If you're a tea enthusiast, you likely already recognize the health benefits associated with tea consumption. Vicki Shanta Retelny, RDN, notes that tea possesses medicinal properties and ranks as the second most consumed beverage globally. But can tea help you lose weight? The evidence for tea’s effects on weight loss hasn’t always been clear.
How Tea May Aid Weight Loss
Substituting high-calorie beverages with tea can contribute to weight loss by reducing overall calorie intake. Sarah Koszyk, RDN, suggests opting for zero-calorie tea instead of sugary drinks to save hundreds of calories.
Research indicates that tea may directly influence weight loss. Koszyk explains that teas contain catechins, which can boost metabolism by accelerating fat breakdown and calorie burning. Catechins, potent antioxidants, are abundant in tea, particularly epicatechin (EC), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin gallate (ECG), and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is the most prevalent and is believed to be responsible for many of tea's health benefits.
Different processing methods, geographical locations, and plant varieties result in unique flavors and properties among tea varieties, affecting their nutritional composition and suitability for weight loss. Although many studies explore tea's effects using capsules or tablets with concentrated doses of plant compounds like EGCG, limitations exist due to small human sample sizes and non-human studies, necessitating further research on brewed tea's weight loss benefits.
Pu-erh Tea: A Unique Approach to Weight Management
Pu-erh tea, originating from Yunnan province, stands out with its distinct processing method and taste. It aids weight loss by accelerating digestion. Pile fermentation, developed in 1973, involves chemical reactions between beneficial bacteria and sunlight-dried tea, yielding a mellow flavor. Rhizopus's amylase activity produces organic acids and fragrant esters, while microbial antagonism ensures the absence of disease-causing germs.
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Drinking Pu-erh tea at specific times optimizes its fat-metabolizing effects. Consuming it one hour after meals helps eliminate excess grease and undigested fats. For optimal results, Pu-erh tea should be consumed throughout the day, replacing other beverages.
Optimizing Pu-erh Tea Consumption for Weight Loss
To maximize weight loss with Pu-erh tea:
- Tailor your diet to your body and aim for gradual, healthy weight loss.
- Consume small, healthy meals like salads and fruits throughout the day, avoiding late-night suppers.
- Combine Pu-erh tea with a healthy diet and regular exercise.
Pu-erh tea accelerates fat movement from the stomach to the colon, preventing fat absorption. The proper tea-to-water ratio is 1 gram of tea per 50 milliliters of water, steeping for 15 to 20 seconds.
Incorporating Pu-erh Tea into Your Daily Routine
- Replace all other drinks with Pu-erh tea daily.
- Drink a cup of Pu-erh tea in the middle of the night, skipping breakfast the next morning.
- Consume Pu-erh tea during meals at social events.
Understanding Pu-erh Tea Varieties
Pu-erh tea comes in raw and ripe forms, differing in flavor and color due to pile fermentation. Raw Pu-erh has a strong flavor, while ripe Pu-erh undergoes pile fermentation. Wodui, or pile-fermentation, involves fermenting tea leaves by piling them up, covering them with fabric, and adding water to accelerate the process, resulting in a unique earthy flavor.
Various shapes of Pu-erh tea, like mini Tuo cha, cakes, and bricks, are designed for better storage. Proper storage maintains its weight-losing effects and flavor.
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Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Weight Loss
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) views weight gain as an accumulation of "dampness" caused by imbalances in food intake, digestion, absorption, and transportation. To lose weight, TCM focuses on eliminating dampness through bitter, sour, and pungent foods while avoiding sweet, salty, and fatty foods.
TCM Herbal Remedies for Weight Loss
Several herbs are used in TCM to aid weight loss by suppressing appetite, increasing metabolism, and burning fat:
- He Ye (lotus leaf): Reduces fat accumulation.
- Fu Ling and Huang Qi: Aid in weight loss.
Bao He Wan, an over-the-counter Chinese weight loss formula, contains a variety of these herbs.
