Green tea is suggested to have many health benefits including fat breakdown which is a key strategy during a weight loss regimen. Green tea and one of the active polyphenols, EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate) has been shown to promote fat oxidation or fat breakdown.
The goal of this study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition was to determine if fat loss would increase with green tea and exercise.
Combining exercise with green tea could be a way to give a boost to burning fat.
We often think of drinking green tea, however, another way is to take it in a dietary supplement.
Standardized green tea is an ideal choice compared to simple green tea powder in a dietary supplement because the amount of polyphenols is known.
Here are the study details:
– 12 healthy men performed a 30 minute cycling exercise at 60% of their maximal oxygen consumption (i.e. VO2) before and after supplementation.
– The Green tea extract capsule was 340 mg of polyphenols and 136 mg of EGCG.
– The amount of green tea would be about ~3.5 cups of green tea.
Here are the results:
– Fat oxidation or fat breakdown with green tea increased by 17% compared with green tea extract compared to the placebo group.
– Energy expenditure shifted from carbohydrates to fat.
– The Green Tea extract did not contain caffeine which led the researchers to conclude the polyphenols in green tea were important for promoting fat oxidation.
Takeaway message:
This was the first study to report that green tea increases fat breakdown with exercise. The amount of green tea would be about the same as 3.5 cups per day. It is important to point out that cups of green tea are much smaller than most people think. A cup of green tea is 4-6 ounces (i.e. 120 to 180 milliliters). If you are looking for a boost to your exercise routine make sure to try some green tea to your workout.
Reference:
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2008; Volume 87 (Issue 3): pages 778-84.
His research on plant medicine has led to more than 45 publications and abstracts.This research has been presented at international meetings in the USA, France, Turkey, Peru, Israel, Austria, and Italy.
Categories: Clinical Trials, Plant Extracts, Weight loss
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