Green Tea may Promote Weight Loss
Green Tea
A new animal study by researchers at Ohio State University led by Richard Bruno and published May 2019 in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry showed that green tea promotes weight loss in mice. The green tea also has other positive health benefits like the production of more beneficial gut bacteria in the intestines of the mice, less “leaky gut” and this leads to a significantly lower risk of obesity. Previous research had linked negative changes in the gut with obesity.
Green Tea Plays a Major Part in Asian Diets
Green tea has been extensively used for thousands of years in Asian diets. Green tea has catechins, which are anti-inflammatory polyphenols and has been associated with a lower risk for heart disease, liver disease and cancer.
Method of the Study
The study evaluated effects of green tea polyphenols (GTP) and tocotrienols (TT) on two groups of mice. One group was fed a high fat diet supplemented with green tea extracts while the other group was fed a normal diet supplemented with green tea extracts. The mice were fed the green tea throughout the day with food. The amount of green tea in their diet was equivalent to about 10 cups of green tea throughout the day for a human. The mice were followed for 14 weeks.
More Research is Needed
More research is needed in the hope that there will be evidence to show that drinking green tea throughout the day together with food will lower the risks for gaining weight and obesity.
The Obesity Epidemic in the United States
Two-thirds of American adults are estimated to be overweight or obese. According to the Centers for Disease control and Prevention (CDC), the definition of obesity is a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. More than 42% of middle-aged adults aged 40-59 are obese. Obesity affects 41% of seniors over the age of 60.
Obesity Raises Risks for Chronic and Disabling Diseases
- High blood pressure which raises the risk for strokes and heart attacks.
- Coronary heart disease, the number one leading cause of death in the United States.
- Certain kinds of cancers. Cancer is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States.
- Stroke is the 5th leading cause of death in the United States.
- Type 2 Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States.
What Causes Obesity
- Hormone imbalances especially with the thyroid gland.
- Genetic factors
- Bad lifestyle choices such as:
- Snacking and filling up on junk foods especially between meals
- A sedentary lifestyle without enough physical exercise
- Binge eating
- Eating even though one is not hungry
- Eating from boredom,
- Eating from being nervous, sad or angry
Preventing Obesity
- The CDC has a Healthy Weight Website that offers lots of tips
- Counseling with a dietitian or a psychologist
- Join a weight-watching group
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Conclusion
Since being overweight or obese are linked to several dangerous diseases, you should do all that you can to make positive changes to your lifestyle and you might also consider drinking green tea together with your food.