Can Green Tea Help In Medical Weight Loss?

Obesity rates are on the rise all over the world, prompting more people to take on weight loss to improve their well-being. It affects around 42% of US adults, a figure that has significantly increased over the past three decades and has become a pressing concern. Aside from excess fat, obesity also raises people’s risk of developing conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, certain types of cancers, diabetes, and more. Losing weight can help prevent or slow the progression of these health issues, but it’s not always a straightforward process. For 65% of Americans, willpower alone usually isn’t enough for weight loss and keeping the pounds off, especially with factors outside of one’s control affecting weight. As such, medical weight loss has surged in popularity, offering a guided, tailored approach to losing weight with the help of medication. In 2021, two million Americans were taking semaglutide medication. 

Even though medical weight loss incorporates more clinical techniques for shedding pounds, lifestyle changes are still crucial for boosting their effectiveness. Can green tea support these efforts? Here’s a closer look into medical weight loss and how green tea can help:

What is medical weight loss?

Medical weight loss is a treatment option for obesity that involves weight loss with the guidance of a healthcare professional. The professional works with the patient to understand their needs, lifestyle, and behaviors and create a tailored and realistic plan that works for their unique circumstances. This weight loss plan can incorporate diet, exercise, and even sleep and stress management for a holistic approach to weight loss. If a patient is qualified, they may be prescribed weight loss drugs to aid in the weight loss process and level the playing field. Weight loss medications have seen massive growth due to their ability to aid in weight loss and provide visible results. These drugs act in various ways, such as suppressing the appetite, curbing food cravings and thoughts of food, or blocking fat absorption. 

One popular weight loss drug is semaglutide, sold under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy, the latter of which is approved for weight loss. Semaglutide is classified as a glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) agonist, which mimics the naturally occurring GLP-1 hormone, which boosts the amount of insulin the body makes to lower blood sugar to a normal level. Using GLP-1 for weight loss can help suppress the appetite, reduce food cravings, and increase feelings of satiety. It also helps control blood sugar and may raise your resting metabolism. This can help patients lose an average of 15% body weight.

Weight loss medications aren’t a silver bullet

While weight loss medications are an important part of medical weight loss, they aren’t a one-and-done solution for losing weight. Lifestyle and behavior changes are still essential for shedding pounds. Eating a balanced diet with nutrient-rich foods, exercising regularly, regulating stress, and getting sufficient sleep all work together to enhance health and help people maintain a healthy weight. As such, drinking healthy beverages like green tea can be a great way to support your medical weight loss journey in various ways. 

Green tea can help support medical weight loss

Green tea is a great addition to your diet for fat-burning

Green tea is low in calories and high in nutrients and antioxidants that can help contribute to weight loss. Drinking green tea for your diet can help you consume fewer calories, as each cup contains less than two calories without additives like honey or sugar. It also contains an antioxidant that boosts metabolism, enabling the hormone involved in breaking down fat to work better. The winning combination of caffeine and catechins also has slimming properties. The caffeine quickens the heart rate and increases your body temperature by causing the body to release the hormone norepinephrine, allowing you to burn more calories. The catechins then prevent an enzyme that breaks down norepinephrine so you can burn more fat. Adding a premium-quality green tea farmed using the Chagusaba method to your diet can help you maximize green tea’s fat-burning benefits. It’s also a great way to add more flavor and variety to your diet when taking weight loss medications and can help relieve side effects like nausea. 

Green tea can improve your workout performance

The caffeine in green tea is a great stimulant, helping prime your body and brain for action. This makes it a great drink to help you prepare for a workout, allowing you to feel pumped up and alert so you can perform at your best. Green tea also contains a crucial flavonol called Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which plays a role in fat oxidation. This process breaks down fats into free fatty acids and glycerol, enabling them to be used for energy so you can burn more fat. Drinking it before your workout can help increase your fat oxidation rate and boost your mood to prepare you for exercise. You can also drink green tea after your workout, which will help reduce muscle pain. When you feel less sore and fatigued, you can improve your performance for a better workout session. Less pain can also motivate you to stay consistent with your physical activity, allowing your weight loss medication to be more effective at helping you lose weight.

Green tea can aid in stress and sleep management

Relaxing with a cup of green tea can help you forget about life’s worries by reducing your stress and improving your sleep. Not only does it boost your mood and mental state, but it also lowers stress levels, which can help with weight loss. Tea is a natural source of L-theanine, a compound that may support better sleep quality and relaxation. It can help prevent chronic stress, which activates the stress hormone cortisol that makes you crave sugary or fatty foods for comfort and satisfaction. It can also help you manage your sleep so you can get the sufficient hours of rest needed every night. Sleeping well allows your body to regulate your appetite hormones and prevents your metabolism from lowering, supporting your weight loss efforts. Stress and sleep management are often included in medical weight loss plans to enhance the effectiveness of your diet, exercise, and weight loss medication. When your body and brain function at their best, you can shed pounds easily and naturally in your medical weight loss program.