Tea is one of the most popular and widely consumed drinks across the world. There are different types of teas; white tea, green tea, black tea and oolongs among others. Green, black and oolong refers to the methods used to process the tea. Among all these types of teas, the popularity of green tea for its health benefits has been increasing rapidly. Green tea weight loss has become the subject matter of many scientific and medical studies globally.
Green tea is primarily grown in countries like China, Japan, India and Sri Lanka. However, majority of green tea comes from China covering over 20 provinces. Due to its increasing demand, countries like Australia and Indonesia also produce green tea. It is derived from a plant named Camellia sinensis which is a white flowered shrub.
It is primarily made up of three components; essential oils, polyphenols and caffeine. Green tea helps to fight various ailments like cancer, depression, headaches, heart diseases and also supplements quick weight loss. Polyphenols are the providers of these health benefits. The essential oils impart aroma to the green tea and the caffeine is the energy provider. Water is also a very important component of green tea. Hence, ideally it should be brewed using filter water or bottled water.
The Camellia sinensis shrub needs to grow for five years before the leaves can be picked. Good quality green tea leaves are handpicked with the help of sharp blades. Depending on the climate, green tea may be harvested from the same plant for as many as seven times in a year. However, once the shrub reaches the age of 30, it can no longer be harvested.
After green tea leaves are plucked from the shrubs, they are steamed or roasted almost immediately to avoid fermentation of the leaves. Hence most green teas are light green in color. Steaming rather than roasting the green tea, helps to retain its nutritional value and also takes away the bitter taste. The color of the leaves plays a crucial role in differentiating good quality green tea from the inferior ones which may contain chemicals like lead and aluminum which can be harmful.
If you are worried about how to lose weight fast, a balanced diet along with green tea supplements can be very effective. All dieticians and medical practitioners are sure to recommend green tea weight loss as an essential element to leading a healthy lifestyle.