Lifestyle Adjustments in TCM
In addition to diet, TCM emphasizes the importance of sleep and stress management for weight loss. Acupuncture can help manage stress levels and improve sleep by stimulating the release of endorphins. Ear stapling or auricular acupuncture can also help control food cravings.
Impact of TCM on Weight Management
A network meta-analysis (NMA) study reviewed the effects of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) on weight loss, comparing them with different intervention durations. The results showed that TCMs, especially when the treatment duration was ≤6 months, were more effective in body weight and Body Mass Index (BMI) reduction than non-pharmacological interventions and placebo/no treatment. Acupotomy was ranked as the most effective TCM treatment in reducing both body weight and BMI.
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Study Details and Methodology
The study included 46 RCTs conducted among 4397 Chinese adults with overweight or obesity. Researchers searched electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, CNKI, WanFang, VIP, and SinoMed) up to 1 March 2023. Pairwise meta-analysis examined the pooled effects of TCMs on weight loss, and NMA ranked different types of TCMs. Subgroup analysis stratified by intervention duration was performed.
Limitations and Future Directions
The review acknowledges limitations in previous studies, such as focusing on a few commonly used TCM therapies and using pairwise meta-analysis. The present review and NMA study aim to systematically evaluate and compare the efficacy of currently available TCM treatments for weight loss, as compared to regular care intervention (e.g., Western medicine, non‐pharmacotherapy) or placebo/no treatment, among adults with overweight or obesity.
Comprehensive TCM Therapies for Weight Loss
TCM offers a range of therapies beyond herbal medicine, including:
- Acupuncture: Stimulates qi flow to balance body functions.
- Acupressure: Suppresses appetite and alleviates digestive discomfort.
- Cupping Therapy: Stimulates blood flow and releases toxins.
- Reflexology: Promotes better digestion and regulates appetite.
Specific Herbs and Their Benefits
- Ginseng: Enhances metabolism and increases energy levels.
- Astragalus: Strengthens qi and boosts metabolic function.
- Goji Berries: Rich in antioxidants, combating oxidative stress.
- Cinnamon Twig: Regulates blood sugar levels and improves circulation.
- Lotus Leaf: Reduces fat accumulation.
- Chinese Hawthorn: Aids digestion and promotes fat breakdown.
- Atractylodes: Improves digestive function and reduces water retention.
- Dandelion Root: Supports liver health and detoxification.
- Chinese Mugwort: Improves circulation and warms the body.
- Job’s Tears: Reduces internal dampness and water retention.
- Bupleurum: Harmonizes the liver and alleviates stress.
Considerations for Pu-erh Tea Consumption
Most of the side effects of pu-erh tea come from its caffeine content. Depending on the strength of the brew, pu-erh tea can contain 30-100 mg of caffeine per cup. Most people can tolerate up to 400 mg of caffeine daily, but some of the side effects of excessive caffeine can include: insomnia, dizziness, shaking, changes to your heart’s rhythm, dehydration, diarrhea or excessive urination. Because fermented foods may affect your gut bacteria concentrations, pu-erh tea may also affect your digestion and potentially cause some digestive upset.
Most people can safely drink up to 3 cups (710 mL) of pu-erh tea per day, unless they’re also consuming large quantities of other caffeinated beverages. Research is lacking on how much pu-erh tea you should drink daily to experience its potential weight loss benefits, but 1-2 cups (240-480 mL) per day is a good starting point.
Brewing Pu-erh Tea
- What you need: pu-erh tea - a single cake or 3-4 grams of loose leaf tea per cup you plan to make, boiling water, a teapot with a strainer, teacups or mugs, optional extras like cream, milk, or sweetener
- Steps: Place the pu-erh tea cake or loose leaves in the teapot and add just enough boiling water to cover the leaves, then discard the water. Repeat this step once more, being sure to discard the water. This “rinse” helps ensure a high quality tea. Fill the teapot with boiling water and allow the tea to steep for 2 minutes. Based on your taste preferences, you can steep for a longer or shorter period. Pour the tea into teacups and add extras as desired.