The Benefits of Oolong Tea for Weight Loss
Has your self-confidence taken a beating over repeated failed attempts to lose weight? Want to lose weight but can’t give up on food? Don’t worry; we will not ask you to do that. What The Country House suggests is that you add a cup of Oolong tea to your diet. Weight loss is virtually guaranteed with this ancient beverage. Some studied have found that even people on a high-fat diet can lose weight if they consume Oolong tea regularly.
Oolong tea possesses properties that can lower lipid and fight obesity. Oolong tea acts by accelerating metabolism, improving fat mobilization, preventing fat cell proliferation, and helping to maintain weight loss. It also helps to build immunity as it is loaded with more antioxidants than the green tea.
Read on to know why Oolong tea is best for weight loss, when to consume it, methods to prepare, and much more.
Why Oolong Tea For Weight Loss?
Oolong tea and green tea are both obtained from Camellia sinensis. But the difference between the two lies in the fact that oolong tea after being plucked is dried under the strong Sun is partially oxidized before being curled or twisted. Because of partial oxidation, unlike green tea, Oolong tea restores most of its antioxidant and lipid-lowering properties.The antioxidants help to scavenge the harmful free oxygen radicals. Free oxygen radicals can lead to weight gain by disrupting normal cell function and metabolism.
We also found some interesting scientific studies that were conducted to confirm the weight loss effects of Oolong tea. Japanese scientists put lab rats on a high-fat diet for 10 days and then administered Oolong tea. It was found that the caffeine in Oolong tea induced fat mobilization and increased pancreatic lipase (fat breakdown) activity. This led the scientists to believe that Oolong tea can be used as a drug for treating obesity and fatty liver (1). Another study by Chinese scientists on human subjects confirmed that Oolong tea helped fat metabolism and prevented obesity. In the next section, we discuss how oolong tea and weight loss are related.
How Oolong Tea Promotes Weight Loss?
- The polyphenols present in Oolong tea helps to induce weight loss and has anti-inflammatory effects.
- It boosts the metabolism by 10% and helps to burn tummy and upper arm fat. Oolong tea contains caffeine and Epigallo Catechins (EGCG) and both of these work together to accelerate fat oxidation. Oolong tea also regulates blood sugar levels, increases satiety, and blocks the absorption of carbohydrates and fats.
- Oolong tea helps to lower bad cholesterol (LDL cholesterol) in the body as compared to green or black tea by upregulating LDL receptors in the liver (5).
- Regular consumption of Oolong tea can also prevent diabetes by inhibiting alpha-glucosidase, the enzyme responsible for glucose absorption in the small intestine.
- Weight loss is all about expending the energy that you consume in the form of various foods. Oolong tea has been found to increase body’s energy expenditure further promoting weight loss.
- Oolong tea helps to increase the pH levels of the digestive tract, thereby promoting better digestion and preventing stomach ulcers, bacterial infection, and acid reflux. Besides, it is also a known fact that a healthy digestive system aids weight loss.
- Last but not the least, Oolong tea is a calorie-free beverage and has different flavors. Therefore, you can drink it without having to think of consuming calories.
The bottom line is that Oolong tea successfully nullifies all the weight gain inducing causes and all you have to do is consume it! So, let’s find out how to prepare Oolong tea to lose weight.
How To Prepare Oolong Tea For Weight Loss?
Simply put, it’s easy to make Oolong tea. You just have to buy a good quality Oolong tea. Here are few best methods of preparing it for weight loss.
1. Method 1 – Oolong Tea Leaves
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Oolong tea leaves
- 1 cup water
How To Prepare
- Bring a cup of water to a boil.
- Remove from the flame as soon as it boils.
- Add Oolong tea leaves and put a lid on.
- Let it steep for 5 minutes.
- Strain the tea into a cup before drinking.
2. Method 2 – Oolong Tea And Lemon Juice
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Oolong tea leaves
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
How To Prepare
- Add Oolong tea leaves into a cup of hot water.
