Green Tea – How & Why it is Beneficial for the Omad Diet

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Many people on the Omad Diet drink allowable fluids such as water and coffee…

But, the benefits of drinking tea while eating one meal a day can often be overlooked.

Especially Green Tea which is considered one of the healthiest drinks in the world.

What makes green tea so great?

In short, Green Tea has a lot of benefits it can add to your Omad Diet with almost non-existent risk.

Let’s take a look studies, benefits, faq’s, and why you should incorporate this healthy drink in your Omad Diet today.

 

Studies Confirming Green Tea’s Weight-Loss Benefits

When deciding on drinking green tea with your Omad Diet, it is important to know the science behind it. This fact is true of any diet that you want to follow.

Many doctors and researchers have taken the time to investigate the many benefits of green tea and to test whether or not it is truly beneficial.

While not every finding has been positive, a majority of them have showcased the diverse benefits it has.

Let’s take a look at two different studies to get a feel for how green tea can be beneficial when eating one meal a day.

Each of these studies was peer-reviewed to ensure that it met the standards of proper scientific research.

Both were very positive regarding the benefits green tea offers people who are trying to lose weight.

International Journal of Obesity

In a 2009 edition of this scientific magazine, a study entitled “The Effects of Green Tea on Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance” was published.

This article was a meta-analysis of various studies and publications regarding green tea and weight loss.

What they found was very illuminating. Their research noted that the ingredients in green tea significantly decreased body weight.

Even better, they helped to maintain a healthy body weight after the initial weight loss. These scientists studied various ethnic groups and the ways that their weight loss results differed.

It was found that the differences between those who lost the least amount of weight drinking green tea (Caucasians) and those who lost the most weight (Asians) were statistically insignificant.

This finding is significant because it showcases the fact that anybody can benefit from it.

That said, this study did not find that increased caffeine intake helped to fuel weight loss.

However, other studies have found that safe and healthy caffeine, such as that offered by green tea, could help a person lose weight.

I will discuss the possible benefits caffeine has on weight loss later, however, but keep in mind that the evidence for this ingredient is less specific than it is for other green tea nutrients.

Obesity: A Research Journal

In a recent edition of this medical journal, a study discussing the benefits of green tea weight loss for losing body fat was published.

This article, entitled “A Green Tea Extract High in Catechins Reduces Body Fat and Cardiovascular Risks in Humans” looked at research around these nutrients and how they helped you burn body fat.

It also focused heavily on whether or not green tea could help reduce your risk for serious heart problems.

The title of the article gives away the conclusion of the study, as it was very positive about green tea.

It stated that green tea had a positive impact on a person’s body fat.

In fact, the results of the paper indicated that a person could lose body fat just by drinking green tea.

No other dietary or exercise changes were necessary for seeing at least some benefits. Naturally, an improved diet and workout regiment would increase the effectiveness of weight loss.

Even better, it was found that a diet high in green tea could decrease your risk of significant cardiovascular problems and improve your heart health.

That said, the impact of green tea wasn’t as high as medical treatments for this issue. However, they were substantial enough to make it worth investing in as a supplement for these methods.

The Takeaway

As you can see, several studies showcase the major benefits that green tea offers those trying to lose weight.

While not every study I found was as conclusive as these two, most showcased that green tea weight loss offers benefits for those trying to lose weight.

Now, it’s time to understand the ingredients in green tea that offer these benefits. In this way, you can know what kind of green tea to look for when shopping for it.

Green Tea Ingredients 

Several ingredients make up green tea.

However, two main ingredient categories have been shown to be useful for losing weight. These include caffeine and catechins.

 

How Caffeine Helps You Lose Weight

I already mentioned that some studies found no weight-loss benefits for caffeine, others have shown that it is useful for burning fat and losing weight. That’s because the caffeine in green tea is less concentrated than in soda and coffee.

In fact, you usually get about 50-60 milligrams per eight-ounce cup of tea.

