- studies show that one cup of oolong tea can help boost your metabolism by 20% for up to two hours, helping your body metabolize food more efficiently. Furthermore, oolong teas have been found to block enzymes that help your body store fat, allowing fat to pass through your body unabsorbed. In fact, studies have found that drinking a cup of oolong tea with your meal will decrease fat absorption by up to 50%.
Even drinking oolong in the afternoon can help you -- oolong is a natural appetite suppressant, and will help you stay full between meals. Also, oolong is very hydrating, which is always a plus for your body!
iN-TEA carries 15 different types of oolong, including everything from a traditional Taiwanese Wen Shan Bao Zhong to a yummy Caramel Toffee!
Looking for another metabolism booster? Look no further than matcha. Matcha may be "trendy" in America now, but the Japanese have been drinking matcha and enjoying its health benefits for hundreds of years.
Matcha is not tea in the way that other teas are; it does come from the camellia sinensis. However, matcha is the entire plant ground into a powder, instead of just the leaves; that's why it has a much higher nutritional value than the nutritious tea. To be prepared, matcha has to be mixed into hot water, milk, or lemonade -- the Japanese do it with a bamboo whisk, to make sure that the matcha is completely dissolved.
Matcha is a nutritional powerhouse for multiple reasons -- it's dense in an antioxidant called a catechin, which is known to to both increase the amount of energy expended by the body (read: burn more calories!), and also helps limit fat absorption. Furthermore, matcha is very high in caffeine, so it works double-time in both providing energy and helping you expend it.
Finally, we come to the magical, work-out enhancing powers of green tea: The EGCG contained in green tea is known to give energy boosts that can help you perform more efficiently during your workouts. Additionally, green tea can also help you burn more fat during a cardio-based work out.
Moroccan Mint is a favorite green tea here at iN-TEA, and so is our Peaches 'n Cream!
Of course, all weight loss needs to be executed mindfully -- a diet of moderation and exercise is better than an extreme cleanse or fad diet. iN-TEA has organic, whole-leaf teas in tons of different flavors to help you lose weight in a healthy, natural way.
Here's to health and wellness, and tea of course!