While some of the details remain sketchy, it is believed that the Chinese first cultivated green tea some 4,000 years ago. To this day, the Chinese are noted for their ability to use herbal and other natural remedies to treat all kinds of medical conditions. Now, that’s not to say they, or other Eastern cultures are addicted to green tea, but they certainly know a good thing when they see it. Tea is one of the most popular beverages in the world, but is has only recently started to gain any real popularity in the United States.

This is likely due to all of the various medical and scientific studies that have, time and again, pointed to some amazing benefit of green tea. It seems as though there isn’t anything this wonder plant can’t do. Now, it probably comes as no surprise that obesity is a growing problem–literally–in the U.S. So, what does that have to do with green tea? Well, the effects of green tea weight loss are simply astounding, as you will see.

William Rumpler is a noted physiologist who is looking into some of the potential benefits of green tea. To be specific, he is investigating the oxidation of fat and energy expenditure in the body when green tea is present. To put it in more simple terms, he’s looking to see how it burns fat and increases metabolism. As of now, the only component that they are 100% sure of (as far as green tea weight loss goes) is caffeine. Subjects drinking green tea had positive effects on their fat oxidation levels and metabolism. However, those who drank plain, caffeinated water did not experience the same results.

So, what is really going on is anyone’s guess. But one thing is for sure, green tea can help people to lose weight. The good news is that Rumpler’s study is only the beginning. His study has spurred many other researchers to look into how tea helps people get rid of their extra pounds. As of now, it’s safe to say that drinking green tea should be able to help most people lose some weight.

Green tea may also assist in weight loss by inhibiting the absorption of fat, cholesterol and carbohydrates. Therefore, if the body takes in calories, but not all of them are absorbed, then the net effect is to take in fewer calories. Also, green tea helps people to feel more full so they put less food into their mouths in the first place.

As if the weight loss aspect weren’t enough, green tea also has plenty of other health benefits, too. It helps to cleanse the liver, prevents cavities, lowers bad cholesterol, controls high blood pressure, and decreases the risks of several forms of cancer. All it takes to get all of these potential benefits, and the green tea weight loss benefits to is to drink one or two cups of tea each day.

Have you ever noticed that you can often find green tea or its extracts being sold near other weight loss products? Perhaps you never thought twice about it, but they don’t sell coffee, milk or other such beverages there, so why green tea? Let’s take a look at green tea and weight loss.

While it may not be 100% perfect (nothing is), you will see that green tea does have some pretty impressive benefits; not only on how much you weigh, but on your overall health as well. Ancient cultures have been aware of these properties for ages, but it is only recently that Western medicine and science have started to see how much this unassuming plant can do.

Before we get to the good stuff, it’s only fair to offer a few warnings. First, green tea contains caffeine, so those who can’t tolerate it, or have to avoid it for spiritual or health reasons shouldn’t drink it. Second, you should talk to your doctor before making any changes to your diet. Finally, none of the information in this article is meant to be medical advice of any kind. Always consult with your doctor and follow their advice. Okay, now on to the good stuff…

Green tea contains catechin polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants. These appear to be the source of a lot of the health benefits associated with drinking green tea. Furthermore, the catechin increases your metabolism. Some studies have shown that green tea can boost your metabolism by as much as 4% for a full 24 hours after drinking it. Imagine drinking a cup or two of tea and then burning extra calories for a day afterwards.

The better metabolic rate is only the start of the good news about green tea and weight loss. One of the biggest problems with going on a diet is that you always seem to feel hungry. But green tea comes to the rescue yet again! How? First it helps to regulate blood sugar levels, which play an important part in how full we feel. Next, the polyphenols in green tea may suppress the body’s production of the enzyme leptin which makes us feel hungry. So, it not only makes you feel fuller, it also makes you less hungry at the same time.

So far it’s easy to see how green tea is a natural ally in the fight for losing weight, but we’re not quite done yet. As if increased metabolism and feeling full weren’t enough, there is also some evidence that compounds found in green tea reduce how much fat the body absorbs. The catechins, caffeine and theanine work to inhibit the lipase enzymes that signal the body to store fat.

Add to all of this the fact that tea has zero calories, and there should be no doubt that green tea and weight loss go together. Just drink a cup or two every day, and you should start noticing the positive effects before you know it.

We all know that being overweight can produce many negative side effects on your physical and mental health. Heart attack, stroke and diabetes are three of the most common. Some of the other less talked about but equally damaging are stress on your muscles and joints. It’s a fact: weight loss reduces physical stress.

Getting rid of some stress can actually make it easier to loss weight too. Stress and weight loss are intricately wound together. If you are under a lot of stress your body tends to hold on to the weight. Nothing works as well as it should. Your metabolism slows down and it is much harder to lose the weight.

As you can see it is a real catch 22. Being overweight puts stress on your body and being under too much stress encourages weight gain (or at least discourages weight loss).

OK, I know I’ve made it all sound overwhelming, but it doesn’t need to be. Even though weight loss reduces physical stress and stress makes it more difficult to lose weight, it’s not impossible.

The best way to start is with simple day to day changes. Don’t try to change your whole world all at once, instead pick one area to work on and then go for it. Once you’ve conquered that first obstacle, pick another.

Keep doing that and before you know it you will be at your proper weight, which will diminish the abuse your joints and muscles will take and you will have less stress in your life.

For many people a good first obstacle to try and work on is their eating habits. Again, don’t think you have to do it all at once. how about starting small? Maybe take a week and concentrate just on drinking more water every day. Or eating more fruits and vegetables daily. how about cutting down on the soda you drink?

Simple, one step at a time. Don’t expect huge changes quickly. It takes time to see changes and it takes time to let the momentum build. Once you start with one thing, successfully add another and so on, the whole process will begin to pick up steam. From that point on it will seem extremely easy to do.

If you can combine some diet changes along with a little more physical activity you can greatly speed up the process. Again, start small. While it’s commendable to join a gym and resolve to spend 30 minutes every single day on the treadmill, it is also a big change and it may be harder to stick with.

If you find that you can stick to it, great, more power to you. But for many people over reaching on their goals is a great way to fail and get discouraged.

Something as simple as parking a little further from the door so you have to walk more every day is a great place to start. How about taking the stairs in stead of the elevator at least once a day? Maybe take the dog for a walk at least twice a week, etc.

You get the idea. Just start making changes, simple changes that you know you can stick with, and the rest will follow.

True weight loss reduces physical stress but it can also help alleviate a lot of emotional stress as well.