7 types of tea to drink if you're on a weight loss journey

If you're trying to lose weight, adding specific teas into your daily routine can be a great way to promote weight loss and reach your goals quickly.

Tea is often low in calories and can also help with hydration, which is important for your overall health and well-being, regardless of whether you're in the process of losing weight or not [7].

But which teas help with weight loss, and which ones just taste good? And is becoming a regular tea drinker enough to help with weight loss, or do you need to be thinking about your calorie intake and activity levels as well?

In this article, we'll give you the tea on the health benefits of tea, and whether it will enhance weight loss as you go.

Health benefits of drinking tea

Regardless of whether you're trying to lose weight or not, there are many benefits that can come with being a regular tea drinker [3].

Tea, particularly green and white tea, is high in antioxidant properties, like catechins and flavonoids [6].

Antioxidants are great for you, as they help to combat oxidative stress in your body (playing a key role in helping to keep you healthy) and lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels [3].

The antioxidant and antimicrobial properties found in teas like green tea may also help strengthen and support immune system function and protect against infection.

However, it's not just the antioxidants that can boost your overall health and well-being.

Many teas have L-theanine and caffeine content, which can improve brain and cognitive function. In these cases, tea has been linked with improved focus, attention, and memory.

Meanwhile, herbal teas — particularly peppermint, ginger, and chamomile tea — are known for their digestive benefits. This trio can help soothe gastrointestinal discomfort like indigestion, bloating, nausea, and stomach cramps.

Chamomile tea, along with lavender tea, are also great stress relievers.

Finally, certain teas (in particular, green tea and oolong tea) have been shown to aid weight loss efforts.

Regular green tea and oolong tea consumption can help with weight loss by boosting your metabolism, increasing body fat burning, and promoting feelings of fullness — all of which make sustainable weight management more achievable.

Is tea good for weight loss?

When combined with a healthy diet and regular exercise, yes, tea can be beneficial for weight loss.

In fact, several types of tea, such as green, oolong, and pu-erh tea, have been studied for their potential weight loss effects.

As we mentioned before, certain compounds in tea, like catechins and caffeine, have been shown to boost metabolism.

This can help the body burn calories more efficiently, potentially leading to weight loss over time, and making it easier to reach and maintain a healthy weight. Similarly, green tea and oolong tea may help with weight loss as they can aid fat oxidation — the process of burning fat cells for energy.

Some studies also suggest that drinking tea before meals may help suppress appetite, which can help lower your overall calorie intake.

Meanwhile, herbal teas like chamomile and lavender teas can help reduce stress, helping to prevent emotional eating. In other words, you may find that you're less inclined to reach for sugary beverages or other high-calorie snacks [5].

Likewise, drinking tea can support your overall hydration levels, which is always beneficial when you're looking to burn fat and enhance weight loss.

When it comes to healthy lifestyle choices, staying hydrated is at the top of the list, as it can help support metabolism, reduce hunger, and improve exercise performance.

It's important to note that while tea can be a helpful addition to a weight loss plan, it's not a magical solution on its own.

Sustainable weight loss requires a combination of healthy eating habits, regular physical activity, adequate sleep, and stress management.

And of course, it's important to be mindful of the impact that any sugar-sweetened beverages will have on your overall calorie intake and weight loss efforts. Sugary drinks served with cream or sweetened syrups can lead to weight gain, rather than helping you to burn fat and promote weight loss.

How much tea should you drink per day?

When it comes to how much tea you should drink per day, it really depends on a number of factors, like the types of tea you're drinking, whether you're drinking weight loss teas, regular black tea, or herbal teas.

One thing to consider when consuming green or black tea is the amount of caffeine you're consuming.

Too much caffeine can lead to heightened jitters, increase your heart rate, and make it harder to sleep. For most people, 2 or 3 cups of caffeinated tea per day is safe and provides health benefits without these adverse effects.

On the other hand, herbal teas are free of caffeine and can typically be consumed in larger quantities.

With that being said, it's still a good idea to vary your tea selections, to ensure that you're getting a range of benefits and avoid excessive consumption of any one herb.

Pay attention to how your body responds to any type of tea. If you experience any adverse effects, like digestive discomfort, headaches, or sleep disturbances, it's a good idea to adjust your tea intake accordingly.

Everyone's tolerance will be different, so it's essential to find the right balance for your individual needs.

What's the best tea for weight loss?

When it comes to what the best tea for weight loss is, the answer can vary depending on your individual preferences and body chemistry.

With that being said, several types have been shown to help promote weight loss, either directly or indirectly.

1. Green tea

With plenty of antioxidants and other healthy benefits, green tea is one of the most well-researched weight loss teas [1].

Some research suggests that green tea can increase the fat-burning effects of exercise and that enjoying a cup of green tea before a workout might help you burn more body fat.

Drinking green tea regularly has been associated with modest reductions in body weight and fat mass, which makes it a good option to support your weight loss journey [2].

2. Oolong tea

Oolong tea is partially oxidised, which means that it falls somewhere between green tea and black tea, and has many health benefits.

With catechins and caffeine, oolong tea can help boost fat metabolism and increase calorie burning, making it a great addition to your regular diet [1].

3. Black tea

While black tea is often overshadowed by green tea when it comes to weight loss teas, it shouldn't be ignored [1].

The caffeine in black tea can help boost metabolism and promote body fat burning, and some studies indicate that black tea can positively affect gut bacteria, which can help with weight management [4].

4. Hibiscus tea

Hibiscus tea is naturally low in calories and high in flavour, which makes it a great option when looking for antioxidant-packed weight loss teas.

Beyond that, hibiscus tea has a diuretic effect, which means that it can help reduce water retention and bloating in the body.

Furthermore, some studies show that hibiscus tea may help regulate blood sugar levels, which is great for managing hunger and sugar cravings [5].

5. White tea

White tea is minimally processed and contains high levels of antioxidants, including catechins.

While there's less research specifically on white tea and weight loss compared to green tea, it's thought to have similar metabolism-boosting and fat-burning effects.

6. Rooibos tea

Rooibos tea (aka red tea) is another great option to add to your herbal teas for weight loss [5].

Caffeine-free and rich in antioxidants, rooibos tea boosts your metabolism, fights oxidative stress and regular stress, and supports your overall health.

7. Peppermint tea

While peppermint tea might not have some of the direct fat-burning properties of other types of tea, it can still support your weight loss journey in many ways [5].

For one, it's known to help suppress appetite, and the scent of peppermint can help reduce hunger cravings, which can make it easier to stick to your healthy eating goals.

It can also support your digestive health and reduce stress, and these benefits can again help support your weight loss efforts.

Ultimately, the best weight loss tea will be the one that you enjoy drinking and can incorporate into your daily routine consistently.

Remember that while tea can be a helpful tool for weight loss, it's most effective when combined with a balanced diet, regular exercise, and other healthy lifestyle habits.

If you're in a place where your weight loss efforts up to now haven't been giving you the results you want, Juniper's Weight Reset Programme might be just what you're looking for to lose weight and keep it off for good.

This programme combines weight loss medications (Mounjaro or Wegovy) with ongoing support from clinicians, so you're not just losing weight, you're forming sustainable healthy lifestyle habits that will set you up for life.

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