This level is far below the nearly 200 milligrams you get in the average cup of coffee.

As a result, you are less likely to experience the kind of caffeine overexposure that is problematic when drinking coffee.

For example, excessive caffeine consumption will cause a variety of side effects, such as confusion, agitation, and even headaches. The low level of caffeine in green tea helps avoid these side effects.

Even better, it helps to increase the speed of your metabolism.

A boosted metabolism can help you burn extra calories by improving your digestion speed and letting you absorb a higher concentration of nutrients in your stomach and your upper and lower intestines.

Caffeine can also help increase your energy level for workouts.

 

The Nature of Catechins

Green tea is filled with nutrients known as catechins. These nutrients helped to promote a broad variety benefits in the body.

The most important of these nutrients for weight loss are EGCG. This catechin helps to burn extra fat in your body by targeting it specifically before it metabolizes it.

While your body can metabolize fat on its own during its daily operation, EGCG not only improves this speed but specifically targets fat in the body.

No other food source is as high in EGCG as green tea.

In fact, various studies have tested the effectiveness of EGCG for fat burning and weight loss.

One study found that green tea catechins were not only useful for improving your metabolism but the main contributor to weight loss effectiveness. In fact, it was found that both drinking green tea and taking supplements was an efficient way to ingest EGCG.

However, drinking green tea is more effective because it is more efficient and natural. The concentrated form of EGCG in supplements will take longer to digest and is more difficult to metabolize out of your body.

The less concentrated burst of EGCG offered by drinking green tea helps get it into your system more quickly.

It will also let you spread your intake of these catechins throughout the day and maximize their benefits more efficiently.

 

When should I drink Green Tea with my Omad Diet?

Drinking Green Tea is beneficial either inside or outside of your eating window.  This means you can drink it at any time.

However, it is very important to check for sugars, sweeteners, or other additives if you are drinking it outside your eating window.

I personally love to have some Green Tea in the early morning.

If you are anything like nearly 75 percent of the American population, you drink a cup of coffee the moment you wake up.

This cup of coffee helps to provide your body with a burst of caffeine energy. The same benefit will occur if you drink a cup of tea when you wake up.

That’s because studies have shown that ingesting green tea before eating helps to make the catechins more available to your body than if you drank it with food.

A cup of about 50-60 milligrams of tea should be more than enough for most people.

You can typically get this level of caffeine in an eight-ounce cup of tea. While it might not get you going as quickly as coffee, the caffeine crash will be eliminated.

 

How do I prepare Green Tea?

Preparing Green Tea 

There are several different ways that you can prepare the green tea.

For example, you can brew a cup of tea on the stove by boiling water on the stove in a teapot.

Once your water starts boiling, you can place a bag or two in the bottom of a teacup. Then, you can pour the hot water onto the bag to boil the tea.

For those who are just getting into tea, bags are the best bet here.

Loose leaf tea is possible but often harder for some people to manage.

However, you may be able to get more benefits out of your drink if you brew it in a loose-leaf manner. The advantages and disadvantages of loose leaf tea will be discussed in more depth later on in this article.

Other Techniques to Consider

There are several other ways that you can prepare your Green Tea.

Just a few of these methods include:

• Microwaving your water with the tea bag in the water
• Brewing hot tea in a tea machine
• Making sun tea by placing it in the sun during the summer
• Buying a bottle of tea (Be sure to check for additives if for using within eating window)

There are several advantages and disadvantages to each of these approaches.

For example, microwaving is probably the fastest and most effective method.

While some purists may laugh at you for this process, studies show it may be among the most efficient. I will discuss this point in more depth in the FAQ section below.

Brewing tea in a machine is a useful method because you can then place it in a refrigerator and create an iced tea.

This process is helpful if you want iced drinks for hot summer days.

It is also a good step for those who just don’t like warm tea. Even better, it lets you store your tea for even longer than the usual one-day time limit that comes with brewing hot tea.

