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RSS FeedTea and weight loss: Fact or fiction?
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| Fact | 58% | 350 votes | Total: 601 votes | |
| Fiction | 42% | 251 votes |
Fact
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Add to FavoritesDrinking tea does lead to weight loss, and there is a simple explanation for this. Tea has no calories. If a person starts drinking tea they are most likely replacing other beverages with the tea. These beverages most likely had calories in them. In the end, drinking tea leads to a decrease of calories consumed. This in itself leads to weight loss.
I decided about 3 1/2 years ago to stop drinking calories. My goal was to cut out calories consumed in beverages as a way to decrease my overall daily caloric intake. I was amazed at the number of calories that I had been drinking on a daily basis! I estimated that I was consuming 500 calories per day just by drinking the amount of juice and milk I was each day. That was a conservative figure. As you may imagine, the weight came off quickly once I switched to no calorie drinks such as water, coffee, and tea.
I don't know for sure if tea in and of itself will lead to weight loss. I can testify, through my own experiences, that tea will lead to weight loss simply as a numbers game. Each time a cup of tea is consumed it is likely that the soda sitting next to it is not. Over time a person will lose weight simply by reducing the number of calories that they are drinking and feeling better without being so weighed down by the heavier beverages.
Learn more about this author, Karen Greenberg.
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Fiction
Fiction I am afraid...
Yes, it is true that tea is a mild stimulant, and stimulants burn up calories. It is also true that a stomach full of tea will prevent hunger pangs- but the same is also true of water.
On the other hand tea can also carry calories- particularly if you like it sweet and milky. If you take sweet tea in this way do not be surprised if you gain weight rather than lose it- this will be because you can absorb a great many liquid calories without feeling full.
There are good reasons for drinking tea however. It has both anti cancer and anti oxident effects- provided you drink it without milk. Indian (black) tea is quite bitter this way but green tea is delicious and the healthiest of the lot. or some reason milk seems to undo all of the good tea would otherwise do.
Think you do not like tea? You are probably American and do not make it properly!
Warm the pot, make it strong and you will probably do much better.
My favorite tea tight now is Moroccan mint. This is very cooling, and is a green tea and therefore very good for you. If any tea can help you slim it is this one as it is drunk without milk. Therefore it is zero calorie on top of all other benefits.
Tea does have one advantage that may help the slimmer. It takes time! This means that it may displace snacking activity. If you feel like a break and visit your kitchen, you may get away with a zero calorie treat if you have some Moroccan tea instead.
Beware of slimming fads. There is a great market for them and magazines have to fill their pages with something. Eat less! Hard but true!
Learn more about this author, Richard Ford.
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