3 Types of Tea for Weight Loss and How to Drink Them

When you’re on a diet, a cup of tea may help. Maybe you’ve heard that the best tea for weight loss is green tea. But there are also other types that can melt down the unwanted pounds.

Are you trying hard to burn some calories? You already know the recipe: eating healthy and doing lots of exercises. Still, sometimes, losing weight can be overwhelming. Because your mood influences your weight loss plan and lifestyle.

For example, if you are in a bad mood, you may crave cookies, chocolate or ice cream. Or something worse: fast food. Say no to temptations – you can choose to drink tea to control those nasty cravings. Furthermore, some teas help you burn fat by speeding your metabolism.

Tea for weight loss: drink and be thinner

1. Green tea

In a 12-week study, participants who drank 4-5 cups of green tea each day and had a 25-minute sweat session lost an average of 2 more pounds than the non-tea-drinking exercisers, Eatthis.com wrote.

Green tea is the healthiest beverage on the planet, according to specialists. So it’s one of the most used types of tea for weight loss. It’s full of antioxidants and various substances that are good for your health. Green tea contains catechins, an antioxidant associated with a variety of health benefits, including weight loss. Green tea helps your metabolism and promotes weight loss. How? By increasing the energy that your body uses to burn excess fat, especially from your abdominal area. Be careful though, green tea contains caffeine, so you shouldn’t drink it in the evening!

How to make it:

Green tea can be bitter if you don’t prepare it properly. You can use tea bags or dried leaves of green tea. Put one teaspoon of green tea leaves in a cup. Heat one cup of water to 160 degrees F (70 degrees Celsius) – 176 degrees F (80 degrees C). Pour the water over the green tea and infuse it for 2-3 minutes. However, read the labels because the water temperature and infusing time depend on the type of the tea. Strain the tea and drink it as quickly as you can.

2. Rooibos tea

Rooibos tea doesn’t contain caffeine so you can drink it anytime. Rooibos is one of those types of tea for weight loss because it has a powerful flavonoid called aspalathin. This compound has many beneficial properties that help you, including in losing weight. Aspalathin also helps to reduce excessive fat production, balances blood sugar, and improves glucose tolerance. Some studies showed that aspalathin may reduce stress hormones that trigger hunger and fat storage.

How to make it:

To drink rooibos tea, put one teaspoon of leaves in a cup of boiled water. Infuse the plant for 3-5 minutes. Rooibos tea will not become bitter if you’ll keep it more in the water. The more it sits in the water, the stronger the flavor gets and the color deepens. If you want, you can add milk and honey to taste.

3. Mint tea

Peppermint or mint may speed up digestion, helps control cravings, and increases immunity. Tea for weight loss doesn’t necessarily mean tea that melts the extra pounds. For example, mint tea suppresses your appetite. One study published in the Journal of Neurological and Orthopaedic Medicine found that people who sniffed peppermint every two hours lost an average of 5 pounds a month.

How to make it:

You can make mint tea using fresh or dried leaves. Tear 5-10 fresh mint leaves, and put them in a cup. Pour boiling water over them. Gently bruise the mint leaves with a teaspoon to release the oils. Infuse for 5 to 10 minutes. Then, strain the hot drink.

If you have dried mint leaves, use one teaspoon for one cup of boiling water. Infuse them for 2-3 minutes or until you reach your desired flavor. Strain the tea and, if you want, serve it with honey.

You could also drink a blend of peppermint tea and green tea first thing in the morning in order to increase your metabolism. In the evening, have a cup of rooibos, because it’s caffeine free.

There are many other health benefits to drinking tea and especially green tea. Find out all about them.