Sun tea is great because it is energy-efficient to prepare and very tasty.

If you are drinking your tea inside your eating window, you can also infuse your tea with lemon, honey, and other ingredients to make it even better.

The only downside to this approach is that it can take a day or so to finish.

You also can’t do it in the winter, or your tea will freeze. However, it will make a significant amount of tea that should last for a few weeks.

Last, and least, is buying a bottle of tea. If you are in a hurry and don’t have time to prepare your green tea for the day, a bottle is a reasonable substitute.

However, you want to avoid drinking bottled tea too often. Be sure to always read the label and see if it has any sweetener or sugar.  If it does, be sure to drink it within your eating window.

Try Different Approaches

If you like both hot and cold tea, a good approach here is to brew iced tea and to keep it in the refrigerator.

You can then brew a hot cup of tea in the morning when you need a boost of caffeine and catechins.

Pour your iced tea into a thermos to take it with you to work. You can then sip on it throughout the day or drink it when needed.

A Tea brewing machine is also an option. These tools come in a large container that will store your tea in the refrigerator.

I highly recommend the Tea Brewing Machine below:

 

Why I like it:

• The pitcher can be used at any large gathering where everyone wants tea
• You can turn it on and brew in seconds
• You can teach anyone in the family how to use it

 

It may take 3-5 bags per load to get the tea potency that you need. However, it is still an efficient and cost-effective way of getting the caffeine and catechins.

 

Understanding the Benefits of Green Tea 

Before you start drinking Green Tea with your one meal a day diet, it is important to understand the benefits that this drink has.

That’s because green tea is probably the healthiest drink in the world.

Green tea has many antioxidants that make it useful for boosting your health and providing you with more weight loss benefits.

For example, it has caffeine, catechins, and other bioactive substances.

What is Norepinephrine?

Norepinephrine is a hormone that activates the nervous system and sends signals to your fat cells.

The signal it sends is a pretty big deal because it starts the fat destruction process.

The breakdown of fat helps to increase your metabolism, boost your energy levels, and burn fat off of your body quickly and efficiently. The ingestion of EGCG helps to increase your norepinephrine levels.

As your body breaks down fat, it ends up flowing into your bloodstream and provides your body with more energy.

This energy is crucial because it can help repair your body cells from severe damage. As a result, you can avoid serious aging problems and look younger for years. Even better, you can burn more fat through your exercise.

Why Even a Small Metabolic Increase is Beneficial

Studies have shown that drinking green tea helps to increase your metabolism by up to three or four percent.

However, some people have had an increase as high as eight percent.

Even at a lower level, you can be burning an extra 80 calories per day simply by drinking green tea. That is equivalent to 15-30 minutes of mild to moderate exercise.

As your metabolic level increases, you will have more energy for exercise.

As a result, you can workout more efficiently and burn even more calories.

All of this extra power can come from just drinking just 3-5 cups of green tea every day.

 

Green Tea Can may help reduce body fat

As mentioned above, green tea may help you burn belly fat and get into better shape.

That’s because the catechins in these drinks help to improve your metabolism and the fat oxidation that occurs during rest.

As a result, drinking a cup of tea will trim some fat off of your belly and help you get into better shape without a lot of exercises. Even better, it will improve your fat burn during exercise.

That said, the exact amount of weight you will lose is inconsistent among the various studies.

Some have found that you can lose about one percent of your belly body fat just by drinking tea.

Other studies have showcased a loss as high as three to five percent.

Choosing Your Green Tea

There are several brands that you should consider for your green tea.

These include the various tea brands listed below:

Vahdam Organic Himalayan Green Tea

 

Lipton Pure Green Tea

 

Yogi Organic Simply Green Tea

No products found.

 

If your prefer Tea Leaves, then Vahdam makes an excellent choice.

That’s because it offers the highest level of antioxidants of all the teas.

It also has a powerful natural detox for your body.

