For whatever this is worth to you:

"Green Tea: Consider green tea as your beverage of choice if
you're trying to lose weight. People given green tea extract
burned more total and more fat calories than those given
caffeine or placebo in a study published in American Journal
of Clinical Nutrition." (Source: Joann Bally, Exercise Guru from http://www.exercise-tips.com - one of 500+ sites at lifetips.com)

Green tea extract is available as a nutrional supplement.

I also recall that my doctor once told me that extra zinc in the diet helps with weight loss.

Hey Terri,

Thanks for the info. I just bought some green tea tonight, so I am glad to hear that it is so good for me. I have stopped using regular tea at the moment because it is fermented, but I really wanted to replace it with something. Herbals don't do much for me.

I read that green tea is good for prevention of cancer and rheumatoid arthritis, but I didn't know about weight loss. (Teacup) Bottoms up!

Hey Teri

When buying green tea extract, what should I look for? How much should I take per day?

Thanks
shae

Everything (and more) you ever wanted to know about Green Tea

As you can see from the review, to get the metabolic benefits of green tea you'd have to drink a lot of it - the extract which you can take instead will deliver the results you're looking for and there is the added bonus that it they do not contain caffeine.

WholeHealthmd.com has a great write up about Green Tea as well.

For what it's worth, I've been taking green tea extract along with CLA (also written up at Supplementwatch.com) since April 30th. I have noticed an increase in my rising body temp - signalling a rise in RMR (resting metabolic rate). I am now sitting back waiting for the fat to start melting off me

Nat

good info Teri-doodle and Nat, thanks, That's all the encouragement I need to swap totally to green tea. I'd already started drinking it, so I'll now make sure I get my 4 - 10 cups a day! It's also helping to reduce my milk intake, since I don't like black tea without milk. So - I'm just waiting to metamorphose into a new slimmer (but hotter) me.

Jay, not sure if it's mentioned in either of those reviews, but green tea must be drunk 'green' - adding milk or sugar (not likely in our cases) will negate the effect of the EGCG (the substance that makes green tea thermogenic)

Nat

Thanks so much for this information -- I'd still be drinking my relatively useless coffee if I hadn't seen these posts. Great information, and now I feel righteous about my caffeine intake in the morning

-petra

Hi Nat

Thanks for the info. Still a little confused as to the amount you should take per day. Is it 100 mg? Also can you get the extract in decaffinated? I'm from Canada also & what brand do you find is the best & where did you get it?

Thanks
shae

Shae, dosages are described in the supplementwatch.com review - you really should read through all of it to be sure you get the right kind. It has to be standardized to a certain percentage of polyphenols to work. Decaffinated Green Tea does not have the same properties in the same concentrations as the caffinated tea, HOWEVER, as I stated above, the Green Tea Extract does not contain caffeine (you can read about more that in the wholehealthmd.com review).

I too am in Canada. I've only found Herbal Select brand thus far that meets the criteria.

HTH
Nat

Sorry Nat, I misread your post & didn't go to the supplement watch web site. I just looked at WholeHealthmd.com. I have it figured out now.

Regards,

shae

"green tea must be drunk 'green' - adding milk or sugar (not likely in our cases) will negate the effect of the EGCG. "

Does this also include splenda? In the guidelines for use at WholeHealthmd.com it suggests adding a "generous dollop of honey" (which we wouldn't do anyway)

shae

Let me check, Shae. I have another source of info on green tea where the milk/sugar thing was mentioned.

Nat

My bad, Shae. It's just milk. Go ahead with the splenda, or sugar, or honey

Nat

I have a question... " green tea"... does it have to be a specific brand...par example I am making iced tea out of Tetley Earl Grey Green Tea as we speak... am I going to reap any benefits beside enjoying a cool sip by the pool

Bonnie

Any green tea will do it for you, Bonnie. I've used the Earl Grey for iced tea and it's delicious. Just so long as it's not decaf you're getting the benefits (and you're still getting them with decaf, only at about 1/3 stength)

Nat