I enjoy a well-brewed cup of tea. Not only is it delicious, but it’s also comforting and quite delightful on the taste buds. Additionally, a good cup of tea can also boost your health in many ways, including encouraging weight loss. In fact, if you may be looking for a natural and delicious alternative to Ozempic. So, sipping on these teas can suppress appetite and speed up metabolism, both of which can help you manage your weight.
Natural Teas to Suppress Appetite and Burn Belly Fat
1. Black Tea
While it’s often accompanied by some form of dairy, drinking plain black tea can boast significant benefits thanks to the fermentation process that it undergoes. As a result of this process, a brewed cup of black tea is rich in flavonoids that may encourage weight loss. How so?
According to research, the flavonoids found in black tea, theaflavins and thearubigins, speed up metabolism, inhibit fat absorption, and reduce calorie absorption.
2. Ginger Tea
I turn to ginger when I’m struggling with a sore throat, but I may have to look at it as an appetite suppressant.
Ginger is rich in powerful compounds and according to studies, these compounds encourage weight loss by speeding up metabolism and curbing sugar cravings. They’ve also reduced appetite in obese women.
3. Green Tea
If there’s one type of tea that’s featured on every tea list, and is a staple in my pantry, it’s definitely green tea.
Rich in antioxidants known as catechins, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), green tea can help support weight loss by speeding up metabolism, which serves to reduce body fat. Additionally, research also suggests that green tea can regulate the hormone leptin, which suppresses appetite and improves satiety. That said, more research is needed to confirm these findings.
4. Hibiscus Tea
A beautiful flower, hibiscus can also be enjoyed as a tea that provides health benefits that include weight loss.
While research is limited, existing data has found that the polyphenols found in hibiscus may encourage weight loss.
5. Oolong Tea
Thanks to its fermentation process, oolong tea is rich in a wide range of compounds that may help you achieve your weight loss goals.
Per a study published in Nutrients, obese men who drank oolong tea at breakfast and lunch experienced a 20% boost in fat burning over a two-week period. That said, a two-week trial isn’t enough to confirm the effects, so further research is needed.
6. Peppermint Tea
While the compounds found in peppermint tea may not trigger weight loss, the smell of peppermint is where the benefits are. In fact, thanks to its scent, peppermint makes a great appetite suppressant tea.
Per the findings, the regular scent of peppermint caused participants to consume fewer calories and experience reduced appetite.
Not all teas are made equal
Granted, the above-mentioned appetite suppressant teas may play a role in weight management. Yet, this does not mean that you should invest your time or money in teas promoted as solely ‘detox’ or ‘weight loss’ teas.
Frankly, if you’re looking to enjoy weight loss, then it’s best to include regular exercise, sleeping well, consuming a healthy diet, and reducing stress alongside your tea-drinking habits.
References
Ebrahimzadeh Attari, V., Asghari Jafarabadi, M., Zemestani, M., & Ostadrahimi, A. (2015). Effect of Zingiber officinale Supplementation on Obesity Management with Respect to the Uncoupling Protein 1 -3826A>G and ß3-adrenergic Receptor Trp64Arg Polymorphism. Phytotherapy research : PTR, 29(7), 1032–1039. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.5343
Huang, L. H., Liu, C. Y., Wang, L. Y., Huang, C. J., & Hsu, C. H. (2018). Effects of green tea extract on overweight and obese women with high levels of low density-lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C): a randomised, double-blind, and cross-over placebo-controlled clinical trial. BMC complementary and alternative medicine, 18(1), 294. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-018-2355-x
Pan, H., Gao, Y., & Tu, Y. (2016). Mechanisms of Body Weight Reduction by Black Tea Polyphenols. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 21(12), 1659. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules21121659
Park, H., Jung, J., Choi, K., Ha, C., et al. (2020). The effects of steamed ginger ethanolic extract on weight and body fat loss: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Food Science and Biotechnology, 29(2), 265-273. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10068-019-00649-x
Reed, J., Almeida, J., Wershing, B., & Raudenbush, B. (2008). Effects of peppermint scent on appetite control and caloric intake. Appetite, 51(2), 393. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2008.04.196
Von Dentz, K.E., Silva, B.S., Queiroz, E.A.I.F., Bomfim, G.F., et al., 2021. Hibiscus sabdariffa ethanolic extract modulates adipokine levels, decreases visceral fat and improves glycemic profile in high-fat/sugar diet-induced obese rats. Nutrition & Food Science. https://doi.org/10.1108/NFS-05-2020-0123
Zhang, S., Takano, J., Murayama, N., Tominaga, M., et al. (2020). Subacute Ingestion of Caffeine and Oolong Tea Increases Fat Oxidation without Affecting Energy Expenditure and Sleep Architecture: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Double-Blinded Cross-Over Trial. Nutrients, 12(12). https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12123671