Even better, it is minimally processed and is typically healthier and more natural than other types of tea.

However, if you prefer bags, then Yogi or Lipton make excellent choices as well.

Lipton and Yogi are excellent because they are inexpensive and very easy to find.

A Look at Green Tea Types

One of the most popular green tea varieties is Jasmine Green Tea.

It uses a variety of high-quality tea leafs that have been scented with Jasmine flowers. This fresh smell helps to make your tea tastier and more enjoyable to drink. Even better, it can boost the ability of your weight loss by boosting metabolism.

Another favorite type is Moroccan Mint Green Tea.

Many people use this kind because they love the taste of the mint.  That said, adequately prepared Moroccan is among the tastiest and smoothest green teas on the market. Even better, its mint flavor and smell can help suppress your appetite.

Genmaicha Green Tea mixes a famous Japanese green tea with brown rice.

This mixture helps to create a slightly sweet taste that is easier for many people to handle. However, its benefits for weight loss are about the same as other types of green tea. As a result, this is quickly becoming one of the most popular kinds of tea.

Last on my list is Sencha.

This tea type is probably the most popular in all of Japan.

However, it has an unusually astringent and bitter taste. That said, it remains popular because its potent flavor is matched by its high concentration of caffeine and catechins.

Make sure to work your way up to this kind of tea before diving right into using it.

Understanding the Potential Side Effects of Green Tea 

While I believe that green tea is great, there are several side effects of it that you need to understand before you start drinking it while eating one meal a day.

While specialists say that it is likely safe when consumed in small amounts, some drawbacks can occur if you binge on green tea or aren’t careful with your consumption amount.

For example, those who drink more than 3-5 cups every day may end up suffering from upset stomachs and severe constipation.

These side effects are more common when people drink bottled green tea than when they drink brewed tea.

That’s because many brands use additives that suppress your bowel movements.

Always stick to healthy and natural green tea to avoid this danger.

In some cases, green tea can cause liver problems, including total failure.

These dangers are very rare and only occur if a person heavily overdoses on green tea. They’d have to drink more than a liter or two every day to suffer from this kind of problem.

The same is true of the more problematic situations that are discussed in the next paragraph.

These include headaches, nervousness, sleep problems, irritation, heart murmurs, tremors, dizziness, confusion, vomiting, diarrhea, and even a ringing in the ears.

Those kinds of effects typically occur when you drink over 300 milligrams or so of green tea in a single day.

If you do, quit and visit your doctor right away.

You should also take iron supplements if drinking a lot of green tea.

That’s because green tea may decrease your iron absorbency. In very severe instances, green tea intake can be fatal.

However, fatalities will only occur if you top 10-14 grams of green tea in a single day. To ingest that amount, you would have to drink several kilograms of green tea in a 24-hour period.

Thankfully, this situation is nearly impossible to experience.

Getting Used to Drinking Green Tea

One of the hardest parts of getting into green tea is adapting to the unique taste of it.

Most people should be able to get used to the unique flavor of green tea with a minimum amount of fuss.

However, others may need to work a little harder to get used to green tea. If you are one of these people, it is important to take your time and adjust to tea ingestion carefully.

The following guide will include several steps that make it easier to acclimate to it.

Caffeine Replacement Steps

If you are used to a high level of caffeine, you are going to need to adjust your caffeine intake carefully.

This process has several steps that ensure it goes more smoothly.

These steps include the following concepts:

• Replace one cup of coffee or soda with tea
• Drink this level of tea for about a week
• Add a new cup of tea and eliminate a cup of soda or coffee
• Repeat these steps until your only caffeine intake is through cups of tea

At first, you may find yourself suffering from headaches due to a lower level of caffeine.

Don’t hesitate to drink an extra cup of tea to decrease this problem. Try to avoid drinking coffee or other caffeine beverages.

While it’s not too problematic for your diet success, it may cause you to fall off the wagon and start drinking less healthy caffeinated drinks.