- Let it steep for 5-7 minutes.
- Strain the tea and add lemon juice.
- Stir well before drinking.
3. Method 3 – Oolong Tea & Green Tea
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon Oolong tea leaves
- 1 teaspoon green tea leaves
- 1 cup water
How To Prepare
- Bring a cup of water to a boil and remove from the flame immediately.
- Add Oolong tea and green tea.
- Let it steep for 3 and 1/2 minutes.
- Strain before drinking.
4. Method 4 – Oolong Tea & Cinnamon
Ingredients
- 1 Oolong tea leaves
- 2 inch Ceylon cinnamon stick
- 1 cup water
How To Prepare
- Soak the cinnamon stick in a cup of water overnight.
- In the morning, boil the water with the cinnamon stick.
- Wait till the water level drops to its half.
- Remove from the flame and add the Oolong tea leaves using a strainer.
- Let it steep for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the cinnamon stick and the tea leaves in strainer before drinking.
These quick methods of preparing Oolong tea are the best ways to consume it for weight loss. But now the obvious question is when to drink Oolong tea for best results? Here is your answer.
When To Consume Oolong Tea For Weight Loss?
- Consume Oolong tea in the morning with breakfast.
- Oolong tea can also be consumed 30 minutes before lunch or dinner.
- You can consume Oolong tea with your evening snack.
Other Oolong Tea Benefits
1. Relieves Stress
Stress is one of the causes of weight gain. Oolong tea helps to relieve stress by improving the serotonin levels (feel good hormone) and preventing depression that leads to emotional eating.
2. Promotes Heart Health
Oolong tea helps to reduce the bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels. It also increases the plasma adiponectin levels and reduces the risk of diabetes, coronary artery disease, and obesity.
3. Boosts The Immune System
Loaded with antioxidants, Oolong tea helps to boost the immunity by neutralizing the free oxygen radicals. It prevents cellular damage and microbial infections too.
4. Strengthens The Bones
Oolong tea contains calcium and magnesium that prevents loss of bone mass. Consuming Oolong tea regularly has been found to strengthen the bones, prevent osteoporosis, arthritis, and improve bone health.
5. Fights Cancer
Since Oolong tea is an excellent source of antioxidants, drinking Oolong tea can help fight cancer. Antioxidants prevent DNA damage and control cell proliferation.
6. Boosts Brain Function
Like coffee Oolong tea contains caffeine that helps to improve alertness and brain function. It rejuvenates the brain cells and prevents the feeling of tiredness and fatigue.
7. Improves Skin Health
Consuming green tea regularly can help prevent various skin diseases such as eczema, atopic dermatitis, skin redness, microbial infections, itchy and flaky skin. The antioxidants help to avoid premature aging of the skin. Your skin will glow with health.
8. Protects Teeth
The acids produced by bacteria in teeth causes decay. The antioxidants present in Oolong tea helps to prevent tooth decay by balancing the pH levels and inhibiting microbial growth.
As the saying goes, anything in excess is harmful. Although Oolong tea aids weight loss and improves overall health, you must keep a check on the quantity of consumption. So, how much is too much? Here you go.
How Much Oolong Tea should you drink to help lose weight?
You can drink this calorie-free drink 2-3 times a day. Do not over do it in the hope of losing weight quickly. Oolong tea overdose can cause the following problems: anxiety, dehydration, insomnia, increased heart rate, depression, frequent urination, upset stomach, nausea, headache, skeletal fluorosis, kidney stones, allergy, glaucoma, and anemia. You should also take the following points into consideration before drinking Oolong tea for weight loss.
*Disclaimer: Please note, this blog post should not be taken as medical advice or relied upon for any medical condition tied to weight loss/obesity. This is simply a suggestion borne not by scientific trials/studies/peer-reviewed tests but by anecdotes of other tea drinkers.
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