This Green Tea Supplement Is the Secret to Losing Weight and Keeping It Off
When it comes to weight loss, many experts agree that green tea is a great addition to your diet. It has shown to boost metabolism, aid detoxification, and improve overall health in more ways than one. But now, a new supplement has emerged which promises even greater health and weight loss benefits than sipping a brewed cup of tea — green tea phytosome.
The name sounds fancy, but green tea phytosome is actually just a supplement containing green tea polyphenols (or micronutrients) that are bound to a phospholipid (or fat). The catechins (an antioxidant) in green tea are mostly responsible for its health benefits as they have shown to reduce free radicals and oxidative damage in the body. Because these green tea compounds are bound to a fat in green tea phytosome, they are said to be more easily absorbable by human cell membranes, meaning that they deliver nutrients more successfully.
Of course, drinking green tea alone has health benefits, like warding off certain diseases, aiding weight loss, and helping with detoxification. However, experts agree that in order to reap the full benefits, you’d have to be consuming between eight to 10 cups of the brew per day! Since, let’s be real, no one is drinking that much green tea, supplements like green tea phytosome pack a nutritional punch that you probably wouldn’t get otherwise.
A growing body of research supports the claim that green tea phytosome is an effective supplement for weight loss. In one 2009 study, 50 obese men and women reduced calories to lose weight. One group took green tea phytosome, and the other did not. Those who took the supplement showed an average weight loss of 30 pounds while the other group only showed weight loss of about 11 pounds on average — that’s a big difference! Another 2013 study demonstrated similar results, showing that subjects who took the supplement experienced significant reductions in both weight and waist circumference.
While green tea was previously said to help with weight loss because of it’s caffeine content, green tea phytosome supplements actually don’t contain any caffeine. This shows that the polyphenols alone can help with weight loss, particularly when it comes to burning fat cells for energy.
What’s more, green tea phytosome has shown to help maintain weight loss over time. When you lose weight, your body changes so that you expend less energy (or calories) in your day-to-day activities. Therefore, in order to maintain your losses, you need to consume fewer and fewer calories, which is why so many people struggle to keep their weight down. However, green tea phytosome might be able to help because it increases energy expenditure naturally. In one study of women who lost weight, one group received a green tea phytosome supplement for three months while the other did not. The group taking the supplement not only maintained their weight loss, but lost even more weight and fat mass! The second group, on the other hand, began gaining weight.
So if you’re ready to dive in and add a green tea phytosome supplement to your weight loss routine, we can’t say we blame you. Some important things to note: a few cases of liver damage have been reported in people taking green tea extracts, though it’s generally safe to consume in appropriate doses. It’s recommended that you take your green tea supplements with a meal to reduce any potential side effects and as always, check with your doctor before starting on any new plan. Also be sure you’re using a quality supplement. We like this one from Thorne Research ($27.00, Amazon).
For more on the health benefits of green tea:
This Sweet Tea Recipe Is Helping Women Over 50 Lose Weight Effortlessly
3 Delicious Green Tea Recipes That Will Help You Sip the Stress Away
Green Tea Gives Your Vegetables a Flavor and Health Boost — Here’s Why