Green Tea Recipes to Try

You can use one of the recipes below to make a more diverse array of tea drinks.

Iced Lavender Green Tea

Adding a few dried lavender blooms to your tea adds a potent flavor that makes it easier to stomach.

However, it is also a beneficial way to fight against hair loss. Adding a few blossoms or springs of this flower in a hot cup of tea should be more than enough to give you these benefits. Make sure that the lavender is fully dried before adding it to your tea.

Green Tea Kiwi Smoothie (Drink within eating window)

Kiwi is a delicious fruit that provides many health benefits for your tea. It helps make it easier to digest food and metabolize your drink in your stomach.

Try to mix in a few slices of kiwi, some fat-free vanilla yogurt, and a few frozen mangoes. Some individuals may also want to add dried spinach to improve the flavor and the fiber content of their tea.

Cranberry Spritzer (Drink within eating window)

Adding cranberries to your tea is a great choice for a party situation. That’s because it can make it easier for your guests to enjoy your tea.

Even better, it can help provide you with the extra taste benefit you need to ingest more delicious green tea. A half-cup of cranberry juice mixed with four green tea bags should provide you with the benefits that you need.

Almond and Blueberry Smoothie (Drink within eating window)

Almond and blueberries go together very well in just about any type of recipe. They are particularly beneficial to add to green tea. That’s because they can help manage your skin tone, improve your metabolism, and boost the effectiveness of your weight loss routine.

It is also incredibly delicious and easy to make. Simply add a handful of almonds and a few drops of blueberry juice to improve its taste and make it smoother for a queasy stomach.

Lemongrass Tea

Lemongrass is a good nutrient that adds a nice subtle flavor that goes perfectly with ginger. Mixing these two nutrients in your tea adds extra antioxidants to your diet. Add a pinch of fresh lemongrass and a few drops of fresh ginger to the cup to improve its taste.

Some people will add sugar to this drink, but be sure to avoid this step outside your eating window.

Rose Petal Tea

Rose petals are a surprisingly aromatic tea flavoring that helps burn extra calories. That’s because these blooms are high in fiber and will naturally improve the speed of your metabolism.

It is particularly great in iced tea during the heat of the summer. If you are drinking within your eating window, try adding a little orange and just a dab of crumbled up rose and hibiscus petals in the bottom of the cup. Mix them fully to improve the taste.

Minty Green Tea

Last, but not least, is this refreshing green tea recipe.

Mint helps to control your hunger pants and help you avoid overeating.

It also helps to improve the health of your skin and your hair. Add a few mint leaves to your cup to help speed your digestion and boost the fat-burning abilities of green tea.

If drinking within your eating window, try adding a drop of honey to improve the taste and antioxidant levels of this tea.

Creating a Diverse Variety of Green Teas

Make sure to choose several delicious variations on green tea to ensure you aren’t getting bored with it.

 

FAQ About Green Tea 

While I covered most of the vital information about green tea, there are still a few stray questions that may be lingering in the mind of many readers.

Q: Will boiling water ruin the catechins in tea?

Unfortunately, preparing green tea can slightly damage the catechins that help you lose weight.

The damage level will increase the longer that you let your tea boil. That’s a big reason why many people have turned to microwaving green tea instead of cooking it on a stove.

Microwaving decreases your boiling time and minimizes catechin damage. Try to limit your boiling time to no more than one minute to avoid severe catechin damage.

Q: Can I use green tea for detoxification?

People who are interested in detoxification may turn to green tea. That’s because it has a variety of antioxidants that help to make it easier for your body to eliminate toxins.

While green tea won’t cause the kind of massive detoxification other methods do, it can help increase the efficiency of the natural process and make it easier to destroy harmful and dangerous toxins in the body.

As a result, this may help to improve your ability to lose weight.

Q: Is green tea acidic?

