Slow metabolism alone is not responsible for overweight problems but it does play an important role in weight. It is a process by which your body converts the calories you obtain through diet into energy needed for your body to function. The number of calories you need depends on several factors including your size, current weight, age and gender. The basal metabolic rate accounts for up to 75% of all calories you burn, while the rest calories are needed for food digestion and physical activity.
Metabolic rate varies from person to person and depends on the above mentioned factors. However, you are not helpless when it comes to the speed of your metabolism. Green tea is one of the best ways to improve your metabolism on all natural and safe way. The tea which is made of dried leaves from Camellia sinensis (the same plant from which is derived black tea) has been proven to increase metabolic rate for up to 4%. Drinking green tea itself is not enough to lose weight but it can help you get rid of those pounds a lot faster and easier if combined with healthy eating and exercise habits.
The effects of green tea on metabolic rate are linked to polyphenols and caffeine that stimulate thermogenesis which in turn increases fat oxidation. This means that regular drinking of green tea improves your metabolic rate and subsequently enables you to lose weight faster because increased metabolic rate needs more energy which means more burned calories. Some researchers claim that drinking five cups of green tea per day can help you burn 80 extra calories. The amount of extra calories you will burn from drinking green tea depend on several factors including your diet and level of physical activity although improved metabolism means more burned calories even while at rest. But the benefits of regular green tea drinking do not stop at weight loss.
Green tea has been used in China, Japan and other parts of Asia for thousands of years for its health benefits, while the scientific evidence from recent studies confirm most of its traditional uses. Green tea contains a potent antioxidant called epigallocatechin (EGCG) which is up to 100 times more powerful that other antioxidants including vitamins C and E. Antioxidants reduce the damage that is caused by the free radicals and are believed to help prevent premature aging and even reduce the risk of some types of cancer.
Green tea has been also shown to reduce both cholesterol and blood pressure which means that it reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease as well as heart attack and stroke. Other benefits of green tea include dental cavity prevention and menopausal symptom relief, while some studies also suggest that it may be helpful for asthma and arthritis patients because it improves the airflow to the lungs, reduces inflammation and slows cartilage deterioration.
Green tea is extremely safe and all reported side effects are related to caffeine. The latter should not be problematic for most people including those who are not regular coffee consumers because green tea contains a lot less caffeine than coffee and about 2 to 3 times less than black tea. Caffeine-free green tea products are available as well if you are sensitive to caffeine.