Caffeinated drinks, such as colas, are often highly acidic and can upset a person’s stomach. This acidity is even worse with coffee, which is usually about five on a PH level.

Tea is the least acidic of all caffeinated drinks.

Its PH level is seven, meaning it is more alkaline than it is acidic.

As a result, it is usually a little more comfortable on the stomach than these drinks.

However, it can be upsetting if you drink highly acidic foods at the same time.

Q: Is green tea always green?

If you buy tea that isn’t green, there may be a problem.

Green tea that has lost its color has been more highly processed. During this process, the leaves end up getting more oxygen in the leafs. This process is known as oxidization. As a result, they aren’t as green as they would be otherwise.

When you run into this problem, you should throw away the leafs and buy new ones. Oxidization eliminates many of the antioxidants and makes them less healthy than they would be otherwise.

Q: Are loose leaf teas healthier?

Loose leaf teas aren’t necessarily healthier or better for you than bagged tea.

However, free leaf teas may be greener than other types.

This fact can result in more antioxidants in your drink. For some people, loose leaf tea types are more laborious to brew.

There may be some leaf remnants left in the drink that may annoy some drinkers. However, it is usually pretty easy to filter out these leafs if you take the time to remove them.

Q: What other benefits does lemon offer with green tea?

Lemon is one of the best additives that you can add to your green tea.

For example, it can help you acclimate to green tea if you are new to drinking it.

Lemon juice will add a little flavor to the tea without adding excessive sugar or calories.

Even better, a study at Purdue University has found that mixing tea with lemon can increase how well your body absorbs the catechins. This fact is also true if you combine it with vitamin C supplements or add an orange peel to the drink.

Q: What other additives are useful for green tea?

There are many other items that you can add to green tea drinks to make them healthier.

For example, ginseng helps to improve your resistance to dangerous diseases. It can also help to reduce your stress or improve your virility.

However, you can also add raw or unprocessed honey (be sure to only add inside your eating window)  to strengthen the antioxidant levels of your beverage.

Try to avoid adding milk to your tea (adding milk would only be allowed inside your eating window), as this ruins the benefits of drinking green tea and even profoundly affects the taste.

Q: Is seeping necessary?

Seeping helps to infuse your water with the maximum amount of green tea nutrients.

It should take no more than 10-15 minutes to seep your tea successfully. After you soak your tea for this period, you need to drink it on the same day to experience the maximum amount of health benefits.

However, you can also store iced tea in the fridge to keep it from deteriorating after seeping. A container of seeped iced tea should be in good shape for about a week or so in the refrigerator.

Q: Can you eat green tea leaves for the same benefits?

Eating green teas is not recommended.

While you can chew tea leaves and get some of the weight-loss benefits, you may also suffer from contamination by pesticides or other chemicals.

That said, this risk is usually pretty minimal when eating tea leafs. However, processing green tea leaves and boiling them to drink eliminates this danger.

Q: Can green tea replace my water intake?

Some people who get into a green tea go overboard and try to replace their water intake with green tea.

While this is a logical step, it is a bad idea.

That’s because the risk of side effects associated with tea ingestion increases as you increase your green tea intake.

People who drink more than three or four cups per day are likely to suffer from shakiness, anxiety, confusion, and other problems. It may also cause an increased risk of liver damage.

Have more questions about green tea while eating one meal a day? Be sure to visit our community forums.

 

Resources
Body Building: Green Tea Fat-Burning Phenomenon: The Secret Behind It All!
Healthy Women: How to Drink Green Tea for Weight Loss
Positive Health and Wellness: Best Green Tea for Weight Loss
Nutrition Express: Expert Advice on Green Tea to Boost Weight Loss
Advances in Nutrition: The Effect of Green Tea Extract on Fat Oxidation at Rest and during Exercise: Evidence of Efficacy and Proposed Mechanisms
WebMD: Green Tea: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions, Etc.
Cure Joy: 20 Green Tea Side Effects And Who Must Avoid It